# Advice for a newbie please?



## Verts (Sep 3, 2009)

Hi everyone,

Beware, newbie questions here (been going mad reading up on conflictual advice on the web, so apologies if all this has been asked and answered already!).

I have an established 48g bow-front (Juwel Vision 180) aquarium with Lemon Tetras a few Corys and a few Angelfish (which will soon be going to a good home).

It's a planted tank (with low-light 1WPG, but will be adding additional lighting in the near future), pressurised CO2 and a temperature of 28c. I have a PH of 6.6-6.8 and a KH of 6

Are these parameters OK for keeping Dwarf Cichlids?

If I'm OK with the water parameters, which Dwarf Cichlids do you recommend? Basically I'm looking for 2-3 different types of colourful and peaceful fish that can live in relative harmony in a planted community aquarium (if that's even possible given the size of the tank and possible teritorial disputes)?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

Cheers,
Chris.


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## mambee (Apr 13, 2003)

Everyone here, myself included, is a fan of Bolivian Rams. I have 6 right now in a 90 gallon tank. They would go well with your existing fish, including the Angels.

I also have a L. Curviceps and Badis Badis (not a cichlid though similar to one) in the tank, and they all ignore each other.

Mike


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## Verts (Sep 3, 2009)

Thanks for that, so my water quality is ok, I'd looked at the Bolivian Rams before and had fingers crossed they would be compatible. 

What should I be looking at in numbers and Male/Female ratio - I'm not looking to breed them, just keep the peace?

Thanks again.

Chris.


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

They seem to do well in group. I had 6 live quite peacefully together. One pair even spawned a few times.


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

G'day *Verts*,

I don't think a 46 gallon tank will offer enough territories for 3 different species of South American cichlids. I do think, if properly aquascaped, i.e. plenty of plants and driftwood defining specific territories, you could combine a pair of one dwarf species and a trio of another species. An important aspect to take into consideration, it's better to combine species with different body shapes.

Seeing as your in France, I would definately try to find line bred German stock. German aquarium hobbiests have a very good reputation for producing good quality line bred South American dwarf cichlids.

Two possible combinations spring to mind.

1.
A pair of German bred Blue rams and a trio of Dicrossus filamentosus.

















2. A pair of Laetacara curviceps and a trio of Apistogramma agassizii red/gold line bred variant.


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## aFinFan (Jul 29, 2009)

Deadfishfloating man your apisto and curviceps look nice :drooling: I was about to reccommend something on these lines when I seen your pics,also look into Nannacara anomala and panda(common name)apistogramma great little cichlids that would do well in your tank.I am still in awe of that Agassizii great colours


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## aFinFan (Jul 29, 2009)




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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

Alas *aFinFan* they aren't my fish. I googled and copied other peoples fish.

My photographic skills are some what lacking, so I rarely capture the true beauty of my fish.

Here's a rather out of focus pic of my first male agassizii who is no longer with us.









I recently acquired a new trio for my 29 gallon tank. Unfortunately I have not been able to take a good photo of them in thier tank. Here they are in quarentine.


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## DeadFishFloating (Oct 9, 2007)

Hey *aFinFan*,

What species of female apistos are you keeping with your Gold ram.

For those that have ever wondered, here's a video of the wild rams that all the line bred Blue, Eletric Blue and Gold rams descend from, Mikrogeophagus ramirezi in their Natural Habitat.


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## aFinFan (Jul 29, 2009)

DeadFish that is an old pic , gold Ram is no longer in there, current stocklist is Panduro apisto pair,Agassizi pair, cardinal tetras, Bolivian Ram, L260 pleco and LDA31 pleco.


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## Verts (Sep 3, 2009)

Great, thanks for all your help everyone. :thumb:


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