Cichlids are one of the most popular fish to keep in an aquarium. They come in various colors and are easy to keep, making them the perfect fish for your tank. However, choosing suitable tank mates can be tricky since not all fish work well with cichlids. If you want to find companions for your cichlids, this article could give you some ideas.
How to choose the best tank mates for Cichlids
Here are some important tips that will help you while making choices:
Types of fish to avoid
When it comes to choosing tank mates for your cichlids, you need to avoid fish that are too small. Smaller fish are often seen as prey by cichlids, and they finally would be nipped or even eaten. In addition, smaller fish also may not be able to compete with the larger cichlid’s appetite.
Yellow Lab Cichlids
If you have any aggressive species of cichlids in your tank, it’s best to avoid adding other aggressive types. Similarly, if you have more than one male cichlid in your tank, you should avoid adding another male. Male cichlids will fight against each other, which can result in injuries or death to both fish.
Water parameters for Cichlids
Maintaining the proper water parameters is critical for keeping cichlids healthy and happy. The ideal temperature range for most cichlids is 72-82℉, with a pH of 6.5-8.0 and hardness between 5-20 dGH. It’s also important to have plenty of filtration and aeration in the tank.
Size of tank mates
Though cichlids are regarded as aggressive fish, many different species can do well in a community tank. When choosing tank mates for your cichlids, it’s important to consider both the sizes of your fish and the fish tank. A good rule of thumb is to choose fish that are no more than half the size of your cichlid. For example, if you have an average-sized Midas cichlid (6 inches), you would want to keep any other fish at 3 inches or fewer.
Tank mates of Cichlids – Yes or No
Following are some tank mates for Cichlids when I do research, but all of them are real tank mates for Cichlids. Let’s have a clear answer here:
Clown Loaches – No good tank mate for Cichlids
Clown loaches are tropical freshwater fish that are native to Indonesia. They get their name from their bright colors and patterns, which can resemble a clown’s costume. Clown loaches are popular species for aquariums because they are relatively easy to care for and are very active fish.
Clown Loaches
They typically grow to be about 6 inches long but can reach up to 12 inches in the wild. They have a lifespan of around 30 years and prefer slightly acidic water with a pH range of 6.0-7.5. The water temperature should be between 75-86℉.
German Blue Ram – No definite Cichlid tank mate
The German blue ram is a beautiful and popular freshwater fish that is relatively easy to care for. These fish are native to South America and found in fast-flowing rivers. In the wild, they tend to form schools in the lower areas of the river, which are rocks or overhanging roots that provide shelter from predators and places to hide when not feeding.
German Blue Ram
They are a small species, only growing to be about 2–3 inches in length. German blue rams typically have a lifespan of 2–3 years but can live up to 5 years with proper care. These fish are omnivores and do well on a diet of flakes, pellets, and frozen or live foods.
The German blue ram is a beautiful, peaceful fish that is perfect for beginner aquarists. They are relatively small, only growing to be about two inches in length. As such, they can be kept in aquariums as small as 10 gallons. The ideal water temperature for German blue rams is between 76 to 82℉. But they are not definite tank mates for Cichlids.
Giant Danio – Good tank mate for Cichlids
Giant Danios are some of the most colorful and beautiful fish in the aquatic community. They come in bright pink, blues, oranges, yellows, and greens, making them the ideal centerpiece fish to any aquarium.
Giant Danio
Unfortunately, they’re also known to be the most difficult aquarium fish to keep healthy due to their enormous size and delicate nature. It is the largest member of the characin family and can grow up to four feet in length. It is an omnivore, and its diet consists of plants, small invertebrates, and other fish.
The lifespan of a Giant Danio can be up to 12 years, provided it is well cared for. A Giant Danio needs a tank that is at least 125 gallons in size. The water temperature should be between 72-78℉ and the pH should be between 6.8-7.2. It prefers soft, acidic water with plenty of oxygen, so it is recommended that we add a wave maker for the Giant Danio and Cichlid tank.
