Dwarf Cichlids

brooklynfish

brooklynfish

Large Fish
#1
Jul 12, 2007
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Hello, I have a planted 10 gal. with 4 tiger barbs that I'e had for 6 months. There seems to be room for one more in my tank. I'm leaning towards getting a blue ram, until I discovered dwarf cichlids. they seem to be perfect, but theres one problem. There's too many options!
I've looked at some, but nothing beats the opinion of another person. I've been looking for one that is colorful, diverse, and one that would fit in with barbs. I'm hoping that someone on MFT could help me out.

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any ideas?
 

SinisterKisses

SinisterKisses

Superstar Fish
#2
Jan 30, 2007
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#2
...German blue rams ARE dwarf cichlids ;) So keep leaning that way and you'll be getting exactly what you want.

You actually don't have many cichlid options at all. A 10gal tank is too small for all but a handful of cichlids - even many of the "dwarf" species. The fact that it's already a planted tank with tiger barbs cuts your limited options in about half again. So basically you're looking at dwarf South Americans, like the German blue ram you're already looking at, Bolivian ram, and Apistos.
 

brooklynfish

brooklynfish

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#5
Jul 12, 2007
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Also, is it possible to have a "cleaner fish". I've had the tank for a year(6 months with goldfish and 6 months with barbs) and I finally started noticing some green algae forming on a rock.I don't have any thing in mind for a '"cleaner fish" but I know that most catfish will out grow a ten gal.
 

brooklynfish

brooklynfish

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#6
Jul 12, 2007
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Also is it possible to have a "cleaner fish"? I don't have any thing in mind except for a catfish (who I would never consider getting b/c it would out grow my tank in a few years). Finally, after having a 10 gal. for a year, I am starting to see some algae growing on a rock. Any suggestions?

( Maybe there aren't so many options...)
 

SinisterKisses

SinisterKisses

Superstar Fish
#10
Jan 30, 2007
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Lol well, they're two different species, so they look different..;)

This is a German Blue (and a nice one at that):


And this is a Bolivian:


Bolivians get a touch bigger, but they're much hardier and easier to keep alive - a good thing if you're just starting in cichlids!
 

Orion

Orion

Ultimate Fish
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#14
Feb 10, 2003
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#14
lol, sweetpickles got busted!

To the OP: if it were me, I might get rid of the tiger barbs before I added something else. They can be nippy anyway, and in such a small tank, other fish aren't going to have a lot of places to run away from. You could look at some of the smaller dwarfs like the cockatoo apisto. Most are fairly hardy, and the double and triple reds are really colorfull. But just remember, just because they are small in size doesn't always mean that their attitudes match!
 

brooklynfish

brooklynfish

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#18
Jul 12, 2007
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I bought a blue ram at my LFS today. He is darker blue with black stripes. I brought him(or her:confused:) home thinking that he would color up in 1 or 2 days. he is starting to show some of that blue "neon" color on his sides and mouth. I can't help but think that he's not a ram, but a electric blue cichlid. He has the shape of a ram, but the color of him looks to be dark of a blue to change to a lighter blue, red, or yellow. Also, he is very peaceful and friendly.
Should I be worried:confused: ?

Sweetpickles got served!!!;)
 

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