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I have a 55g planted tank with water wisterias,amazon sword, and 6 small bala sharks. I am wondering if you guys know any cichlids that would be able to get along with my peacefull sharks without messing around with my plants.

please help me out, I want a cichlid in that tank (if possible)

There are quite a few peaceful cichlids that would work, but you have to consider the sharks first. Six of a foot long, highly active fish will certainly not fit into a fifty-five gallon tank, so you need to think about what you plan to do with the sharks once they are larger.

As for the cichlids, are you looking for dwarf cichlids, or ones that are a little larger? Most of the peaceful dwarf cichlids such as rams or Apistos would be fine in the tank, and would not bother or be bothered by the balas. However, they are so small, they can be difficult to spot in larger tanks. Some folks prefer bigger cichlids for this reason. For the larger cichlids, a severum might be okay (you'd have to get a second opinion on that), as would a firemouth. I don't know as much as I should about the bigger cichlids, so another member would be able to help you more than I can.

Last edited by sirbooks at 30-Mar-2005 09:52

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As I think SirBooks was trying to say, those balas get way too big for your tank. They get about 14 inches long, and are active. They can get really skittish, and when startled, are strong enough to crack the glass of your tank! They do best in at least a 6 foot tank.

There are a few cichlids that won't bother plants and are peaceful. Most come from South America. All of the dwarf cichlid species, like blue rams, apistogrammas, etc. would be good choices. Another you may consider is the angelfish. They are big enough to be the centerpiece of your tank, but won't fight (badly) amoungst themselves. They look even more gorgeous in a school of rummynose tetras.

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