Cichlids are a branch of ichthyology and fish keeping that is has been studied to exhaustion, and then some. They are so varied, that one may have eaten or kept a cichlid at some point in their lives, and not even known it. For example, Tilapia is a type of Cichlid. So are common freshwater Angelfish and Discus. With hundreds to thousands of different species, all related and yet morphologically and physiologically different, it can be hard to keep track! This can be said also for those of us in the world of aquaria. If you’ve ever looked into getting a Cichlid, you might have come across biotopes. This is essential when dealing with Cichlids, as they come from many different regions, and many different lakes, for that matter. So it’s important to keep biotopes in mind when pairing Ciclids.
The Peacock Cichlid is one of these species, although not bearing the same infamous aggression as most Cichlids do. The Peacock Cichlid is becoming more popular in the aquarium trade. Depending on the species, a peacock cichlid can grow somewhere between 4 to 6 inches, and most need around 50 to 55 gallon tanks to accommodate their size. Most Cichlids aren’t meant for beginners, and that can be said for the Peacock Cichlid as well. Their set up is rather specific, needing a rocky set up with a hiding spot for every cichlid in the tank, a sandy bottom, a low flow filter, and hard water alkalinity.
If you’ve had fish before, however, and wanted to start with African Cichlids, the Peacock Cichlid is a nice start. Unlike many other species of Cichlid, the peacock cichlid is not a particularly aggressive towards other species. The only time you will see them being aggressive is when a fish enters their area, or when they’re fighting for territory. They can be housed with other cichlids of similar size in a community tank, as well as bottom dwellers of similar size.
There are several different species of Peacock Cichlid available now a days, and each has specific requirements for food or male to female ratio, as well as some being hardier than others. A good hardy species is the Yellow Peacock Cichlid (Aulonocara baenschi). These fish often do best in a harem setting, i.e. one male to several female. The ratio is different for each fish, but often one male to three or four females. Generally with Peacock Cichlids, you can tell them apart by the males being brightly colored and with spots on the anal fins, as compared to the female, that is dull in color. When immature, it’s hard to tell.
The following fish are particular top dwellers. Others are middle to top, but many people would like to create a nice balance by having fish that enjoy a certain region.
A) Betta Splendens are considered top dwellers because they are labyrinth fish. Labyrinth fish are so named because of an organ known as a Labyrinth that they use to gulp fresh water out of the air – an organ that Gouramis have as well. When oxygen is low in their water, they use their labyrinth to help with gas exchange – something not possible with gills alone. However, Bettas do explore around the tank. If you want to encourage a Betta to keep to the top of the tank, find decorations that can suction to the side of the tank and stick them up towards the top. Bettas will often hide behind or under these decorations. I had a Betta once who enjoyed resting behind the heater.
Bettas should only be kept one to a tank, though they can be kept in a community tank. Be careful, however, as each Betta has a differing personality, and while one Betta would pay no attention to your other fish, another may constantly harass another fish. Do not keep Bettas with fish that look like them, such as guppies, or any fish that are tail nippers.
Minimum Tank Size: 5 gallon
B) Hatchet fish are a fish with an interesting morphology. Thin from side to side, but long from top to bottom, these fish were built for flying. This is why it’s important to have a tight fitting lid for these guys. A hatchet fish is an ideal top tank dweller because they are peaceful fish, interesting looking, and don’t go wandering around the tropical fish tank. Their life is lived just below the surface of the water, which means that they need to be fed a floating food and provided floating plants to hide in. These little guys jump out of the water as a defense mechanism, so any time they are stressed, you may see one trying to fly. And their pectoral fins are built much like wings, so keep a tight lid on these guys.
Hatchet fish are best kept in groups – the less there are, the more stressed they will be. The more stressed they are, the more likely they will fly. Most say 6 is a good number to keep them in, but some say they don’t keep less than 10 in a tropical fish tank. Also, they are not the fastest fish, so if you are keeping them with faster fish, they may be out competed for food. It’s good to keep in mind if you have yet to stock your tank that guppies and platies may not be the best choice for tank mate.
Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons for Marble and Marthae, 20 for Silver
As for other fish that will stay around the top, but are considered top to middle, are guppies, tetras, rainbowfish, gouramis, rasoboras, mollies, swordtails, mosquito fish, and pencilfish. However, I features these fish top tank dwellers because of their desire to stay only at the top. Feel free to research the fish you think would be right for your tropical fish tank.