Pictus Catfish – Good tank mate for Cichlids
The Pictus Catfish is an active, hardy species of fish that will swim throughout your tank, keeping the bottom and middle layers of the tank clean and thriving. It is a small to medium-sized fish, typically only growing to be about six inches long. However, in some rare cases, they have been known to grow up to a foot long.
Pictus Catfish
The pictus catfish is an omnivore, which means it will eat just about anything. This fish has a lifespan of 5–10 years and can grow to be about 6 inches long. It is a tropical fish, so it requires water that is between 72 – 82℉. This fish is also a scaleless fish, which means that it is more sensitive to water quality and changes in pH levels. They are good tank mates for Cichlid as well as Giant Danio.
Red-tailed Black Shark – tank mates for Cichlids
This beautiful species of shark can be found in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Brazil and as far north as New York in the summer months. The average lifespan of a red-tailed black shark is between 10 and 12 years. However, some have been known to live up to 20 years in captivity. These sharks grow to an average length of 3.9 feet (1.2 meters), with a maximum length of just over 5 feet (1.5 meters).
Red-tailed Black Shark
Their diet consists primarily of small fish such as anchovies, herring, sardines, lanternfish, shrimps, and crabs. The Red-tailed black shark is a freshwater fish that requires a tank with at least 50 gallons capacity. This fish can grow up to 24 inches in length, so it’s essential to provide them with plenty of space to swim. The water temperature should be between 72 and 82℉ and the pH should be between 6.5 and 7.5. They can be kept with Cichlids.
Can Bettas live with any cichlids?
Can Bettas live with any cichlids?
Whether betta and Cichlid can live together peacefully is one that many hobbyists are interested in the answer to. Although Bettas and cichlids can technically live together, betta is not a good tank mate for Cichlids, but it is important to consider a few things if you have to put them in the same tank.
The right filtration
Filtration is an important aspect of keeping any aquarium clean, but it becomes even more crucial when housing different species together. Betta fish produce a lot of waste, and cichlids are messy eaters, so having a filtration system that can handle the increased load is essential.
A canister filter is a good option for this type of setup. In general, these types of filters have to be cleaned every few weeks to keep up with the higher level of waste products in an aquarium with multiple species.
Give them space
Though they are both freshwater fish, bettas, and cichlids come from different parts of the world and have different care requirements. In a home aquarium, it’s important to give each type of fish enough space to thrive. Betta fish need at least 2.5 gallons of water, while cichlids need at least 20 gallons. Bettas can be kept in community tanks with other small non-aggressive species like danios or guppies, but cichlids should only be kept with other large non-aggressive species.
Stay healthy
Betta fish are beautiful, unique creatures that make wonderful pets. They are also very sensitive to their environment and require special care to stay healthy. Unfortunately, this means they cannot live with most other types of fish. However, few species of fish can coexist peacefully.
Final words
As you know, Cichlids are some of the most beautiful freshwater fish in the world, with bright colors and unique patterns that make them extremely popular among hobbyists. However, when you’re looking to keep cichlids, it’s important to remember that they can be aggressive toward other fish – especially those that belong to the same species!
Fortunately, there are plenty of fish out there that will coexist peacefully with your cichlids as long as you make sure they aren’t closely related on the evolutionary scale! Here we describe some tank mates for cichlids. Hopefully, this will help you to generate a healthy aquarium for your Cichlids.
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Author has absolutely no idea what he/she is talking about. Clown loach can live up to 20+ years and most of the fishes mentioned should not be keep with african Cichlids
Howdy, Tu. Thanks sincerely for your frank message, after doing more research, we can not agree more with your ideas. This post is written by an amateur aquarist, both of us need more progress in amazing aquariums. And we’ve corrected it now.
Plus, welcome to give us more feedback and advice. Thank you again.
hygger team