Tropical Community "Safe" Cichlids

[P-Daddy]

I am always looking for something new and exciting to try with my community tank, and was curious as to what some of the more tame cichlids are. In particular, what fish would be safe to include within a community tank with smaller varieties of fish.

I've kept a very large keyhole Cichlid, which is one of the more dull colored cichlids with neon tetra, cherry barbs, and other very small fish. The keyhole never thought twice about taking a run at any fellow fish, he did however try and eat several of my amano shrimp but was usually too slow.

I know they are few and far between, but does anyone else have any examples of "safe" Cichlids??

[Andyoybna]

Well, you said small, but I'll throw this out there anyone, severums are pretty peaceful cichlids, they have very nice coloring IMO, and are very active, and interactive, but they do get around 8"

Another option would be things like rams, apistos, and kribensis, they are all dwarf cichlids, peaceful for the most part, and have very nice colors.

[Tommy Gun]

I agree with rams, apistos, and kribs...very nice fish! Here's my apisto (cockatoo cichlid) and a female kribensis so you can see how colorful they are:





If these fish interest you, check out rainbowfish as well!

[P-Daddy]

I already keep a couple of Rainbows Tommy, thanks for the responses though! I never knew kribs/aspitos were relatively safe. I hear great things about severums, but their size worries me.

[Tommy Gun]

I kept both of the fish in those pictures in a tank with tons of community fish, including smaller fish like neon tetras and rummynose tetras without ever having any issues at all. They are probably much more passive than even severums; although I am only saying that based upon what I have read since I have never kept any to find out for myself.

Sorry about the rainbow suggestion...I read you other post and now I realize that you have some.

[mutha]

i have not really found a safe chillid yet... i have some gourami along with a yellow and eletric blue chillid, but if you got slow moving fish or not agressive at all they will get picked on and there fins destroyed and died, have 3 sevrums they all died as well... btw if you have a big enough community tank get a sturgeon, i had one i had to feed it by hand it was awesome, they come up and eat out of your hand

[gm333]

German or Bolivian rams would do just fine in a community tank. They generally only become agressive around the time they are going to mate.
Apistos are great as well, but are a little touchire to water quality than rams.
I have found kribs to be a little more aggressive than rams and apistos, but alot of people have had success with them in community tanks.
I would not suggest a sturgeon to anyone. They can reach a length of over six feet. You cannot supply the needs of this fish.

[P-Daddy]

I've kept Rams several times before, and I have never had an aggression issue gm33, and I totally agree they are really great fish. I usually keep them in a male/female pair, I've never had them breed, but twice I've successfully had them pair up and remain "faithful" to each other.

Unfortunately, I recently tried high-fin German Blues for the first time and they did not last very long, after one passed the other followed it very shortly. I returned from work to find the male guarding the corpse of the female.

I believe once I find my way through this current predicament with losing fish, I am going to give an Aspitos a shot if I can find one. My LFS is good, but rather touchy about special ordering things for some reason.

[harley3k]

I've seen a sturgeon in the lakes up in Wisconsin that was double the size of the boat we were in. I would love a tank that could take one, but I can't even imagine how many gallons we're talking about.