South American vs Tanganyika, 50 Gallon, Suggestions please... Info on Breeds...

[lucky777]

Just got a new 50 Gallon.  Don't want to rush it.  Not into Malawi stuff any more.  Looking for suggestions to help narrow things down.
For the south american I was considering some Apistogramma's (http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1437, http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=416) plus some other community fish.  Not really familiar with them, but from reading they sound kinda of boring.  Do they have personality or do they just float around?

For the Tanganyika I was looking for suggestions I found this on earlier posting http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/cookie_cutter_29g.php but I was looking for more suggestion and numbers.

Any suggestions or input would be appreciated. Also if you have fish for sale that I might need let me know.  Thanx.

[mseguin]

Apistogramma can be very interesting. You can spend hours watching them guard their territories, interacting with each other along the whole bottom of the tank, and if you're lucky, eventually breeding. There's some very colourful varieties, and they make for a nice commnuity tank. Tanganyikans can also be quite interesting, but in a 50 you're going to be a bit more limited as to size and number of fish.

[FishBuddy]

As for Tanganyikan, the paracyprichromis (or their cousins cyprichromis) will get along well with the Xenotilapia family.  The Xenotilapia are bottom sand sifters while the paracyprichromis are mid-level swimmer.  Both species are peaceful enough to keep with each other and very fun to watch.  Currently, in my 40g breeder tanks I kept the following:

- paracyprichromis nigripinnis (no, I am not pronouncing the name out loud )
- cyprichromis leptomsa
- cyprichromis microlepidotus
- xenotilaplia sima
- cyathopharynx foai
- ectodus descampsii
- synodontis petricola catfish

This is a very active tank and lots of actions..

Actually, my leptosoma (huge fry!) and descampsii just spawned a few days ago.

Rule of thumb is try not to keep Tanganyikan with Malawi as the latter tends to be more aggressive...

[bizfromqc]

...
For the south american I was considering some Apistogramma's (http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1437, http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=416) plus some other community fish.  Not really familiar with them, but from reading they sound kinda of boring.  Do they have personality or do they just float around?
...

I don't know where you read that but IMHO, it's quite the opposite LOL They're all but boring. Anyone claiming apistos are boring obviously never kept them.

They're not as annoying, I mean active, as danios, but they're great. I spend a lot of time in front of my tank watching the mother interact with her fry, it's the best thing about these fish.

But they again, I'm seriously biased towards apistos and other SA dwarf cichlids 

[bizfromqc]

Just got a new 50 Gallon.  Don't want to rush it.  Not into Malawi stuff any more.  Looking for suggestions to help narrow things down.
For the south american I was considering some Apistogramma's (http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1437, http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=416) plus some other community fish.  Not really familiar with them, but from reading they sound kinda of boring.  Do they have personality or do they just float around?

For the Tanganyika I was looking for suggestions I found this on earlier posting http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/cookie_cutter_29g.php but I was looking for more suggestion and numbers.

Any suggestions or input would be appreciated. Also if you have fish for sale that I might need let me know.  Thanx.

To add to my previous reply, I have never kept African cichlids so I can't comment on them but If I were to setup an african tank, I'd definitely look into adding some shellies to the tank. Neolamprologus Multifasciatus look great and you can get a rather large community going in a 50 and they'll mostly hang around their shells and the bottom of the tank.

I'm thinking of setting up a smaller tank and entirely dedicate them to multis, if only I could find them locally 

[Lurch1]

My vote is for apistos with hatchet fish.

[exv152]

Just got a new 50 Gallon.  Don't want to rush it.  Not into Malawi stuff any more.  Looking for suggestions to help narrow things down.

For the south american I was considering some Apistogramma's (http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1437, http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=416) plus some other community fish.  Not really familiar with them, but from reading they sound kinda of boring.  Do they have personality or do they just float around?

For the Tanganyika I was looking for suggestions I found this on earlier posting http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/cookie_cutter_29g.php but I was looking for more suggestion and numbers.

Any suggestions or input would be appreciated. Also if you have fish for sale that I might need let me know.  Thanx.

All cichlids have perosnality no matter where they're come from, and all SA dwarf cichlids have huge personalities. My personal favourite are german blue rams, but apistos are pretty funny to watch too. The only reason I like SA cichlids more than africans is because you can actually keep a larger variety of peaceful fish with them and create a natural planted tank at the same time. But just go with what YOU want.