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I am looking towards getting firemouths. How many and what else can be in there? Also can i keep my angels with them? Blue acaras??? I would like responses fast please! Thanks all!

72 gallon bowfront:Tanganyikan Lake set up
75 gallon: A. Baenschi trio,Cyanotilapia Afra Cobwe(4), copadichromis trewavase, protomelas sp. tangerine tiger(breeding pair)

double post

Last edited by TexasBetta at 02-Oct-2004 16:38

Last edited by jason_r_s at 06-Oct-2004 04:45

Last edited by jason_r_s at 06-Oct-2004 04:26

72 gallon bowfront:Tanganyikan Lake set up
75 gallon: A. Baenschi trio,Cyanotilapia Afra Cobwe(4), copadichromis trewavase, protomelas sp. tangerine tiger(breeding pair)

Thanks Jason RS that was very helpful.. but what is the benefit of switching out the crushed coral... ughhh soo much work! lazy chica here! it looks soo nice umm if i get acaras.. are platties still ok.. LOL i never thought platties could live w/firemouths! Wont they get eaten.. (not really worried about fry) hmmm new tank thoughts.. especially when i thought i had it all figured out:%)]

72 gallon bowfront:Tanganyikan Lake set up
75 gallon: A. Baenschi trio,Cyanotilapia Afra Cobwe(4), copadichromis trewavase, protomelas sp. tangerine tiger(breeding pair)

if I were you I'd switch out the crushed coral for regular, small sized gravel or sand. I'd then re-house the angels to a different tank and get a group of 10 or so juvenile firemouths. some of these will need to be sold as they get bigger but you'd have probably up to 2 years before this will be necessary. also, I'd go ahead and keep the corys and the platys. if the corys are already good sized they should be fine with juvenile firemouths. the platys should also be fine...platys and other livebearers are found in the same waters in the wild as firemouths. this setup would give you lots of activity and when the firemouths mature they will be beautiful. the only downside is they can take up to 2 years to fully color up but once they do you won't be disapointed.

if you decide to add blue acaras, a group of 4 should be fine but reduce the firemouth number down to 6.

get rid of the angels and go african or get rid of the coral and go with something that enjoy's the softer side of water.


coral will raise your hardness and ph, along with limestone, these are great for and african cichlid tank but not for an angel fish tank.

my only suggestion now is to look at all the cichlids you can and decided what you like. this will better help us to help you. and remember, move slow, you do not have to assamble your tank in one day, the angels will be fine alone if it takes weeks or months to figure out what you want to do.


chris

Well to keep what is happing up to date.. the angels are already in the tank with the crushed coral.. along with platties... red phantoms and corys... all will be gone cept the corys...im trading in the platties and moving the r. phantoms to another tank.... i just wanted to know what i should do with my angels.. if tehy would or would not work with firemouths or acaras. sneeky pete.. that was a wonderful composition you wrote...included some things i didnt think about! Keep these comin people!

72 gallon bowfront:Tanganyikan Lake set up
75 gallon: A. Baenschi trio,Cyanotilapia Afra Cobwe(4), copadichromis trewavase, protomelas sp. tangerine tiger(breeding pair)

HI Tanya,
Im not entirely sure here, but doesnt a crushed coral substrate make the PH and Hardness of a tank go way up? If so, this is not the tank you want to move your angels into. Angels come from an area of the amazon river where there is virtually no water hardness and the ph is around 6.4-7.0 usually. Angels, are very hardy fish, and Im sure that they would easily adapt to a harder water with a higher ph, dont prefer this. They will show their best nature, colors and breeding attributes in a soft acidic water.
I love your choice of Firemouths. I havent got any, but if I was to make the big step into a cichlid tank, They would be my first cichlid of choice. I think they are an amazing fish. I think that you could easily do Blue Acaras and Firemouths. Acaras are not overly aggressive, but firemouths can be quite aggressive at times. I am not sure whether you would want to keep too many male firemouths together in one tank, mind you I have never kept them, but that would seem to be the rule with more aggressive fish. You would probably want to lean towards a harem for these fish, so one male to several females.
I think you could probably start with a pair of firemouths (male/female), or a trio (male female female), and the same for the acaras, say 2m 2f, and then build from there. That will you give you time to assess the situation, let the tank age and cycle without too much load on it to start with. Then you could add fish later on to up the numbers to groups you feel are sizeable enough.
I would think you could probably go with a small harem of firemouths, and a group of probably 6 or so Acaras.
Mind you I dont know too much about cichlids, but I think that if Im wrong on any of my points someone else will jump in and correct me! Feel free anyone!
Also, I think you may be able to have a bottom feeder of some type in this tank. Due to the firemouths aggression, I would suggest a fish that is Robust and Hardy. You could go for some corys I think if you choose a larger variety, and start with fair sized individuals and small cichlids. That would give the corys time to grow. Some species Ive seen large are metae Corys, Pepper Corys, and Bronze/ Albino corys. I have also heard Brochis Splendens (Emerald Cory) get very large as well, so do C.Robustus, and I think one other one I cant remember. You could easily acomodate a larger pleco in a 55, you could go for a common, as they are very tough, or another similar pleco of length and sufficient bulk. Another option would be a catfish of some kind. Some options: Raphael Catfish, Synodontis Featherfin Catfish, Upside Down Catfish, the Striped variety of Pictus, Banjo Catfish, etc. Just about any kind of catfish would do, just try to avoid the larger varieties that would outgrow a tank that size.
Hope this helps some and actually answers your questions Tanya! Good Luck!

