Dwarf cichlid in 20 Hex OK?

I have a 20 gallon hexagonal tank (about 19" across and 18" deep) in
which I have ember tetras, pygmy corys and oto cats. All these fish
reach about 1" in size. I was wondering if it would be OK to add a
dwarf South American cichlid. One of the LFS around here has some
Apistogramma nijsenni and they really look beautiful.

Is the tank big enough for one of them? I do not want a pair, in case
they get agressive when breeding.

Would a female be safer (less agressive) than a male?

Is there any risk of the Apisto bullying the corys?

I have never had any cichlids, so I do not know what to expect when it
comes to behaviour.

Blue Gourami

You could do that, the dwarf apistos are great 'little' big fish.... small
in size, large in personality...

You could get away with 1 or a m/f pair...


"Blue Gourami" wrote in message
m...
I have a 20 gallon hexagonal tank (about 19" across and 18" deep) in
which I have ember tetras, pygmy corys and oto cats. All these fish
reach about 1" in size. I was wondering if it would be OK to add a
dwarf South American cichlid. One of the LFS around here has some
Apistogramma nijsenni and they really look beautiful.

Is the tank big enough for one of them? I do not want a pair, in case
they get agressive when breeding.

Would a female be safer (less agressive) than a male?

Is there any risk of the Apisto bullying the corys?

I have never had any cichlids, so I do not know what to expect when it
comes to behaviour.

Blue Gourami

Without another male in the tank you should be fine. Now if you were to get
a breeding pair, it may actually be the female who gets testy if they spawn.

Jody


"RedForeman ©®" wrote in message
...
You could do that, the dwarf apistos are great 'little' big fish.... small
in size, large in personality...

You could get away with 1 or a m/f pair...


"Blue Gourami" wrote in message
m...
I have a 20 gallon hexagonal tank (about 19" across and 18" deep) in
which I have ember tetras, pygmy corys and oto cats. All these fish
reach about 1" in size. I was wondering if it would be OK to add a
dwarf South American cichlid. One of the LFS around here has some
Apistogramma nijsenni and they really look beautiful.

Is the tank big enough for one of them? I do not want a pair, in case
they get agressive when breeding.

Would a female be safer (less agressive) than a male?

Is there any risk of the Apisto bullying the corys?

I have never had any cichlids, so I do not know what to expect when it
comes to behaviour.

Blue Gourami

"Jody" wrote in message . ..
Without another male in the tank you should be fine. Now if you were to get
a breeding pair, it may actually be the female who gets testy if they spawn.

Jody

Well, I did it! I bought a female and, when I put her in the tank and
she looked straight at me, wagging her little fins, I was won over. A
few days later, I bought a male. He is a little agressive at meal
times, chasing the female away from the blood worms, but I sneak her
some behind his back!

Blue Gourami