# Need advice before setting up



## rbcxpeter (Feb 19, 2006)

I have a 55 gallon tank and in it is a 5 inch ornate bicher by himself. If it is possible, I want to fill this same tank with african cichlids. Can african cichlids and the ornate bicher get along? I plan on getting the smallest cichlids I can find but still I kno that cichlids can get aggressive. And keeping in mind that 55 gallon is like the minimum size for one bicher I intend on exchanging fish when they get big to my LFS so that's something not to worry about. Anyway, all I kno about african cichlids are that they like tanks full of rocks, they're aggressive and they're pretty. So if you can give me good advice before I start this cichlid tank, I'd really appreciate it.

Oh and what's an ideal number of african cichlids in a 55 gallon tank?


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## Georgia Peach (Sep 23, 2005)

dont those things eat small fish?? I wouldnt think you could put him with any kind of fish - plus they get pretty big too


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## dwool36 (Jan 31, 2006)

My brother had one of these that he kept with other fish. They have small mouths so can only eat small fish and they are not aggressive at all towards the fish they cannot eat. I know my brother had mollies and never lost one. I don't know about cichlids. I am sure small ones would not be a good idea.


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## rbcxpeter (Feb 19, 2006)

well the small ones i had in mind weren't ones that the bicher is going to be able to eat. Which one should I be more worried about? The bicher eating them or them eating the bicher? Or should I be worried at all?

How much rock can I put in this tank? Wouldn't it be too heavy for the tank? I'm worried that the bottom glass might just crack.

Thanks in advance.


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Either keep african cichlids or predatory fish. Not both. Besides they prefer different water conditions.


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## rbcxpeter (Feb 19, 2006)

but i read on How to Keep Your New Polypterid/Bichir that bichirs adapt to most water conditions. I haven't given this bichir the best water quality in the past but it never died out on me either. So after all we've been through, I've come to appreciate it more so that's why I want to keep him. But at the same time I want an african cichlid tank but I don't have an extra tank to put them in. So that's why I wanna combine both but it seems like I'm gonna have to try it out and see. But if I see some hostily going on then the bichir's gonna be exchanged for some more cichlids.


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Hostility? I think you'll see a few buldges in your bichers stomach before you get a chance to see the hostility.:lol:


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## rbcxpeter (Feb 19, 2006)

haha man that sucks. I guess I can't have the best of both worlds. I gotta setup the tank before I actually get the cichlids so it'll take some time. But I'll try and get pictures up when I do.


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