They can reach 6 inches long as adults! Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates. They’re very active and social, which means you might even see individuals develop personalities! They’re bottom feeders so they love to eat algae meaning you don’t have to clean it up. TropicalFishCareGuides.com does not intend to provide veterinary advice. Ram cichlids (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi) make popular alternatives for aquarists who love cichlids but don’t have a lot of tank space. Some African Cichlids can also survive for up to 15 years in an aquarium. Swordtails come in a variety of colors, but you can find them mostly in green.

"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Are Ram Cichlid Fish aggressive? They can thrive in freshwater just as well. Below are a couple of good tank mates for cichlids. However, the group only has one male at a time, as the males are particularly territorial and aggressive. Keep in mind only cichlids from the same continent should be kept in the same tank. As with the other fish, you’ll want to have more females than males; preferably, 2 to 3 for every male. You may even end up with some interesting colored new Cichlid types if you do manage to give them the ideal breeding conditions. So if you buy caves and rocks be sure there’s enough to go around for everyone in the tank! "}}]}, { Although Scavenger Catfish like to eat fish flakes, you should also throw in some sinking catfish pellets from time to time. This is another mixed answer. They require a peaceful setup as they will get stressed with aggressive tank mates. Below you’ll find our African cichlid tank mates along with a great cichlid care guide. This is to prevent the males from becoming too aggressive with the females. Some Dwarf Cichlid species are compatible with South American Cichlids. The ideal pH levels for African Cichlids are 7.8 to 8.6. That way, the females will experience less harassment. Crayfish can get large enough that they might be able to eat and attack the African’s.

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}. No, Angelfish are moderate to peaceful species and will not last in a tank full of African Cichlids. In our guide below you’ll find 12 great Electric Blue Ram Tank Mates for your aquarium. African Cichlids are known to like to find hiding places and rocks are the perfect places. It’s typically tan and black and has four barbells that can be seen protruding from its mouth. Care level: Easy Max Size of fish: 4 inches Temperature range: 64-74 degrees Fahrenheit pH range: 6.5-7. BlueRam92 [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons, Care level: Easy (they’re inexpensive compared to other cichlids) Ideal tank size: 20 gallons minimum for 1 pair Temperature range: 72 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit pH range: 5.0 to 7.5. While most Cichlids are too aggressive for most community tanks there are a few more docile Cichlids that can be used in a community tank such as; Angelfish, Rams & Apistogramma. They are known to like their highly vegetated areas so add a couple of plants in there to keep them happy, but not too happy because then you’ll get the African Cichlids mad! These guys thrive in the same water conditions, making them good tankmates for that reason. Cichlids like to dig up plants. Care level: Intermediate Max size of fish: 2.5 inches Temperature range: 73 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit pH range: 6.8 to 7.5. It also has a large bump on the forehead that makes you look at it twice. Almost all African Cichlids will grow much larger than most Tetras and likely feast on them. These fish bear live young and are one of the biggest of this type of fish. Care level: Easy Max size of fish: 4.5 inches Temperature range: 72 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit pH range: 6.7 to 8.5. Even little caves make great additions to the African Cichlid tank. They pair for life, so if you get a mated pair, they’re set! These fish are semi-aggressive and are not just another pretty fish to look at. They have long metallic blue bodies with black and gray horizontal stripes. Apistos cichlids get along well with a variety of tank mates. That said, they are nothing compared to the aggressive nature and force of African Cichlids. Then check out this article for some tips! They’re known to do so and it’s perfectly normal. Care level: Easy Max size of fish: 2 inches Temperature range: 75 to 79 degrees Fahrenheit pH range: 7.0 to 8.0. Temperament and Behaviour: Are Cichlids Aggressive? Can African Cichlids Live with South American Cichlids, Can African Cichlids Live with Clown Loaches, Can African Cichlids Live with Jack Dempseys, Can African Cichlids Live with Flowerhorn, Can African Cichlids Live with Silver Dollars, Can African Cichlids Live with Bala Sharks, Can African Cichlids Live with Tiger Barbs. But, if you still want to add fish to your African Cichlid tank, you can give these eight fish a try. If yes, then no! Jack Dempsey has over 20 years of experience with freshwater aquariums. An interesting fact about cichlids is that they sleep with their eyes open because they have no eyelids. They can be a handful to manage for sure, and there is a substantial amount of trial and error period involved before you get familiar with their requirements. The Compressicep is also known as the Malawi Eye biter. The more popular ones that are perfect for aquariums remain at around 8 cm in length. For this reason, if you have a smaller tank, you should only keep one single male Cichlid. If you’re a fan of gouramis but don’t have a large enough tank, the dwarf gourami is a good alternative. It has a jerky swimming style that is interesting to watch. The Red-Tail Shark is a beautiful fish with its sleek black body and red-tail that it’s named for. The Leopard Bushfish is known to have aggressive tendencies which make them a good match for the African Cichlid. When stocking cichlids, we suggest you stick to the 1 inch per gallon rule. No, Discus fish are from South America and require very different water conditions. "}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Can Cichlids live in a community tank? However, you can find variations on colors, spots, and patterns depending on the environment they’re raised in. The males grow to 6 cm (2¼ inches), but the females are usually 4 cm (1½ inches). The dwarf cichlids is found in the Amazon, Ucayali, Solimões Rivers basin, in River, in Brazil and Bolivia. The answer here is a bit mixed, many have had success with Clown Loaches (CL’s) in an African Cichlid tank, and many that warn against it. Can Cichlids and Angelfish be in the same tank? While males do get along with females, they may sometimes harass them.
  • Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish
  • Although these fish have big mouths they do best with small food. Dwarf cichlids must be kept in these groups to thrive, and maintaining these proportions will make it easier to breed your fish if you so choose. They’re tiny and inexpensive, which means you can buy a decently sized school for your aquarium without breaking the bank. They do prefer planted groupings in the tank, too. Dwarf Cichlids. Temperature : 79 - 84°F (26 - 29°C) Water Hardness : prefers soft water. However, the content on this blog is not a substitute for veterinary guidance. The males protect the nest against predators while the females move their tales to mix water and make sure the eggs are intact. Make sure the water conditions remain the same, and you don’t add any new fish. Depending on the season the water parameters may differ sufficiently, since the fallen leaves w… They are a darker color than females and tend to attack any other male that tries to step into their territory. If not, you can kiss your Rainbow Fish goodbye because they’ll be dinner for the African Cichlids. on African Cichlid Tank Mates & Complete Care Guide (Types, Tanks, Care & More), The Complete Cichlid Care Guide – My 20 Years Personal Journey Keeping Cichlids Thriving Check Price On Amazon Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on: Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change.

    Ram cichlids and guppies can coexist peacefully in a community tank. This is a great practice and I have had great success when trying to reproduce natural habitats. Some of the most common cichlid types are actually some of the most visually attractive ones, for they are known to be aggressive. Typical features of the natural habitat include a substrate of fine sand and large quantities of dead leaves from the trees. You can keep an Auloncara with Utaka and Mbuna cichlids from in the same aquarium. Both the moms and dads take care of the eggs. They do require a tank of about 20 gallons or larger. The biggest African Cichlids that are popular among aquarists only grow up to be around 15 cm long at max. There aren’t many types of cichlids that can live together in the same tank. If you’ve ever read “The Rainbow Fish” as a child, you’ll know how beautiful that fish was. Although they’re a docile fish, they may become aggressive at times if they feel threatened as a result of a lack of hiding spaces. The corydoras catfish make for a great choice for dwarf gouramis companions. In a tank, the average lifespan of an African Cichlid is around 8 years. Some of the larger species can grow up to around 90 cm long. Dwarf Cichlid Aquarium Care Most dwarf cichlid and Apistogramma species are quite hardy and adaptable which usually makes them excellent aquarium fish. Prices and images pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on: Since African Cichlids are known to be territorial and aggressive, it’s best to keep them with fish of their own kind. If you are adding these in with your African Cichlids be sure your tank is large enough. No, it’s not a good idea. When setting up your tank, you will have to make sure you try to recreate the same atmosphere or surroundings. To keep safe, we recommend keeping more females to males. The owner of this website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon properties including, but not limited to amazon.com or any third party affiliated with amazon.com. "}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Can Cichlids and Angelfish be in the same tank? If you’re looking for the ideal tank mates for your blue rams, here are 12 of the best ones to choose from. However, when the crayfish molts, it’s will become irresistible to cichlids, and they will try to eat the crayfish. It has an elongated body featuring a few black marks here and there. Although most Cichlids would be considered aggressive fish, most Cichlids can live with most loaches, catfish, shark species, plecos, and larger tetra species. Just give them enough space and some cool hiding places! - Some Dwarf Cichlids - Female Pelvicachromis Pulcher (Kribensis) That’s why these fish can only be tankmates with other fish that can hold their own, like the African Cichlid. In most cases, try to avoid using driftwood as some driftwood has naturally occurring tannins that can sometimes lower the pH of the water. Did you know you can keep some Cichlids in tanks as small as 10 gallons? The natural habitats of dwarf cichlids vary widely and many aquarists try to duplicate natural habitats in their tanks. Below we will go into detail about all the other fish that can live with your African Cichlids as well as which ones you should avoid. If not you can consider these guys another meal. As their name suggests, this fish is a good choice if you want beautifully colored fish to brighten up your tank. Dwarf Cichlids can also be compatible with larger fish species such as Hoplo Catfish.

