Dwarf cichlid tank

[kitten3326]

I am getting ready to stock my newly cycled 37 gallon tank, I want to set up a dwarf cichlid tank with tankmates, I am leaving to go to halifax to get my fish in 1 week and need to decide what to put in there, so far I am thinking rams, what will go well with them, to set up a beautiful tank. Solid blue background with white sand. Any suggestions?

[Incredulous_Ed]

You cuold keep 4 geran blue rams or 4 bolivian rams. Maybe keep them with a school of corydoras or rummynose tetras, and maybe some hatchetfish. Then plant heavily with amazon swords in the back half of the tank. Or keep a trio of apistos. Will you be able to get ""true" german blue rams?

[Tolley]

get rummynoses just for me :D

[Fishalicious]

Ahhhh kitten... my fave type of tank <grins>

The tankmates depends on whether you are planning to breed the dwarfs...if so then stick to nannostomus type fish

If not then there are plenty of SA fish that look beautiful....

As Ed says if you go for German Rams please make sure they are European bred and not Asian or Tjech.

Get some flattish stones in the aqua for rams - if you go with apistogramma then you will need some little closed caves, half coconuts.

[Incredulous_Ed]

Wait, where is Tjech? do you mean Czech? because ive heard Czech bred rams were good.

[Fishalicious]

They were.. for a long time also... but I know for a fact that there have been some really horrible batches gone out start of this year. Since the start of the year loads of the shipments are arriving dead and many complaints at the shops about the Rams only lasting a few weeks - I am not sure what happened but I hope they sort it soon.

[kitten3326]

Thanks for the replies guys, I think I will go with something like ed said, depending if I can get the european bred rams, I have to travel quite a ways to get to the LFS however when I get there, there are several LFS that have very good reputations, I will keep you updated, If I was to breed them, then I wouldn't put any tetras or tankmates with them would I, I am very new to dwarf cichlids and think of me as a newbie as far as they are concerned, I have been fishkeeping for several years however these little guys are new to me. So feel free to speak to me as a beginner regarding these guys. Thanks again any input is appreciated.

[Tolley]

middle-top level fish are fine with them when the rams breed they will jus stay clear of them. Bottom dweller fish will get take the blow if they breed.

Are planning on breeding them?

[kitten3326]

Still thinking about it, my husband is currently setting up some breeding tanks for me in the rec room, however I am not sure which ones I would like to breed yet, we will be purchasing a breeding tank for my discus and see how that works out. We will see, this is my first attempt at dwarf cichlids and I hear they are much like discus as far as water quality and such, so I would like to try them.

[Tolley]

cool! thumbs2:

[kitten3326]

thanks, for the replies guys, will check back in a bit, off to work I go. Oh what fun.

[Fishalicious]

You could keep a pair of German Rams with the Discus together as they like the same temp and water conditions :ezpi_wink1: That would keep the tank free for a different dwarf like Apistogramma Borelli or Cacatouides which are excellent beginner dwarfs... tetra's etc. will pick the free swimming fry so I wouldn't mix it with them... but like I previously said you can keep nannostomus fish with dwarfs as they leave the fry alone thumbs2:

[kitten3326]

excellent I do believe I might try that, I think I will put a pair of german blue rams with my discus, right now I only have 4 cories and 5 black neon tetra's with them, however the neons do not last long in there, I am going to move them into a 20 gallon I have with some cherry barbs. What types of tetras would you recommend to go with my apistogramma borelli

[Fishalicious]

A lot of discus peeps I know keep german rams with them... they go great together.

If you are not planning on breeding the Apsitogramma then any tetra that tickles your fancy :ezpi_wink1: :ezpi_wink1: If you do want to breed then any Nannostomus - there are lot's of very pretty ones.

[kitten3326]

I think I will probably due the pencil fish as down the road if I decide to breed them I won't have to worry about moving the tetras to another tank, and I have decided I am definately going to get a pair of germans for the discus tank. Thanks guys you have been a wonderful help