Each of these fish listed next are fish that may need special conditions or special care that someone who is new to keeping fish may not yet be equipped to deal with. I do not consider them “beginner fish” for various reasons, but if you have some experience with fish and are looking for more interested fish, the following are some to consider. Again, these fish are recommended as a species only tank, and I do not recommend keeping them in a small tank as community as many of them do better in groupings of their own species.
A) 5 to 6 Neon Tetras or Cardinal Tetras. Tetras are often thought to be easy to keep, but they need the right water parameters in order to survive and thrive. They aren’t the best choice for a newly cycled tank, but a well-cycled tank that has had the water tested for the right parameters would be ideal. Don’t add all your tetras in at once – put in maybe two or three, and see how they fair. After that initial period, add the rest of your tetras. You can also try Lemon Tetras, Pristella Tetras, or Serpae Tetras in a small school of six or less.
B) Cichlids generally aren’t good for small tanks, as most need at least 35 gallons. But there is a species of Cichlid called the Shell Dweller Cichlid, which can be kept in a long, shallow 10 gallon tank. They are bottom dwellers, and live most of their lives in shells you would have to provide for them. They can be kept at most four in one tank, but it depends more on how many shells you can provide per Cichlid. Shell Dweller Cichlids need around six shells per Cichlid to choose from. Remember, Cichlids tend to be aggressively territorial, so they are best kept as species only tanks.
C) 5 Marble Hatchet Fish. There are odd looking little fish, but they are relatively resilient. However, they are best added to a fairly aged tropical fish tank, not a newly cycled one. Be wary, though, that you have a tight fitting top on this fish’s tank, because they are known jumpers.
D) 2 of 3 Kuhli Loaches. A bottom dweller, they are eel-shaped in appearance, and share the eel’s appreciation for a good escape, so make sure if you want one of these, invest in a tight fitting lid. They are also nocturnal, so you might have the chance to appreciate them as you would other fish. I recommend reading up more on them if you’re interested, but note that they need to be fed either with the lights out of before lights are turned out, and that they like to burrow in sand, so gravel is not a good choice of substrate for them.
E) 5 to 6 Endler’s Livebearers or Guppies. Both are livebearers and procreate at the drop of a hat, so use caution when stocking your tropical fish tank. What started off as six guppies can very easily be an overcrowded tank, so if you only have one ten gallon tank to work with, buy all of one sex – preferably male. There have been times that people have bought pregnant females. Most put these fish as beginners, but as guppies have many babies and eat many of their babies, I thought it was best that people read up on them before purchasing. Also, on the subject of guppies, they are quite a popular fish. Some would say that guppy fish are less resilient than they used to be. This is a common problem with such a popular breed, particularly one that breeds so prolifically. As they come in an array of colors, often times people breed guppies just to see what color babies they would have. When pet breeds or species become popular, they are often overbred with low quality breeding stock by someone who doesn’t know what they are doing. This can make new owners, who heard of a guppy’s resilience, feel disheartened and give up altogether. It’s something to keep in mind when purchasing guppies.
F) 5 Platies. Yes, more live bearers. It’s a little more difficult to tell with Platies than Guppies, but try and keep males and females apart if you don’t want a flood of Platy babies. A male will have a modified anal fin called the gonopodium, which is used to guide sperm into the female and fertilize the eggs. This can be seen in many species of live bearing fish, and used to tell male from female. Again, not a good idea if you only have one tank to work with and you find yourself suddenly inundated with babies.
G) 1 or 2 Dwarf Puffers. I listed this in my 5 gallon tank suggestions, but as they do well with 5 gallons each, you can try two. However, keep in mind puffers are territorial and they can form dominance if there is more than one. This will make it difficult for the non-dominant fish to get to the food. If you have more than one, make sure there is a hiding place for each puffer plus an extra to hide in just in case, and plant your tropical fish tank densely. My puffer lives by himself in a ten gallon tank, and he does fine by himself.
H) 1 Red eye puffer fish. Another fresh water puffer becoming well known in the aquarium trade, they are best kept alone as puffers are notorious fin nippers. As they are also territorial, a red eye puffer in a ten gallon tank should be kept alone.
F) 5 Platies. Yes, more live bearers. It’s a little more difficult to tell with Platies than Guppies, but try and keep males and females apart if you don’t want a flood of Platy babies. A male will have a modified anal fin called the gonopodium, which is used to guide sperm into the female and fertilize the eggs. This can be seen in many species of live bearing fish, and used to tell male from female. Again, not a good idea if you only have one tank to work with and you find yourself suddenly inundated with babies.