JRunyon21

I had an idea before of what i wnte an know I am scrambling.

Couple anacharis bunches. Couple java fern bunches. Couples caves. 29 gallons.

I am pretty sure I want 2-4 Angelfish. Need help on what is a good number.

I also like the dwarf cockatoo cichlid if I should find one. Are these two(angel and cockatoo) compatable. If so in what numbers.

I also like the convict cichlids. Are any of these(angel, convict and cockatoo) comatable. If so in what numbers.

Also, I love catfish. Please give some more slender looking(columbian, spotted) catfish I could put in the tank that would fit and would get along with these fish.

I am not tryin to breed these fish in any way so do not worry. I will take precautions to make sure that doesn't happen.
Also, my tank has a lot of bacteria established because I am finishing up with my first fishless cycle and it has gone very well. My tank should be able to handle any bioload as it has almost cycled in 6 days.

Thanks.

capekate

Hello JR
You are picking some sensitive fish there for a new tank. Angels like an established tank, in that there are no risks of variation in the water perimeters.
If you plan on keeping 4 Angels, you should have a back up plan on where you will move a few of them as they get older. They will fight for dominance in the group, and a 29g is not that large for them to find their own territories where they can get away from any aggression. I would suggest trying only two Angels.
As far as convicts go, you would really want to make sure you have only one gender, they will breed whether you like it or not, and then you will have even more aggression going on in your tank. As far as Angels and Convicts being compatible, I hope that one of our members who has convicts can let you know. I have not kept convicts with my Angels, so I have no experience there.
I have kept dwarf cichlids with them, with no problems. Apistogramma's can be aggressive, and nippy as is my steel blue apisto. But not sure of the cockatoo's as far as aggression goes.
Any of the bottom feeders work with Angels, they dont seem to bother them at all since Angels rarely are bottom dwellers and stay at the top and middle of the tank.
Just look at what you are interested in adding to your tank and measure their adult size and see if you have the room for them.
Your list of fish and the amount may make your tank over stocked..

joy613

I have a 29 gallon that had 2 angels in it however now I have a 40 gallon and a 29 gallon with an angel in each one! They were fine for over a year together then overnight it was a battle every day several times a day for territory. I tried rearranging the tank, took out the one I thought was the aggressor for a few hours and put him back in, and nothing worked. I am stocking my 40 gallon now I have narrowed it down to Columbian tetra and I have thought about a dwarf South American cichlids curviceps cichlid. I am not for sure about the curviceps cichlid with the angel. I like them and found them but am not 100% sure they will work.

Shawnie

as a convict & angel owner, id say a big no on putting them in the same tank...the ONLY way would be if you got 1 of each and no pairs... but as kate said, convicts and angels are territorial and angels are very sensitive to water parimeters....not to mention their finnage is so delicate as well..small cichlids should love that size tank tho...with some caves and maybe shells you could check out the shell dwellers..i know there was a thread going around on them here somewhere..very interesting kinda fish...and WOW on a fishless cycle in 6 days!! thats amazing...how the heck did ya do it?

JRunyon21

Thanks for the input. Anyone know how many dwarf size cichlids I can keep in a 29 gallon tank?

2?

5?


As for the 6 day fishless cycle. It's not done yet. Just about. Couple more days maybe.
I had the tank sitting for a while waiting on my test kit with water and plants. There was a little decay of the plants. Maybe they produced some ammonia and that established a little bacteria. Other than that there is no other way. I am using bio spheres/balls and from what I've heard they are a great way to increase surface area for bacteria housing.

Probably just got lucky with something I did.

Shawnie

gunnie passed this link around before, and its very helpful...

http://www.cichlidrecipe.com/shellweb/shell_intro.htm

Barbrella

Dwarf cockatoos (apistogrammas) are harem breeders, so you would need one male and at least 3 females in a tank with lots of plants, caves and hiding places.

They are quite picky about water conditions and a new tank is not the best for them. An established and stable tank is much better.

I would not put angelfish with them, and convicts can't be kept with any of the fish you named. They are way too aggressive.

You can put any of the dwarf plecos in with any of those fish.

JRunyon21

I thought cycling a tank is what establishes it? I'm confused with what you mean by established.

Also, I said I was not going to breed them.
So how many males can I keep in a tank together?
Are the Cockatoos ok with other forms of dwarf cichlids? Something like Rams or a comparable cichlid?

Shawnie

established means its been running for awile with fish in it

JRunyon21

What are the benfits of that over a fishless cycle? I am still confused.

Barbrella

Sorry, by "established", I mean that a tank is completely cycled and has been running for awhile. NitrItes and ammonia will be zero, and nitrAtes low. Readings will be stable, with no spikes.

capekate

Male apistogramma's will fight with each other. I found that my steel blue apisto is aggressive towards my B. Rams and had to move him in with the baby Jack Dempsey. Any fish that I have with the apisto gets attacked by this tiny lil fish lol...
Getting only one Cockatoo is a better idea than trying to house a few males together IMO. They do fine by themselves and do not need to be in a school.

JRunyon21

So B. Rams are less aggressive than apistogrammas. I just want to have a show fish or three lol and also have some other fish in the tank. I can't stand the idea of putting so much work into a tank and only be able to have one fish in it.

Now that we are getting somewhere. What kind of fish other than cichlids can go with the dwarf cichlids? I'm pretty sure I am getting a GBR or a Cockatoo. On or the other. Can they have other Non-cichlid tankmates with them as well?

capekate

I loved my GBRs when I had them in my tank. They did not bother any of the fish I had, and I kept them with Angel fish as well. The bolivian rams do not bother the Angel either. B.Rams are more hardy and easier to keep than the GBRs.
IMO I would either keep dwarf cichlids.. like the GBR or Bolivian Rams OR a apistogramma such as the Cockatoo, but I would not keep them together as they will fight with each other, as was my experience with them.
You can have many other fish with the dwarf cichlids.. they are not as aggressive as the African and larger Cichlids.
I have kept, rainbow fish, cardinal tetras, angel fish, Discus, all with Dwarf Cichlids and never had any problem with them.
Im sure there are many other fish you can keep with them as well..

JRunyon21

Thanks a lot. That is just the answer I was looking for. I am pretty sure I am going with the GBR and/or some bolivian rams with maybe even some angels. i am really not sure on the grouping as of yet. Not all three but a combo of two. Also, maybe a few pencilfish or rainbow fish.

Thanks everyone for all the help.

Not that we have established I will have a combo of probably 2 angels and 2 GRB's or Bolivian Rams. I was wondering what levels of the aquarium I have not covered. In terms of top, middle and bottom dwellers. I know I will need some form of catfish/algae eater. That takes care of the bottom. With the angels/GRBs am I missing any area of the tank? Are GBRs/Angels middle or top of the tank fish? Really sorry about all the questions. I guess I just like to be informed.