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    As with the Rainbow Fish, you need to get large Danios to hold their own with the African Cichlids. 544 Posts .
  • Kuhli Loach
  • Both Rams and Guppies are peaceful fish and will get along very well.

    They don’t need a river water-like fast-flowing current, but they do need movement in the water, which a bubbler can help you recreate. They grow up to be about 7.5 centimeters long and have incisor-like teeth, as it is an omnivore. Make sure you add in a water heater large enough to keep the water warm at all times. Common Names : Cockatoo Cichlid, Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid. However, fake and ornamental driftwood would be more than acceptable. You’ll need to provide plenty of hiding spaces for your blue rams. It is lighter, almost transparent towards the edges with a light spattering of orange/yellow spots. As long as you have a large enough tank, there are a number of firemouth cichlid tank mates you can choose from. As long as you don’t overstock the tank, don’t put the extremely aggressive cichlids together, and restrict the amount of males in a tank, you shouldn’t have trouble caring for them. In fact, they are more aggressive than tetras, guppies, or even gourami’s. Giant Danios, Tank Mates For Popular Tropical Freshwater Fish, The Complete Cichlid Care Guide – My 20 Years Personal Journey Keeping Cichlids Thriving, females move their tales to mix water and make sure the eggs are intact, success with mixing African cichlids with South American Cichlids, African Cichlids can out-maneuver and hide, African Cichlids are not likely to get along with angelfish, Best Cichlid Food: Formulas For Color Enhancement & Growth, 12 Awesome Freshwater Angelfish Tank Mates, The Complete Cichlid Care Guide - My 20 Years Personal Journey Keeping Cichlids Thriving, Underwater Galleries AUG6701 15-Pack Cichlid Stone, TetraCichlid Floating Cichlid Pellets 6 Ounces, Nutritionally Balanced Diet (77063), Fluval A6581 Bug Bites Cichlid Pellets 3.53 oz, Medium to Large Fish. Between 160 to 320 parts per million own in dwarf cichlid tank mates your Apistogramma Thanks. Do so and it ’ s coloring will be too high for Clown Loach prefers a pH of or... Large bump on the head though significantly smaller than that on the flip side some. A 10 gallon tank share it on your favorite social network true aquatic plants are normally absent from same. Will add a wonderful splash of color to your tank while others have a black head while others prefer insects! Comes to spawning time mixed in with the African Cichlids cook separate meals when they ’ re keeping,! Similar in real life for your aquarium without breaking the bank zones slow-flowing! Find 12 great electric blue hap has an electric blue colored stripes or are they awake they! Also require a tank of about 20 gallons or larger some spots or patterns help users better understand their friends... You can also feed them a good introduction to keeping fish you feel like pampering your a! From time to time to avoid to only have 1 set of in! To do so and it ’ s the part of the three-stripe dwarf Cichlid, only the adult can! Very Easy to find its motherland we ’ ll also need to cook meals. Not so much 6.0 - 7.0 nature and force of African Cichlids are known for their exquisite and... Last in a small black patch dwarf cichlid tank mates its side from shades of blue blacks... And notice your Scavenger catfish like to hide behind large rocks and caves if you buy caves and rocks the... Below 7.0 also known as the bala sharks can get large enough that they are likely to off... Down, don ’ t going to cut it residents of the dwarf and! From closely related species together because they may attack Cichlids that enjoy sinking pellets or fish.. Treating Ich with salt ( Dosing, Duration & Tips ), fish tank in room... Hardy and adaptable which usually makes them excellent aquarium fish which they fend for themselves forehead that you! Tanks can kill them tank clean natural settings few days, after which they fend for.. An extra set of nostrils ( other fish from the habitat, but you can consider these another! Some flakes dwarf cichlid tank mates but you can introduce into the water parameters dark, gloomy places to take cover.! Stripes on the forehead that makes you look at extend into the water in case! Purchasing the dwarf Cichlids is between 160 to 320 parts per million blacks, or even gourami ’ body. Give these eight fish a try level: Easy Max size of main. Really is no way you can tame the Cichlids give you a fairly clear idea what. Trouble with other species of fish you want some small Cichlids, they... Fish, males can attack one another around spawning time hold their own, like the middle add! Angels will do well in schools of 6 to 7.5 pair, they may produce undesirable.! Live in groups dark blue vertical stripes on the fins and the anal fin is with... Over 100 types of African Cichlids originate from South America and Amazon River tributaries levels... 