# checkerboard cichlid?



## dmarcus (Apr 13, 2006)

hey i am new member and have a question about adding a checkerboard cichlid to a tank. I have a 10 gallon heavily planted tank (elodea, hornwort, moss, java fern, red kringle, what i think is Sagittaria subulata, and water sprite). My ph is just under 7 (6.Cool nitrites-0 and nitrates~20ppm with weekly water changes of 10-15%. I have one juvenile red tailed shark, 2 ottos, 1 paradise fish 1.5 inches, 1 amano shrimp, and 4 shost shrimp. My friend just aquired 4 bolivian rams and is giving me one. My question is in this semi aggressive enviornment will it be possible have a checkerboard cichlid? In one month i will be moving up to a larger tank (hopefully 40 gallons +) so this 10 gallon is not a permanent arrangement. thanks

dave


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## xerxeswasachump (Mar 29, 2006)

I'm not sure dude. Your paradise fish is a huge jerk. Also, the checkerboard would be competing with the shark for territory. 
On the other hand, your tank is very very heavily planted so it might work. I vote your give it a try. But, i'm usually the devil on people's shoulders so you might now want to listen to me.


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## dmarcus (Apr 13, 2006)

seeing as how your the friend who is giving me one of the bolivian rams i think your a biased party, but i definataly would love to have one of those little guys (checkerboards) in my tank

dave


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## Georgia Peach (Sep 23, 2005)

thats an awful lot of fish for a 10 gal tank - but thats not the point of this thread. A checkerboard cichlid requires some of the cleanest water you can possibly have - just about nitrate free ALL the time..they are not easy fish to keep.


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## Osiris (Jan 18, 2005)

Are you talking about a livingstonii?


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## Georgia Peach (Sep 23, 2005)

Dicrossus filamentosus is what I was thinking of..


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## dmarcus (Apr 13, 2006)

yeah it would be a Dicrossus filamentosus. Im hesitant to get one because of overcrowding although the heavy planting provides lots of good hiding as well as two small caves. Im just worried cause these are supposedly harder fish to find and i think theyre really cool so i dont want my store to run out before i can get one and set up my larger tank. also what do you suggest for bringing my nitrate levels down to provide a better enviornment if i do get one?


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## IloveCichlids (Jul 11, 2005)

water changes, water changes, and more water changes!


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## Georgia Peach (Sep 23, 2005)

larger water changes will bring the nitrates down - I would do about a 35-40% water change weekly - if it were my tank. It certainly cant hurt anything with all those fish!


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## ron v (Feb 24, 2005)

I have a colony of D. maculatus which is very similar to filamentosus. They are delicate fish. I don't think I would risk them with with the shark or paradise fish. The checkerboards are really cool fish though. I don't guess you would consider getting rid of the two bullies and devote the tank to the checkerboards????


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## dmarcus (Apr 13, 2006)

ok ill up the amount of water i take out, if i were going to get rid of one of the aggressors it would probably be the shark. I love the colors on the paradise fish and last week i gave away 3 zebra danios that were in the tank that he got along with fine. Ron V. even in a larger tank you dont think the paradise and checkerboards could just live and let live? If i had a place to put the shark i would definatly upgrade to a checkerboard, hes small right now 2 inches, the paradise is also only 1.5 inches.thx


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## ron v (Feb 24, 2005)

Paradise fish are cool water fish. Checkerboards like warm water. Another reason they are not compatable.


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## xerxeswasachump (Mar 29, 2006)

The checkerboards and the paradise can both live at around 76 degrees together right?
I don't think you should do it right now. Why not buy the pump off jimbo and you can borrow my other 10 gallon?

I guess you don't have much space for that. Also you could see if one of the fish stores will take that shark. 
I have a checkerboard that is living in hard water with a small amount of nitrates in the water and he is just fine. The tank is 78 degrees, which i'm sure a paradise fish could handle. 
10 gallons freaks me out though dude. It is much harder to control water chemistry.


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## ron v (Feb 24, 2005)

Whew.... I don't think paradise fish and checkerboards will work!!!!! They will both live at 76F, sure and the paradise fish will probably be fine, but the checkerboard won't. If the checkerboard survives for a year and they all grow up the paradise fish will probably eat the checkerboard. 
Checkerboard cichlids are a somewhat rare and delicate fish that are hard to keep healthy even when conditions are right. They deserve better than being in a tank with a brute like a paradise fish..... Having said that, the paradise fish is cool too. I like them both... just not in the same tank.


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## Georgia Peach (Sep 23, 2005)

ron v said:


> Whew.... I don't think paradise fish and checkerboards will work!!!!! They will both live at 76F, sure and the paradise fish will probably be fine, but the checkerboard won't. If the checkerboard survives for a year and they all grow up the paradise fish will probably eat the checkerboard.
> *Checkerboard cichlids are a somewhat rare and delicate fish that are hard to keep healthy even when conditions are right. They deserve better than being in a tank with a brute like a paradise fish..... *Having said that, the paradise fish is cool too. I like them both... just not in the same tank.


You took the words right outa my mouth!


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## dmarcus (Apr 13, 2006)

alright you guys have made me rethink this checkerboard cichlid with the paradise so i think ill wait the extra month to put the checkerboard in the other tank im getting and keep the two (paradise and checkerboard) seperate. If what you guys are saying is true than the fish deserve to be in a habitable enviornment. thanks everyone!!!


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## KRIBS (Jan 24, 2006)

The checkerboards are really sensitive to the O2 content in water. They need water with a high O2 content.


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## GumboJones (Mar 6, 2006)

> Why not buy the pump off jimbo and you can borrow my other 10 gallon?


I think this is a good idea.


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## wtpdosa (Apr 11, 2006)

Something to think about:

I would hold off for now getting the checkerboards. When you get your larger tank, use the ten gal tank for the checkerboards. It's a perfect size for a small school of them and you can adjust the water parameters to suit them and maybe a couple of cory cats.
Good luck!


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