# hardiest cichlids



## frogman5 (Mar 13, 2007)

Yes I was thinking about buying some cichlids to get some color in my 29 gallon tank and was wondering what are some of the hardiest cichlids. This will be my first time having cichlids so i want to start off with an easy one.


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## Guest (Mar 18, 2007)

what kinds of fish are in the tank as of now? for a 29 with a few tropicals i would suggest a pair of rams depending on what you have in the tank now. they are small (3") and very colorful.


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## frogman5 (Mar 13, 2007)

I have an african clawed frog and a pleco and also a type of catfish i have no idea wat kind but its about 5'' but im getting rid of it soon anyways my friend wants it.


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## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Rams are not very hardy. To selectively overbred for color. Africans are a better bet. Try convicts.


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## Gourami Swami (Jul 4, 2006)

Convicts will kill anything else in a 29 gallon tank.

Most cichlids arent fish that you can just add to a community tank to "add some color". Most types need a tank devoted to just them. Like, if you did get convicts, they would need the tank to themselves. Same is true for any CA cichlids and many SA's. I recommend you get a dwarf cichlid, they seem less inclined to slaughter their tankmates. A. Cacatoides would be a good choice.


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## frogman5 (Mar 13, 2007)

alright thanks


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## gem (Mar 13, 2007)

I have to agree with Swami in regards to Convicts. I keep them myself and they even shredded the fins off a large Common Pleco. You can put them in with other species like Demseys, Firemouth, Oscars and such but only in an extremely large tank with an over abundance of territories. Even then they are quite agressive toward even larger fish. 
If it's a relatively small tank (ie: 40 gal or smaller) Dwarf cichlids would be great. Damon mention A. Cacatoides for one, but all of the Apistogramma species are pretty colorful. A. Cacatoides come in a few morphs, orange flame, double red, triple red. There's also A. Borellii (white with a nice turqouise blue pattern) A. Agasizzii, A. Panduro (aka Pandurini or Panda) A. Macmasteri (not quite as colorful). 

They aren't the most common fish around but can be found. Here's a link to give you an idea of what they look like. 
They are great in a planted tank with soft water and a ph of about 6.4 to 7.0

http://www.apistogrammaidiots.com/Fishroom/fishroom.html

I don't know what an African Clawed frog is or how big it gets so not sure if those would be ok with the frog or if the frog would eat them. 
Another option is African Cichlids, but I don't think the pleco is a good idea with them as the pleco probably won't appreciate salty water. : )


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## Guest (Mar 18, 2007)

African Clawed Frogs will eat anything that they can fit in their mouths.  So I would not add Rams to the tank or anything small.



> Another option is African Cichlids, but I don't think the pleco is a good idea with them as the pleco probably won't appreciate salty water.


African Cichlids don't require salt.  Most are too large for a 29g though. And the smaller ones would be eaten by the ACF.

The ACF limits your fish choices greatly.


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## redpaulhus (Jan 18, 2005)

I would recommend a pair of "kribs" - *Pelvicachromis pulcher*
They are a West African dwarf cichlid.
In my opinion, they are hardier and easier than the Apisto's (I like Apisto's, but wouldn't recommend one as a first cichlid) and still very colorful.
They are much more likely to eat prepared foods (ie flake) than the apistos, IME.
They do not get too big, but are big enough to be ok with the frog (at least until the frog gets huge, at which point you may want to give it its own tank).
Did I mention how cute they are  ?
http://images.google.com/images?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLJ,GGLJ:2006-31,GGLJ:en&q=Pelvicachromis%20pulcher&oe=UTF-8&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi


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## gem (Mar 13, 2007)

and they come in Albino too!!! 
Here's my boy!


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## CichlidsGeek (Apr 4, 2007)

Well there is a couple speiceis of lake malwais that would be ok (you just need to make sure that the other fish wont fit in their mouth)

Rusty or yellow labs I have been told do fine in a tank like that. They are less agressive but I would choose one of the speices (the labs are a bright yellow with a black accent and the rustys are kinda have a purpleish to tint to their brownish orange color.

But I warn you... Cichlid are addicting


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