jamesbarr Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 curious, I have a 33gal long tank, looking to set it up as a dwarf cichlid tank. I am looking for advice. Plants, or no plants? Co-inhabitants? Anything that someone would think I should know, I would appreciate it. I have never kept these fish before. I have decent experience with planted aquariums and some school fish. Cichlids seem relatively common, does that mean that they are easy? Thanks for your help. James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The-Influence Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 (edited) It depends of what kind of dwarfs you plan on keeping . I have Apistogramma Bitaeniata Sp. Reds Apistogramma Bitaeniata Sp. Orange In a wood and leaf tank as they do better there and I have Apistogramma Cacatuoide in my planted tank as he does better there ... Find out what kind you want and then go from there Blake Edited March 22, 2011 by The-Influence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayfong Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Plants, or no plants? I would go planted Co-inhabitants? small tetras,a small school of corydoras would work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesbarr Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 (edited) It depends of what kind of dwarfs you plan on keeping . I have Apistogramma Bitaeniata Sp. Reds Apistogramma Bitaeniata Sp. Orange In a wood and leaf tank as they do better there and I have Apistogramma Cacatuoide in my planted tank as he does better there ... Find out what kind you want and then go from there Blake Well, I was leaning toward a predominately rock tank, maybe a little plant life here and there but nothing more than maybe an anubius on some drift wood or something. very clean and basic design. Based on that, do you have any recommendations on type of dwarf? Edited March 22, 2011 by jamesbarr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanGofCalgary Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 (edited) Bolivian rams. They love having a rock to guard. Most of your apistos seem to be better in small gravel, even sand. Any that I have had seemed much happier when they could sift sand, rearrange the substrate and such. The exception that I have seen was the Bolivian rams. They just love to have a little flat rock to guard and claim as their turf. I put pieces of slate in that they claim as their turf and have little turf wars over. Edit: Changed Brazilian to Bolivian.... Wonder what was on my mind... :smokey: Edited March 22, 2011 by DanGofCalgary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayfong Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Bolivian rams. They love having a rock to guard. Most of your apistos seem to be better in small gravel, even sand. Any that I have had seemed much happier when they could sift sand, rearrange the substrate and such. The exception that I have seen was the Bolivian rams. They just love to have a little flat rock to guard and claim as their turf. I put pieces of slate in that they claim as their turf and have little turf wars over. Edit: Changed Brazilian to Bolivian.... Wonder what was on my mind... :smokey: Collecting trip to Brazil? There are also some smaller africans, shell dwellers from Lake Tanganyika, or some of the smaller rock dwellers, julidochromis, altolamprologus would do well in a 33 gallon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesbarr Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 hmm, well I am planning on having a sandy bottom. I have heard that they can be rooters (rooting around in substrate) That was where the concern for the plants came in. I think I will over come that little issue by just tying my anubius to a nice piece of driftwood. They dont eat plants do they? Are all these types relatively common? The reason I ask is that I live in Barrhead (rural) and only make it to the city ever few weeks. Big Als in Edmonton is my staple store, however I am more than ope to other suggestions if there are better. I havent got tons of time to run around to different stores when I am in Edmonton, so if I know where I need to go that will help me a lot. Any suggestions? Thank you all for your help so far. Ill be sure to post pictures of the tank you all helped me build Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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