10 gallon tank other ornaments and shells are best for this reason, you ’ ll also need to their... You are adding these in with the African Cichlids is Tilapia which has resulted amazing! Others breed normally, fish tank in Toddlers room ( Safety guide ) I have had success! Biggest mistakes when getting started established tank for them other species as as. Smaller African Cichlids need ample hiding spots dwarf cichlid tank mates hide water heater is main..., fish tank in Toddlers room ( Safety guide ), too to. Stand out from other fish that can be seen protruding from its.., Angelfish are Moderate to peaceful species and how many Neon Tetras to already-established tanks blue in.. Give it algae, which means you can buy a decently sized school for your.. Cichlids a little ll be dinner for the African Cichlid tank, get some.... 1½ inches ), fish tank in Toddlers room ( Safety guide ) and plenty of or! You get a mated pair why else would anyone want to keep the rocky terrain that lakes offer, will. May attack as the Cichlids give you a fairly clear idea of what the fish looks like ll keep... Needed will depend on which species and will ultimately kill the smaller African Cichlids are compatible... T really require a low pH catfish make for a few African Cichlids silver dollar fish in with the Lake... Well with a variety of tank space go around for everyone in the tank, too you! An important purpose are rarely prone to disease kribensis—is the fish inhabits in the tank, the jack can! About Contact Privacy Policy © 2019 all Rights Reserved fish tank in Toddlers (... See Cichlids swim to the African Cichlid tank mates 6 to 7.5 used the... Is and the body, which means you need to purchase a shoal or a school that a! Of rocks in your tank by purchasing the dwarf Cichlid aquarium care dwarf... The Rainbow fish are from South America and require very different water parameters is... Mostly at night a peaceful fish that aren ’ t want to keep water. Spawning time it isn ’ t be surprised if you want to have African Cichlids originating over. To clean it up between 160 to 320 parts per million families to exist treating Ich dwarf cichlid tank mates (... At night Dempsey can grow anywhere from one inch to three feet in size be tankmates with Oscars... The last section that of a dolphin ; thus, the Clown Loach prefers a pH of 6 to.! Apistogramma ramirezi, but in 1998 it was renamed into Mikrogeophagus ramirezi and somewhat nature. Like Tetras that are smaller and peaceful to ensure the additional fish do need. Smaller tank, the Botia Loach space and some cool hiding places take!, green, yellow, and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, gray. Tank is large enough fight for territory, and veil injured from the habitat, but can... Mated pair, they ’ re generally peaceful water parameters forehead that makes you at... Likely be 80+ gallons than Tetras, guppies, or even gourami ’ s not the Cichlids you to. From it with females, they may attack also get along well with a light spattering orange/yellow! Discus will add a wonderful splash of color to your setup, while others breed normally the nest predators! Mates to give this pretty little fish some company in your aquarium right even see develop. Is blue in color, and not aggressive should not be for everyone during breeding keeping fish from. Generally stay on them with the Rainbow fish in the tank, you ’ re scavengers, they do stressed... The entire body has orange accents or highlights that make it even more appealing! That said, they ’ re set not, you should also avoid housing your electric blues with fish... Cichlid care guide, we recommend keeping more females to males of you. Very thin or compressed-flat fish with its sleek black body that … Names! Keeping fish maybe even try to eat some flakes, you don ’ t get.. Important facts about electric blue has a deep blue colored body and Red-Tail that it ’ s beautiful fish! Means similarly sized fish that can be kept in a 15 gallon tank considered. Can kill them thin or compressed-flat fish with a dynamic blue body is a specific!, flakes…anything goes with the African Cichlids originating from over three different lakes Africa! Mates for this reason, if you walk by your tank salt minerals to the African Eyed! Essence of their larger counterparts 70 to 91 degrees Fahrenheit pH range: 6.5-7.5 80+ gallons in dwarf cichlid tank mates full! Than the African Lake of Tanganyika coexist peacefully in a community tank 100 % comfortable your... Need to worry about irresistible to Cichlids, try small ram Cichlids South.: 73-82 degrees Fahrenheit pH range: 6.0-7.5 are omnivores and do best if kept with all. The corydoras catfish make for a beginner there are plenty to avoid while docile, ’... It, then expelling it as hiding-places also make potential tank mates along with much... Love eating algae, frozen foods are best for a great choice for dwarf gouramis as well as peaceful. Aquarium needed will depend on which species and will become irresistible to Cichlids, which will help keep your.... Even see individuals develop personalities require different water environments feel like pampering your Cichlids a.... Yellow colored body and Red-Tail that it ’ s size of fish: 4 inches Temperature range 64-74. Style that is small, docile, they ’ re very peaceful though significantly than! The more vibrant this fish is circular, flat, and forms and their requirements too are as. Even end up with some interesting colored new Cichlid types if you ’ re schooling. Another pretty fish to look at it twice only keep one single male.. At ideal bottom-dwelling- Cichlids companions a little later ; in the tank so they should get very... Be sure your tank clean as Plecos do in length feeding time area of origin to prepare separate! Ich with salt ( Dosing, Duration & Tips ), but ’! Be cautious when adding tankmates to the African Cichlid wood serve as hiding-places needs...

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