New World Cichlid Tankmates - Choose Tankmates for Cichlids Wisely

By Carey Malloy

Choosing South American Cichlid tank mates is not difficult at all. There are a few things that you need to consider before you make any quick decisions while at your favorite pet store.

Considering how big your cichlids will be is the first thing that you should think about. Never pick tankmates for your cichlids that look like they are small enough to fit in your fishes mouth. Maybe that will not always work, but you get the idea.

Second, choosing tankmates that do not have the same temperament as each other. Juvenile Oscars and Angel Fish are a good example. These two species make great tankmates when they are little. But when those Oscars start to grow, the Angels will loose every battle very quickly.

Those are a couple of points about choosing tankmates for your cichlids, but I am sure you already knew about those simple details. Now lets ask the real question. What are the best tankmates for cichlids? Have you ever thought about catfish or the fantastic little corydoras. Corydoras are simply some of my favorite tropical aquarium fish and they make great tankmates for many types of cichlids.

Again, you should definitely think about the size of the cichlids that you own. If you have Oscars, you should not choose the smaller kinds of corydoras. The Oscars will think that they are food and scarf them down like little candies. It is best to choose one of the larger varieties of corys like the bronze corydoras.

These larger cichlids will reach full adult size at about three inches long so they will make great tankmates for the larger varieties of cichlids.

Keep this in mind when choosing South American Cichlid tank mates, Oscars sometimes break the rules. For the best results with Oscars, it is best to raise them with tank mates like corys, while they are both juveniles, so that they are conditioned to having each other around. Oh, and make sure you keep at least a half dozen or so of the corys. They like the company and have strength in numbers. - 32185

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