Please Tell Me If This Isn't Right...

[PinkParrot]

Hi Everyone!

I'm new to the site and this is my first post. I have a lot of questions and I hope all you guys will be able to help me. I got my first tank in 1998, it was a 10 gallon and I overstocked it very quickly because I had no one to tell me how to do it. Now, I have a 25 gallon with: 1 common pleco, 2 corydoras and 2 adorable Blood Parrot Cichlids (I think they're the best!). My BPs are a year and a half old and about 4 inches long. I know I will need a much larger tank soon for them (what about a 75 gallon?). The tank I have now has been set up since April 2004 and I've never lost any fish so far. I don't know a lot about the hobby but I love it and think I'm doing not so bad.

I was wondering if it would be ok to add a couple of Blue Rams or Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlidswith them? I'm not familiar with these fish but I find them very cute. If its ok, what should be my pH and temperature? Right now, my pH is 7.2 and temperature is between 77 and 79.

Any suggestions are welcome and your assistance is greatly appreciated.

PinkParrot *laughingc

 

[straitjacket]

Actually your tank is overstocked as it is. Wait till you get that much bigger tank for your potentially softball sized BP's. A 75gl would be perfect! Mixing the dwarfs and BP's isn't a good idea. BP's can be very aggressive and might cause some nasty damage to your rams or Apistos. After you've moved the BP's and plec into the larger tank you can get some more cories and some dwarf cichlids and even a school of tetras if you wanted to for the 25gl.
Most tankbred dwarf cichlids originating from soft water won't mid your pH at all. You have to find them locally though or acclimate them if they're from a breeder who keeps them in softer water.

 

[wayne]

No. The BP's can be very mean and aggressive, and will give some 1 inch, 2 inch cichlids a hard time of it. Do as straitjacket suggests

 

[PinkParrot]

Thank you very much for the information guys!

I wasn't planning on adding the dwarf cichlids until I have the large tank but I find your suggestion even better: Set up the larger tank for the two lovely BPs & Pleco and keep the 25 gallon for the dwarf cichlids... Sounds great! I'm glad I asked.

How many Rams or Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlids do you think I can put in the 25 gallons? And is there a link or a site I can visit to learn what type of decor set up they like? As I said previously, I'm a beginner and I don't know a lot about what fish coming from a certain place needs compared to another fish... I probably going to post a lot of questions when I get that 75 gallon tank. Wouldn't want to make big mistake with that one

PinkParrot

 

[straitjacket]

You can keep 1 pair of Dwarf cichlids in a 25gl. They would be most comfortable if their tanks were well planted. Plants should be compatible with their requirements. Some plants do not tolerate temps that are too high. Apistos will be happy at temps of 78 - 82*F. Rams would prefer temps of 80 - 84*F.
Here are some links to give you ideas on how you might want to plant your tank -
http://www.plantedtank.net/gallery.html
http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2005.cgi
http://www.plantgeek.net/forum/album.php

And some links to info on the fish -
Apistogramma sp.
http://www.petresources.net/fish/cichlids/api_spe.html
http://www.thecichlidgallery.com/a.cacatuoides.htm
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/apistogramma_cacatuoides.php
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/apistogramma_cacatuoides2.php
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/apisto_care.php (Dave has and sells some beautiful fish!)
http://www.fishinthe.net/html/fishguide/fishguide_fish.php?FC=62&nl=1&nt=2&genus=Apistogramma
http://www.myfishtank.net/reviews/showproduct.php/product/119/sort/7/cat/5/page/1
http://users.kent.net/~lisab/Cockatoo.html

Mikrogeophagus ramirezi
http://www.ibrox.freeserve.co.uk/article_ramirezi.htm
http://www.petresources.net/fish/cichlids/mic_ram.html
http://www.hagblomfoto.com/m.ramirezi.htm
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=421
http://www.fishinthe.net/html/fishguide/fishguide_fish.php?FC=78&nl=1&nt=2&genus=Mikrogeophagus
http://www.petfish.net/ram.htm
http://www.myfishtank.net/reviews/showproduct.php/product/95/sort/7/cat/5/page/1
http://apisto.bravepages.com/apisto_Frame.htm
http://www.thekrib.com/Apisto/P-ramirezi.html
http://apisto.bravepages.com/Galleria Pages/Fry development1.htm

Hope that helps *BOUNCINGS .

 

[PinkParrot]

straitjacket: you hope that helps??? You did more than help... you rock! Thank you so much. I saved all the links and will check them out this week and start planning this project.

I'll let you guys know how I'm doing later...

PS: excuse me if I make some mistakes (I'm french and don't know how to spell some words sometimes :S

PinkParrot...