Dwarf Cichlids

[AshleytheGreat]

I have a 20 Gallon Tank set up and I was thinking about putting Apistos from South America in there. I think they are really neat looking and more interesting then the typical community fish i.e. tetras and barbs. I was going to add some Kribensis and Rams but i wasnt sure how many? Can someone help me out. Also could you reccomend any other Dwarf cichlids? I saw some pretty amazing ones on the internet but i cant remember their names. Plus maybe some extra tank members that would go well? I like to get as much information as possible before I start buying. Thanks. Ashley

[Damon]

I would keep the dwarf species to a species only tank. While small, some do get agressive towards others.

[judya]

You can have a pair of kribs, apistos, or rams in a tank, but only one species. In a 20 long, you might get away with two pair, but only if you provided a bunch of rocks, caves, wood etc. to give them the ability to have their own territory. They are all territorial when breeding and they all want to breed in the lower area of the tank, so you'd have big problems at maturity. You can have some midwater fish like a school of danios, but faster moving ones would be better. Cory catfish would not be a good idea. They don't understand the cichlids' territoriality.

I had a 20 gallon tank tank with kribensis, cories, and general schooling fish like tetras. At breeding time the kribs took over 20 inches of the tank, and the other fish were crowded into the last 4 inches. The kribs are very good parents and it was fun to watch the babies.

You might have two pairs of different species of apistos in a 20 but it is sometimes hard to get a male/female pair from fish stores.

If you don't want pairs, you could get a fish from each species. There would still be some aggression, but not as much as breeding pairs.

The easiest way to get a pair is to buy 6 and hope you get a good pair, and sell or give away the others.

[AshleytheGreat]

Yeh, I mean i don't necessarily want to breed them. I mean if it happens it happens but thats not what I'm shooting for. I really want a lot of color in my tank so could anyone reccomend the most colorful apisto? Thanks - Ash

[judya]

I like the apisto. cacautoides (spelling ?- cacatuoides?) they are also some of the easier to find. The double and triple red ones are really pretty.
http://www.familie-hauffe.de/atlex/arten.asp?id=181

this site has lots of pictures http://www.familie-hauffe.de/atlex/arten.asp
so go there and chack out the apisto area.

For easy care, and easy to get, I recommend kribensis, (West African river fish) When in breeding color they are gorgeous, the female more than the male. http://www.justbajan.com/pets/fish/species/krebensis/ (yes the web address is mispelled)
http://www.familie-hauffe.de/atlex/arten.asp?id=39
http://www.tropicalfishcentre.co.uk/kribensis.htm

Apistos may be hard to find. If you want a good source, here is the American Cichlid Association http://www.cichlid.org/ and if you're a member, they have a great trading post where you can get stuff the pet store won't carry.