Janelle Posted September 10, 2007 Report Share Posted September 10, 2007 Since my flatmate got some Kribs, I've been getting more interested in cichlids (especially Kribs). Whenever I look up information on them though, it always talks about cichlid pairs, but never about keeping one cichlid. So what I'm wondering is, how cruel is it to keep a cichlid on its own? Do they have to be in male/female pairs to be happy or can you keep one on its own in a community tank without a problem? I read a lot of info on the net but not once did I find info on someone keeping just one cichlid... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted September 10, 2007 Report Share Posted September 10, 2007 In my opinion theres nothing wrong with keeping one cichlid in a community tank, im assuming you mean a cichlid that is compatible like a blue ram in with peaceful community fish. I think most people like to keep pairs maybe to keep the fish happy but also I guess to see if they have babies and watch all that happen in their tanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted September 10, 2007 Report Share Posted September 10, 2007 It depends on your idea of community tank. 3' planted tank with tetras? Malawi/tanganyika biotope? 2000L central american cichlid 'community'? It also depends on what kind of cichlid you're talking about. Discus/angels? Apistos/rams? African rift lake? Other africans? Central/south american? Cichlid is far too broad a term to make generalisations about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted September 10, 2007 Report Share Posted September 10, 2007 Well said David! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firenzenz Posted September 10, 2007 Report Share Posted September 10, 2007 I agree with Ryan in terms of the idea of keeping a lone cichlid if you cater for its and its tankmates needs. And those needs can be as diverse as fishkeeping itself. Look at requirements of your fish, the size it will grow, ph needs. etc. etc. A dwarf cichlid can be a great member of a community tank, as can a huge Oscar with a big plec and an Arowana, or an Angel in a school of tetras and a bottom full of catfish. Most of the African species we get here (excluding some of the river fish) are cichlids, but one only of a species is not uncommon in Rift display tank. Tropheus, Frontosa's are more of the school fish but will survive alone as long as the tankmates can do likewise. To paraphrase David R-Not all cichlids are created equal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janelle Posted September 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2007 OK, for those who are wondering if I'm being general with cichlids, I am particularly interested in the Kribs, and other cichlids I have no knowledge or experience with, so I did not know what else could be kept comfortably in a community tank. Definitely not interested in Oscars or Arowanas though, thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted September 10, 2007 Report Share Posted September 10, 2007 I think what David was asking was what type of community tank are you referring to? A community of fish can be anything for example I have a community tank in my kitchen of malawi's which are cichlids also.. So for example a lone or even a pair of krib's probably wouldn't be recommended in there, even though I have kept kribs in african tanks, Ram's for example wouldn't last due to temperement and also water conditions. Can you tell us what fish your planning to stick your krib in with But in answer to your question as long as your sticking your krib in a suitable tank it wont matter if there's only one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted September 10, 2007 Report Share Posted September 10, 2007 Definitely not interested in Oscars or Arowanas though, thanks! aww. no arowana :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janelle Posted September 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2007 Ahhh, thanks for the clarification, ryanjury. I was thinking of only schooling fish like danios, and possibly having a Krib just for something more interesting to look at. My original idea was a dwarf gourami but I hear they're pretty susceptible to disease and since it's a tank that I won't be keeping at home I didn't think it would be a great idea to have a feature fish that's prone to becoming sickly. It will only be a small tank, probably under 60L. Still just in the planning stages doing my research, thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianab Posted September 11, 2007 Report Share Posted September 11, 2007 A single krib should be fine in a tank like that. Although I have noticed that when they are by themselves tend to stake out an open cave and sit there watching the world go by. No problem, you just dont see them swimming around the tank very much, unless it's feeding time. They sorta act like a troll living under a bridge, and just pop out to chase off smaller pesky fish. :lol: If you have 2, they will either pair up, which is good, or one will chase the other, not so good. 3 or more will form a more active and social group, they will work out their pecking order and interact with each other. But as long as they have plenty of space and hiding spots they will all be OK. They are fine in a community tank, but they might get tempted by slow moving long finned fish like male guppies :-? A krib will be fine with your danios, tetras etc, and it might be best with just one in a small tank. Cheers Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted September 11, 2007 Report Share Posted September 11, 2007 OK, for those who are wondering if I'm being general with cichlids You cant be general with such a broad term, you might as well just say 'fish'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janelle Posted September 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2007 You cant be general with such a broad term, you might as well just say 'fish'. Deepest apologies, David. I did state in my original post that I was especially interested in Kribs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon1990 Posted September 11, 2007 Report Share Posted September 11, 2007 You could also get a ram or apistos or a pair. I have found them to be more peaceful than kribs and they can look quite nice too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janelle Posted September 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2007 Thanks, Dixon. I'll take a look for info on those fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpidersWeb Posted September 11, 2007 Report Share Posted September 11, 2007 I have lots of aggressive tanks, but have one tank thats reserved for friendly fish. In it I have 5 angels, a few