Will these fish be ok together?

[kamanut]

Ok, so I'm currently cycling my 58 gallon tank...and once it gets cycled, these are the fish I'd like to put in:

2 Blue Rams
5 Rainbowfish
2 Apistogrammas
6 Killifish (do they die quickly...I read that on here and I've never heard that...just wondering...)
2 Corys
2 Yo-Yo Loaches

I just want to make sure that those fish will be compatible. My ph is around 7.4 and my temps are usually in the upper 70's or so...sometimes a bit hotter. If you need any more information, please don't hesitate to ask. Thanks!

[CVV1]

I cant say anything on the compatibility of most of those fish, but I do beleive Killi's are jumpers.

[Obsidian]

If your going to put Cory's into the tank make it a shoal, they will be much happier. Minimum of 3, but in a 55, I would personally go with a larger shoal of at least 7.

[kamanut]

Ok...what's up with the killifish dying seasonally or something that I read on here? It confused me.

I have a cover on my tank so the killifish won't jump. Also, would it be too much of a stress on my biological system if I added several more corys? Or would I have to get rid of another fish or two to make room for the corys? Thanks for the info--hopefully I'll get a lot more!

[emc7]

Some killies have short life spans (like 6 months) they spawn and then they die because the pool dries up. Next years rains hatch their eggs and they grow up in a few months. Other killies live for years. Research specific species. I do believe that most all killies are jumpers, even a little hole in the lid and they end up on floor. Most seasonal killies are small and do better in small tanks, but big ones may be all right. Try the AKA (American killiefish association). All of these fish would benefit from small live food.

[kamanut]

Yeah I was planning on buying my killies from the AKA--I already looked it over--but I don't want ones that die every 6 months!!

So what other fish would go well with my tank in place of killies? What other fish would be colorful, fun and exciting? Also, would I be able to get Kribs? I've bred them before, but I was told they would beat up on some of my fish and I don't want that.

[Buggy]

You have a fairly light load so more cories shouldn't hurt. In fact they will help keep the bottom clean. 4 more should work good.

[Clerk]

I would pick either rams, apistos, or kribs.

They all hang on the bottom, and would fight over the territory.

[emc7]

Most apistos, kribs and rams all have territories that all small than 1/2 a 55. So if your tank were very heavily planted they might coexist. But I don't think its a good idea. Pick one bottom dwelling cichlid and get 4-6 young ones and let them pick their own pairs. I think the kribs are fine with the rest of your fish, but they can be aggressive when guarding spawns so watch them. Not all killies are seasonal. I had are some 4" Florida natives that are supposed to have long lifespans. They were very pretty until they jumped out.

[kamanut]

Hmm....well now I'm worried about the killies jumping out, so I probably won't get them. What other fish would be more top-dwelling?

I really love rams, so I'll probably get two of them...could I still get the apistos with the rams? Kribs aren't being considered any more.

Any other tips for my aquarium or any other fish I should consider? I've had fish for a long time, but a lot of these fish that I'm considering I've never dealt with before.

Thanks for all the help!!

[JustOneMore20]

How long is the tank? If its 4ft, then I think a pair of Rams and a pair of Apistos would be ok.

You already have 2 schools of fish in the tank it seems, so you should add more to them and have atleast 6-8 of the Danios and the Tetras. Then you should add atleast 4 more cories to make them a proper shoal size. The Yoyos would probably appreciate a couple more as well.

Once you add the Rainbowfish to the mix, you'll be stocked IMO so I wouldn't be looking to replace the Killies with anything else. The Rainbows will be more of a centerpiece type fish for the tank. Any thoughts on which Rainbow type you will get?

[kamanut]

It's a 3 ft. tank.

I'm not going to keep the danios or the tetras in the tank--they're just there to cycle it--they actually belong in my 20 gallon long.

I really like the Boeseman's Rainbowfish and Dwarf Rainbowfish. Would Tiger Barbs (in a group of 6 or more) be ok for this tank? I hate not knowing the compatibility of these fish...most of these species of fish are totally new for me, so any advice or help is really appreciated.

[JustOneMore20]

Well, even in a 3ft tank I think the 2 pairs would be fine. Make sure you have tons of hiding spots and plant it heavily either with live plants or fake ones.

I suggest the Dwarf Neon Rainbows over the Bosemanis for a 3ft tank, since they stay smaller (about 2 inches). Rainbowfish are really active and I don't think a 3ft tank would provide a 5" Boesemani with enough room.

I would be hesitant to add the Barbs in with the Rams and Apistos since they can be nippy. Its possible that kept in a large enough school (8+) that they'd be fine and just focus on each other, but you can't be sure. Tiger Barbs can really limit stocking of tanks too. Rainbowfish are much prettier IMO, so if you want them, then I suggest them over the Barbs.

You could have the Rainbows and then choose another smallish schooling fish if you wanted, like some Rasboras or another type of Tetra.

[kamanut]

Ok awesome--thanks for all the help. So this is what I have so far:

Rams
Apistos
Dwarf Rainbows
YoYo Loaches
Corys
Some type of rasbora or danio or tetra

How many of each of these fish would you recommend? Probably 2 of each of the cichlids, 5-6 corys, 2 yoyo loaches, but how many rainbows and how many rasboras/danios/tetras?

[kamanut]

Also, I'm on thinkfish.co.uk looking at the "build your tank" option and for my apisto's, would Agassiz's Dwarf be ok? They say to keep 3 of them, but would 2 be better for my aquarium?

[JustOneMore20]

I recommend:

2 Rams (m/f pair)
3 Apistos (2f/1m trio)
6-8 Dwarf Rainbows
3-4 YoYo Loaches
6-8 Corys (of the same type)
8 rasboras or danios or tetras

The Agassizi Apistos would be fine. Some Apistos are harem breeders (usually kept 2-3f/1m and not in a pair), so thats probably why they recommend 3. I just looked up this particular Apisto and it is suggested to keep them in a harem, so I'd go with 2f/1m.

[kamanut]

Ok thanks so much!