Easy Cichlids

i want to know which ciclids are good for beginners and easy to take care for?

 

looks like i have to google about that, which is easier?

 

Hi. A big part of your consideration should also be the size of your tank and filtration options.. As cichlids comes in so many shapes and sizes, messyness (if that's a word?) and aggression levels. Also if you would like live plants or not as allot of them dig. But like Reedfish said first narrow down your interests with a little more research. It will also help with all the other decisions.
But if it was up to me I would say good old malawis. Nice selection of species and allot of colour. Also some that does not grow to big. Hardy fish that needs hard water conditions thats relatively easy to obtain.
Hope some of this makes sense. And I promise you once you get hooked on cichlids you will not look back.

 

Some easy cichlids I have kept...
Kribs (Pelvicachromis pulcher) from West Africa. Suitable for a planted tank. Grow to +/- 10cm.
Angel Fish (Pterophyllum scalare) from South America. Suitable for a planted tank. Grow to +/- 10cm - 15cm, grow high as well.
Oscars (Astronotus ocellatus) from South America. Not suitable for a planted tank. Grow bigger than 20cm.

 

I want cyclids that don't grow big, normal sizes

 

What's a 'normal' size for a cichlid I'm sure Oscars think their size is perfectly normal and Rams are abnormal little runts aka food.

 

Haha yea yeah, I want cyclids that stays small

 

I'd say Kribensis are a good starting cichlid. They stay small, aren't overly aggressive, don't need any special water parameters and still have the interesting behaviour that cichlids are loved for.

 

Apistogramma cacatuoides is also a nice easy beginner cichlid.

 

Kribs sound like an ides, where can I find a pair?

 

I second Gordon, Kribensis really good starter cichlid. They're hardy an really beautiful too. I have a pair in my tank. Stunning colours! They don't need any special treatment or special needs. :top:

 

hmm, will i be able to put a pair of kribs in a 2 foot? my budget, my room, and my parents don't allow me to upgrade to a bigger tank now.

 

Do you want cichlids that are tough but will kill everything or cichlids that are semi-tough and semi-aggressive.

If your water conditions are good then you shouldn't have problems with a pair of Kribs,just look for cichlids that don't need allot of territory.

 

i don't mind, it going to be a species tank only

Where can i get a pair of kribs or a pair of rams, i called petshops around me and they don't have them.
i really would like to have a pair of any of the above

 

I must agree with Shawn about Apistogramma Cocketoides. Pet Stpo got some in two weeks ago as well as some awesome Apistogramma Agizizi. They are stunning little fish witch stay under 7cm and can fit into a community tank, for later on when the parents allow the bigger tank

 

Go for Kribs as a starter. Really easy to keep going, and they are BEAUTIFUL!!

Rams you might find more difficult, not just because they require more attention, but also because a lot of the rams in the petshops are of real bad quality.

And seeing a pair of kribs peeking out of their breeding cave is quite possibly the cutest thing you'll ever see in a fish tank.

 

Kribs are the easiest and one of the toughest chiclids I know and "hold their own" in a mixed species tank. Pity u all the way in Pretoria... I would have given u a pair. I've got a 'krib factory' going, lol. My pair in my big tank produce babies literally every month I get a batch. So I have 3tanks of kribs babies segregated in their relevant age groups.

I'm in Durban unfortunately... Sorry..

 

@Javei - if you water has a high pH and hardness to it you might want to consider some of the smaller Tanganyika cichlids - or stick to the Kribensis.

For a 60cm tank I can recommend these two shell dwelling species...
Neolamprologus multifasciatus
Lamprolgous brevis