# Looking for colorful cichlid(s) for a 29gal tank.



## Cryogaijin (Jul 5, 2009)

I have a 29 gallon tank that I am looking for some cichlids for. Currently in the tank I have some feeder zebra danios (Which I'd be happy for the cichlid(s) to eat), 5 small Green Tiger Loaches http://www.loaches.com/species-index/syncrossus-hymenophysa/?searchterm=green tiger loach, and a tiny BN pleco. For vegitation in the tank I have a good clump of Java fern, a MASSIVE amount of Java Moss, and a large quantity of duckweed.

Are any cichlids suitable to tank with Hymenophysa? Lately the Green Terrors, Blue Acara, and Bolivan rams have been drawing my attention. Typically I tend to favor green and blue fish, though I couldn't really justify paying the $60 for an electric blue jack dempsey. (or for the blue-morph of blue rams. Beautiful fish, but $30-60 for a fish that lives at best 2 years?)

Any advice?


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## BurgerKing (Jul 1, 2008)

I assume you know, cause it says on the link you provided, tiger loaches can grow up to 10" which is way too big for a 29g tank, IMHO.

I don't know a whole lot about SA/CA cichlids, but for a tank that size I'd suggest rams, apistos, or a pair of angels. Apistos do come in different colors some with blue, though the most common have the red fins. Wow, those are some expensive fish, didn't think that prices would be that insane in Alaska.

And when I was little(like 8ish) I had a ram that lived almost 2 years without doing water changes, that thing must have been on roids or something cause I haven't had that much success with one since(and now, I do water changes religiously), lol.


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## Cryogaijin (Jul 5, 2009)

> I assume you know, cause it says on the link you provided, tiger loaches can grow up to 10" which is way too big for a 29g tank, IMHO.


Oh, I'm well aware. I'm planning on moving them to a 180 gallon in a couple years. They grow slowly, so they should be fine until then. I may be putting them in a 40 breeder a little sooner, which would stretch the numbers a bit.

And yeah, prices up here are pretty bad for some fish, though I expect the electric blue rams to drop in price when they become more common.

(If someone knows a good source for EB Jack Dempseys or EB german rams, please share. Cheapest I've seen for the JDs local is actually $100.)

Just a note: I HATE angelfish.


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

G'day *Cryogaijin*,

There are a number of dwarf South American cichlids that do very well in small planted tanks. You could look at a pair of Dwarf Acaras, or a trio of Apistogramma, or two pairs of one of the Ram species.

You could then round out the stock with some tetras, dwarf corydoras, or possibly even a small fancy pleco from the peckoltia or hypancistrus genus's.

A couple of pieces of advice I do have.

Don't buy larger growing fish with the intention of upgrading them to a larger tank in the future. 
Life often gets in the way of buying that larger tank, 6 month or 12 months in the future. When you do finally have the money to buy a large tank, the fish you like today will still be available in the aquarium trade, and you can buy them in the future, knowing they are going into an appropriately sized tank.

When it comes to 2.5 foot or 3 foot tanks don't try to over stock with South American (or Central American) cichlids to "spread the aggression". It doesn't work. Growing out juveniles is fine, as they do not show much aggression untill they reach sexual maturity. I often hear people talking about how thier Blue acara, convicts, firemouths, etc are all doing well in thier 29 gallon tank. Then some one will ask how large all these fish are, and the common response is 2 to 3 inches. Doh! they're still babies, waite till they get to 4 or 5 inches and start really hurting each other (not to mention 4 or 5 inch fish really should be in a 55 gallon or larger tank).

Carefully research species so you have a pretty good idea of compatable species before you go on an LFS expedition.

In your tank, my personal choice would be a trio of apistogramma. There are many, many species available, especially as there are many line bred morphs available today. The most commonly kept and bred species is A. cacatuoidies orange flash or double red. I personally like A. agassizii, and there are many wild cuaght and line bred colour variants within the agassizii complex.

