# New SA Dwarf Cichlid Setup



## Angelology (Aug 26, 2012)

Okay, so for my next tank "project", I'm looking at doing a planted South American Dwarf Cichlid tank, with either a couple of pairs of Rams or Apistos, or just a male from several different species. Haven't quite worked out what or how many of what yet.

I have available to me: (all at ridiculously expensive prices)
- M. altispinosus
- M. ramirezi (including Electric Blues, Golds and Long-fin varieties)
- A. cacatuoides
- A. agassizi

The tank (which I have not decided on) will be between 25 and 35g, depending on what I can find cheap. I'll try and get a 3-footer but might have to settle for 2.5ft.

For dither fish I hoped to add 12+ of some variety of tetra, possibly Lemon, Silver-Tip, Black Neon or Penguin. Very much open to suggestions on this front. I would love Rummy-noses but they're about $10 each here and I just can't justify that for a 1 1/2" fish.

May also add a couple of Peppered Cories, a BN Pleco or some Upsidedown Cats if it ends up suiting, but they're last priority.

So... Suggestions for set-up and stocking? Things to keep in mind? Ideas? Etc? Please and thank you, CF crew!


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## BelieveInBlue (Jul 17, 2011)

First of all, WHAT??? 10 dollars for a single rummynose...? Yikes... They go for 2-3 dollars each here on average... You should try online, a lot of places offer discounts/free S&H if you purchase a large amount.

Anyways... I'd go for sand as a substrate, or at least very fine gravel. A layer of seahem flourite or similar underneath may be needed for plants though. I find the rams seem to prefer sand, especially blue rams since they spawn on the substrate. Also, caves and rockwork/driftwood will be much appreciated, especially by apistos, which spawn in caves. Plus the tannins that leach out will help buffer the water. As for plants, I'd say it's really up to you; what you plant probably wont matter, as long as you leave open space for the cichlids and what-not, especially along the bottom. Depending on the tank size and what's available, I'd probably do 3-4 dense clumps of plants, closer to the back and sides, add a couple caves and driftwood, but otherwise leave the middle open. You could also tie anubias/java ferns to the driftwood and not plant so much in the substrate.

I would go with only one species if you choose apistos; having multiple females in a tank with a male is so much fun, as the females will constantly fight for territory, and the male, I find, tends to display more when multiple females are present. Even with rams I'd suggest keeping to the same species. The interactions between members of the same species, IMO, is just too good to pass up; it's partly why I love dwarf cichlids. A 3 foot tank would be nice, but stocking wise the number of dwarves wouldn't change. I'd stay away from cories; I have some sterbai's with an A. agassizi pair, but there's enough driftwood in the tank that the apistos don't hand around the substrate much. Territory wise there should be more than enough space for the dwarves + the cories, but cories love to eat eggs, and they may not do too well if the cichlids decide to spawn.

Stocking will most likely vary, but this would be what I suggest:
either 2 pairs of rams (start with 6 juvies if possible) or a trio of apistos (1m 2f)
12 or so of one species of tetra (can add more if you want, they don't require much room, and don't produce all that much waste. Plus, a larger school makes for a more fantastic display)
6-8 cories if you're designing the tank for display and don't care about breeding
around 6 otos (or a BNP, but I think otos might be better for the tank, since plecos tend to produce waste like mad)
And if you're looking for something to hang near the surface and there's room, a pair angels works well, provided the tank is tall enough, and none of the other fish are bite sized.


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## Angelology (Aug 26, 2012)

Thanks for the reply, Blue! 

About the Rummies, I _know_. How can they justify that. They're just thieves. Unfortunately the fishkeeping scene isn't that big in New Zealand so we have a small range and ridiculous prices (for a Cockatoo apisto I'm looking at $60 apiece, so a trio is gunna be preeetty costly) and I don't think there even IS anywhere which sells fish online.  Wah.

I've never had a sand tank before but I'll look into it. Plants will probably be sagitaria, ambulia, cherry leaf and baby's tears (forgot the proper names). I love driftwood in tanks so I was planning on having a lot of that, plus a couple of caves made out of piles of slate. Sound good?

http://www.juwel-aquarium.de/en/Product ... 0000004300
I know it's bigger than what I had in mind, but one of these has just come up for cheap sale in my area so maybe my dwarf cichlid tank will be bigger than I thought!

When you say 2 pairs of rams, do you mean 2 pairs the same? Or can they be different, such as a pair of GBRs and a pair of Bolivians, or 2 pairs of different GBR variations? I'm not too interested in breeding, because then I have to find homes for them all, so I think I will get some cories. If they end up being good enough parents they might be able to raise some young regardless of the cories anyway.

Two more questions for you.  A, will the different colour morphs of GBRs pair up, or will they only breed exclusively with others of the same variety? And B, do Rams and Apistos form permanent monogamous pairs like kribs? Or do they only stay paired as long as it takes to raise the young?

Thanks again, you've been SO helpful.


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## BelieveInBlue (Jul 17, 2011)

60 dollars for A. cacatuoides...? My wild caught quartet cost me 25 dollars, AFTER tax... O.O

The decor sounds good; apistos will love the slate caves.

by 2 pairs of rams I do mean the same species, but which strains is entirely up to you. I personally wouldn't mix bolivians with blue rams, but that's just because I like watching them bicker with each other.

I've had a GBR pair up with a wild caught blue ram, but not lay eggs. Gold rams, GBR, blue rams, are all the same fish, some are just line bred for different colours, so, in theory, they should pair up and breed just the same, like how marbled angels will pair and breed with silver, black, koi, etc. I can't say how the fry will turn out though.

As far as I know, rams will form a permanent pair, though sometimes a pair may break up, for reasons I'm not quite sure of. The apistos are harem breeders, and one male can, and will, breed with several females simultaneously. With rams, I find that usually both the male and the female will care for the brood. While with harem breeding apistos it's usually just the female that cares for the brood.


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## Angelology (Aug 26, 2012)

Thanks again. 

I think I'm going to go with your suggestion of having 2 pairs of GBRs, maybe a pair of Blues and a pair of Golds. I love the apistos but a trio is just going to be far too expensive. I suppose I could have one pair of GBRs and then just a single male apisto.

You have been so helpful, thank you very much.


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## Storiwyr (Apr 24, 2012)

On the bright side, Angelo, if nice fish are that hard to come by, you may be able to make some of the original cost back if they DO spawn and you can sell fry!


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## Angelology (Aug 26, 2012)

Excellent point -- thanks Stori!


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## aquabot (Aug 27, 2012)

Just thought i would add my 2 cents. I once had a pair of rams in which the male was gold and the female was a german blue, they spawned and produced fry but at the time i wasnt sure about fry care and they would only live a few days after free swimming. i lost the female only a short time after they started spawning due to a heater malfunction and never got another that the male was happy with. As far as dither fish have u thought about bloodfin tetras (if they are available to you), they may not be rummynose but they are beautiful in a planted tank imo. I have some and some black neons in my 55g planted angelfish tank.


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## Angelology (Aug 26, 2012)

Thank you Aquabot.  I did not consider Bloodfins -- I think my LFS sells Glass Bloodfins, I will look into the price of them. Thank you!


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