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Now about my pH it is/always has been at about 8.0 my fish are all comfortable with that...no deaths from that situation. So what everyone is saying is that corys would be a no no with firemouths and acaras? is that correct? I just want to make sure.. On average for people with acaras.. are they agressive, and or will they for sure be ok with firemouths.. as I don't want to take any extra trips to return fish.. I would like to have a bottom feeder, but i know my little otto will have to get moved to a different tank...or he's lunch! Now.. I would like even more opinons of combinations of semi-agressive fish for a 55 gallon! I enjoy what i have read so far.. Thanks!:%)

Last edited by jason_r_s at 06-Oct-2004 04:45

72 gallon bowfront:Tanganyikan Lake set up
75 gallon: A. Baenschi trio,Cyanotilapia Afra Cobwe(4), copadichromis trewavase, protomelas sp. tangerine tiger(breeding pair)

While I'd normally agree, that's not true. I have a shoal of corydoras polystictus, and my tank's water is above pH 8.0. I wouldn't recommend keeping cories in a pH that high, but it doesn't bother them at all. It is certainly very possible in most tanks, as cories are very hardy fish. I do my best, though, to keep them un-stressed.

Last edited by sirbooks at 01-Oct-2004 17:46

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

For a true african cichlid tank, your going to want between 7.8-8.2 pH. This is not acceptable for cory's.

Yes, cories are compatible with cichlids. There are few fish that attack cories, and it's not like cories are capable of swimming up and biting the heads off of other fish. In a 55 gallon, with angelfish and cories... A pair of firemouths would be too aggressive for angelfish (I think)... maybe a pair of blue acaras, they aren't too aggressive for cichlids. I'm sure there are other choices out there too.

One thing though. Someone may suggest kribs, but I would not recommend them. They're really quite nasty for their size.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

pH will be too high for cory's in an african tank. If you go south american, then cory's will be fine, although if your planning on the cichlids mating the cory's are often notorious egg stealers!

Try www.cichlidmadness.com, much more information there =)

I am asking about good cichlids to keep in a 55, that would maybe get along with an angel pair aka firemouths... blue acaras? I have rocks set up along the bottom.. also are corys capeable of living with cichlids? This is a 55 gallon tank with crushed coral substrate. THANK YOU

Last edited by jason_r_s at 06-Oct-2004 04:44

72 gallon bowfront:Tanganyikan Lake set up
75 gallon: A. Baenschi trio,Cyanotilapia Afra Cobwe(4), copadichromis trewavase, protomelas sp. tangerine tiger(breeding pair)

edit -- Tanya -- if you want to fully utilize the space in your tank, I'd suggest taking the Angelfish out and putting them in a separate tank. Most cichlids, except for most south american examples, will make short work of the slower, large finned angelfish you have in there.

Last edited by TexasBetta at 01-Oct-2004 16:39

Last edited by TexasBetta at 01-Oct-2004 16:41

Last edited by jason_r_s at 06-Oct-2004 04:43

there shouldn't be anything too aggressive with the angels. I think a way to go would be with some type of dwarf cichlid, or maybe a flag cichlid, not really agressive, but good for your tank.

Last edited by solublefish at 01-Oct-2004 15:47

Last edited by jason_r_s at 06-Oct-2004 04:43

Last edited by jason_r_s at 06-Oct-2004 04:42

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

Last edited by jason_r_s at 06-Oct-2004 04:42

angelfish are pretty slow swimmers so i'd advise to not keep them with Firemouth cichlids because chances are, they will get harassed.

in a 55 gallon, you'd be able to keep a pair of convicts and a pair of firemouth cichlids with relative success. You also have the option of keeping colorful African cichlids. Whatever you decide, i suggest you do research first. Cichlids are very rewarding but they require a lot of special maintenence to keep them healthy and happy.