Fish for new future tank - advice needed

Hi All,

I am hunting around for some possible fish for my future tank. I am
getting it in April after we move, right now I plan on getting a 3ft
tank I think that's 45-50g or thereabouts.

Anyway the main fish I want to get is a breeding pair of Blue Acaras. I
was wondering if the tank would be big enough. Other fish I was
thinking about are either some Dwarf or Regular Gouramis or 4-6 Barbs
of some sort or breeding pair of Kribensis or a combination of these or
any other suggestions.

Also wondering what kind of filter and substrate would be best for the
blue acaras.

Thanks in advance!!

"Mariachi" wrote in message
ups.com...
Hi All,

I am hunting around for some possible fish for my future tank. I am
getting it in April after we move, right now I plan on getting a 3ft
tank I think that's 45-50g or thereabouts.

Anyway the main fish I want to get is a breeding pair of Blue Acaras. I
was wondering if the tank would be big enough. Other fish I was
thinking about are either some Dwarf or Regular Gouramis or 4-6 Barbs
of some sort or breeding pair of Kribensis or a combination of these or
any other suggestions.

A pair of Blue Acara will happily spawn in a 20g. It is the other fish
who will have a problem ;~). If you want the spawning to go successfully
and have the best chance of the fry being raised, they should be the only
fish in the tank. Kribs in particular would have territorial overlap.
Barbs would pick off the fry. Gouramis would be harrassed. jmo

Also wondering what kind of filter and substrate would be best for the
blue acaras.

Nothing too special. They will pick a flat surface to spawn on, so give
them lots of choices. The dig a lot, so provide a gravel size which is
not too hard for them to move around, and all that digging calls for a
good quality filter. My preference is a canister filter (minimal
turbulence to mess with the free-swimming fry) with a sponge pre-filter
on the intake (so you don't lose fry that way).

Thanks in advance!!

: ) cheers
--
www.NetMax.tk

What if raising fry were not an issue which kinds of fish would be good
with the Blue Acaras. Gouramis would be harrassed? Even the bigger
ones?

Thanks

"Mariachi" wrote in message
oups.com...
What if raising fry were not an issue which kinds of fish would be good
with the Blue Acaras. Gouramis would be harrassed? Even the bigger
ones?

Thanks


*You* might not care about the fry, but the parents will not share your
sentiments. Typically, cichlids will prepare their breeding site by
clearing it of other fish. In a small tank, their territory may not
leave enough room for anyone else. The Blue Acaras are not particularly
aggressive fish, and in a hostile situation, they might take a low key
approach and quietly spawn in hiding, however your combination is a not
hostile or aggressive, so I can't predict how the Acaras will behave.
When there are eggs to defend, and as the fry go through the stages
towards free-swimming, cichlids typically become more 'parental' not
less, even attacking your fingers if they get too close. I've had
Convicts terrorize cichlids double their size because they were
protecting fry.

Either you want to spawn a breeding pair of Acaras and will plan
accordingly, or you do not want a breeding pair and will plan a community
tank. To plan a breeding pair in a community tank requires a much larger
tank size than 40g, and in a small tank the Acaras will take over your
planning ;~), with less than entirely predictable results (jmo).
--
www.NetMax.tk

"NetMax" wrote in message
. ..
"Mariachi" wrote in message
oups.com...
What if raising fry were not an issue which kinds of fish would be good
with the Blue Acaras. Gouramis would be harrassed? Even the bigger
ones?

Thanks


*You* might not care about the fry, but the parents will not share your
sentiments. Typically, cichlids will prepare their breeding site by
clearing it of other fish. In a small tank, their territory may not
leave enough room for anyone else. The Blue Acaras are not particularly
aggressive fish, and in a hostile situation, they might take a low key
approach and quietly spawn in hiding, however your combination is a not
hostile or aggressive, so I can't predict how the Acaras will behave.
When there are eggs to defend, and as the fry go through the stages
towards free-swimming, cichlids typically become more 'parental' not
less, even attacking your fingers if they get too close. I've had
Convicts terrorize cichlids double their size because they were
protecting fry.

currently in my 55 gal - 70-80 or so convicts with four more sets of new
fry.........crazy........I started with 6 small fish from petsmart $2.95
each 7 months ago. I have successfuly bred Acaras (and many other cichlids)
in the 80's and have always started with 6 fish the chances of getting all
male or all female are slim and there are enough fish to "spread" agresion.
I'm not sure how many convicts there will end up being I had thought the
limiting factor was the size of the tank but I'm starting to wonder!!

Either you want to spawn a breeding pair of Acaras and will plan
accordingly, or you do not want a breeding pair and will plan a community
tank. To plan a breeding pair in a community tank requires a much larger
tank size than 40g, and in a small tank the Acaras will take over your
planning ;~), with less than entirely predictable results (jmo).
--
www.NetMax.tk

"URBANFLAGE" wrote in message
...
currently in my 55 gal - 70-80 or so convicts with four more sets of new
fry.........crazy........I started with 6 small fish from petsmart $2.95
each 7 months ago. I have successfuly bred Acaras (and many other
cichlids)
in the 80's and have always started with 6 fish the chances of getting all
male or all female are slim and there are enough fish to "spread"
agresion.
I'm not sure how many convicts there will end up being I had thought the
limiting factor was the size of the tank but I'm starting to wonder!!
=================================
Mine bred and bred and bred and there is no market for them anywhere. No
one wanted the fry even for free. I finally found a store to take them
all.......... it was a relief.
--

Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
Aquariums: http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastada...ium-Page4.html
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o

Hi..

Anyway the main fish I want to get is a breeding pair of
Blue Acaras.

I've kept Aequidens pulcher (Acara latifrons) in the 70s in
a 65g tank.

I was wondering if the tank would be big
enough.

No. Do you like Laetacara curviceps?

breeding pair of Kribensis

Pelvicachromis pulcher? No.

or a combination of these

No! :-)

Also wondering what kind of filter and substrate would be
best for the blue acaras.

Canister filter, sand, life plants.

--
cu
Marco

Hi guys, Thanks for all your input. I think I either have to consider
getting a bigger tank, re-thinking my fish choices or just not get a
breeding pair of Acaras. Would everything be fine if I got 2 male
Acaras with the tigar barbs and Gouramis?

"Mariachi" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi guys, Thanks for all your input. I think I either have to consider
getting a bigger tank, re-thinking my fish choices or just not get a
breeding pair of Acaras. Would everything be fine if I got 2 male
Acaras with the tigar barbs and Gouramis?


How about one Acara then. Two male cichlids will tend to quarrel, the
extent of which depends on the species and the tank size. Nothing good
usually comes out of it.

Tiger barbs are a riot, but hard on other fish. They might terrorize any
gouramis. There are many other barbs though, which are much better
behaved.

Gouramis are too diverse to make too many generalities. They can be
quite territorial. In terms of aggression (from most to least), your
most common a Giant, Golds, Blues, Thick-lipped, Kissing, Pearls,
Dwarfs, Chocolate, Croaking, Licorice & Pygmy, though jmo.
--
www.NetMax.tk