One of the other guys on the SA forum would probably suggest a pair of dwarf pike cichlids combined with a pair of dwarf acara's. But you'd have to visit the SA forum to ask him, as I have no experience with dwarf pike cichlids.


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## Cryogaijin (Jul 5, 2009)

> Don't buy larger growing fish with the intention of upgrading them to a larger tank in the future


 Good advice. Misplaced in this case. . . A better recommendation is to make certain your LFS has their fish labeled correctly. (The tigers were mixed in with some of the nice peaceful striata loaches, which max out at 4") Similar coloring, body shape, size, etc. I didn't even notice until a couple days later.


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

Hey *Cryogaijin*,

Oh no, that piece of advice was more to do with you mentioning Blue acara's, GT's and EBJD's.


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## Cryogaijin (Jul 5, 2009)

Well, I was asking about suitability for a 29 gallon, not my planned 180.


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

I love Apistos... but as mentioned they come in a wider variety of red/orange than blue/green...

Rams may suit your personal taste better as you are more interested in the Blue/Green colors...

I do not think a 29 Gal is a large enough tank for a Blue Dempsey long term... nor several of the other fish you seemed to be considering in your first post. So I would discourage them as you are planning your 29 gal, not a possible upgrade later on (which I believe is the same thing DeadFishFloating was suggesting).

I would do a pair/trio of one of the Dwarf Cichlids along with the docile fish you already mentioned having...


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

A nice 29-gallon stocking would be this:

A trio of apistogramma borelli (beautiful blue with lots of personality)
A large school of smallish tetras (maybe rummynose)
A group of 5 or so cories (maybe sterbai or false juliis)

Your BN pleco . . .

A few more plants, especially anubias, would be very nice.

Good luck!


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

DeadFishFloating said:


> One of the other guys on the SA forum would probably suggest a pair of dwarf pike cichlids combined with a pair of dwarf acara's. But you'd have to visit the SA forum to ask him, as I have no experience with dwarf pike cichlids.


That guy sounds smart, I wonder whom it could be? 

A pair of _Crenicichla regani_ just might pair in a tank that size, and they are peacefull enough to keep with dwarves. But I would want at least a 36"x18" footprint before adding the _Laetacata_ pair as well. Other dwarf pikes are too aggressive to each other to try and pair in a 29 gallon, though once you have a stable pair you can always move them to a tank that size.

With a 30"x12" footprint, I usually only recommend one pair or trio (If harem species like _Apistogramma _or _Nannacara_) of dwarf cichlids.


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## Cryogaijin (Jul 5, 2009)

> A trio of apistogramma borelli (beautiful blue with lots of personality)


 I'll look into getting some. Sounds exactly like what I'd want.



> A large school of smallish tetras (maybe rummynose)


 generally I find tetras to having very boreing personalities. I'm told cichlids tend to have better personalities, so. . .



> A group of 5 or so cories (maybe sterbai or false juliis)


 They'd get shredded by the Tiger loaches. They're fine with Zebra loaches (I have both species), but the tigers are just too agressive.


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

My stocking recommendations assumed you weren't keeping your tiger loaches . . .

Tetras are somewhat "boring" as compared with dwarf cichlids, but you can't keep more than a pair or trio of dwarfs in your size tank and the rummynoses act as dithers. The rummynoses are not so large that they overpower the apistos and the red noses and black and white tails amuse me. 

Another thought are rasboras, but they're probably boring too (and I like to stay true to the terroritory and rasboras are not SA)


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## jack lover (Aug 12, 2008)

Hey i just noticed you are in alaska!! I am in palmer and visit anchorage regualry were do you get your fish? It seems the best places are the petco on diomond and the reef in sears mall but alaska coral maniacs is good you order them? I would suggest a few jewels very cool they are like cons but cooler


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

you could try out some jewel cichlids....relly easy fish to care for and quite prolific breeders....ure could try a pair with some giant danios?


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