danios, platties, golden bristlenose, a curious fire eel, and the offspring from my last Krib adventure, about 8 or so kribs, at least 3 pairs, eggs have been laid. I have been told my Kribs have the 'poofter' gene, but never had any problems with aggression and kribs. Even with 8 adult kribs, there is a completely unstressed white cloud mountain minnow hanging around. My Jaguar cichlid spends his life alone, simply because he'll kill anything he can get his hands on (except my redspot pleco who he is scared of haha). So I dont think its cruel as such, its often the only way you can have it! I have this natural urge to make my fish want to be happy, and I think they're happier having a girrrrrlfriend, but thats not fact, I just like seeing all the displays. For example, most people will tell you, if you keep convicts, dont put in any females! I couldn't help myself, and now I get to watch the male protect his new precious girlfriend, and get all defensive if anyone goes near her. So cute. Cichlids are awesome. Also danios are faster than kribs, so a breeding pair of kribs wont disturb danios etc really. Neons can't be so sure of. My kribs have proved they can't defend their eggs from bristlenose too :-? PS not to be a smarty-pants, but Arowana isn't a cichlid Oscars are, but they have neon-eating-tendancies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janelle Posted September 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2007 Wow, thanks for that info, SpidersWeb! I personally dislike neons *quite a lot* so I will not be stocking neons at all. Ever. I am not fond of most tetras, actually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firenzenz Posted September 11, 2007 Report Share Posted September 11, 2007 Great info Spider.. Arowana-No, nor is a pleco or a school of tetras a cichlid. As you have illustrated the requirements of cichlids are as wide ranging as our hobby. My point was to illustrate that with the fact that many options are available to "cichlid" keepers. While they vary greatly-mouthbrooders, Substrate brooders, their commonality is their parental care and defense of mate, young and territory Seems that people experience or view of cichlids stems from there first encounter. When I talk of Cichlids you can bet I'm talking about my malawi's, yet my mate is talking about his Angels or Discus and his mate is talking Blue rams( which like apistos are dwarf cichlids). I haven't kept Kribs for ages but they are cool as I remember. Some cool little apistogrammas around like cockatoos( have a pair n Discus tank with tetras and guppies), panduros, pretty and are real characters. Stay really small(smaller than the Krib), I wonder if seperating the Cichlid section to old and new world would help, Good post Janelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted September 12, 2007 Report Share Posted September 12, 2007 My Jaguar cichlid spends his life alone, simply because he'll kill anything he can get his hands on (except my redspot pleco who he is scared of haha). So I dont think its cruel as such, its often the only way you can have it! I think you'll find this simply comes down to take size. The tank hes in is smaller than the territory he's defending, therefor any fish in the tank is in his territory (and cant get out) so it ends up dead. If you put it in an 8'x4' tank it would probably get along fine with other large fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janelle Posted September 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2007 I appreciate all the info, everyone. All I really knew about cichlids is that they give some parental care and some of them pair for life. I also knew that most of them grow quite large and are picky about tank conditions (one of the reasons I was more interested in Kribs as a beginner cichlid as I heard they're easier to look after than most and don't get too big). But mainly my interest was the fact most of the information I could find is about breeding them, and therefore keeping them in at least pairs. I just wanted to know if it was, well, humane to keep one on its own. My boyfriend keeps his male siamese fighter on his own, and my flatmate has a male gourami on his own, and that makes sense to me since they would drive the female away after breeding anyway, but in my personal research it seemed to me that it's a given that cichlids come in pairs. So that's what really spawned my question as to whether or not you could just keep one, especially if you are like me and limited in tank space and what level of care and requirements you might be able to deliver. It was also from watching my flatmate's three kribs settle into his tank and wondering if a male and female paired off, would the other feel "lonely" or left out in any way? I never really thought about the psychology of fish, but I know my female platies wish I never got a male platy! Thanks, and sorry about the rant (as well as my ignorance about cichlids in er, "general"). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herefishiefishie Posted September 12, 2007 Report Share Posted September 12, 2007 Fire away, that is what forums are for. We were all new at one stage. Frenchy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianab Posted September 12, 2007 Report Share Posted September 12, 2007 Allways good to do your homework before you get the fish Some cichlids are fine in a community tank, Rams and Kribs for instance. Some are OK as long as they are with big tankmates, Oscars and Angels etc. And some are the psycho axe murderers of the aquarium world that should be given little fishy straightjackets and kept in padded aquariums :evil: :lol: It's pretty important to know which one you are gettting Cheers Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janelle Posted September 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2007 Homework, yessss.... Considering I didn't even know how to pronounce "cichlid" 4-5 months ago! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpidersWeb Posted September 12, 2007 Report Share Posted September 12, 2007 sick - lid Took me a while to work that out myself. I'd say 'cha-child' or shick-lid when I first started. I dont like tetras either, except maybe Cardinal Tetras for their colour. My Jag likes them though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janelle Posted September 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2007 I used to think it was sitch-lid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon1990 Posted September 13, 2007 Report Share Posted September 13, 2007 I used to think it was saud chitch-lid .And the guy i sold my jag to thought it was chilid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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