I tried to avoid recommending Discus for the lack of personality. They just hover in one spot and stare. I do like them for the color, but they require a lot of time and money.
Big fishes that are ok with small fishes...
- Thread starter sturgeonlover
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- alage eater fish monster
Chocolates are peaceful, so I see where you're coming from, but just like other cichlids, they will eat whatever fits in their mouth.
Our Chocolates (breeding pair) and our group of 7 Uaru completely ignore the tetras in their tanks. I wouldn't necessarily rule a type of fish out completely.
It's like a New Years party in your tank! The confetti is brine shrimp and bloodworms!!!
Firstly, I'm not recommending trying this, but its something to think about.
I had a geophagus brasiliensis that I'd raised over 5 years from around one inch to over a foot (33.5cm to be exact) and I always kept smaller fish with him. He lived with 2 silver dollars and a BGK about the same age as him (SD's maxed out at 6 and 8 inches respectively, BGK was about 11 inches when we lost her) and for a few months his tank was a temporary home for the 5 black widow tetras from my 50ltr when it leaked as well - none of them got eaten, Horrace (the geo) was over 10 inches at the time and Gwen (BGK) about the same. I was told by many people that I couldn't keep these fish together because the BGK would kill the silver dollars and the geo would harass the BGK and probably end up with a hole in his belly etc, and none of it ever happened, I never told anyone about the widows when they were in his tank as I couldn't be bothered listening to all the "your fish will eat your other fish" stuff when I knew my larger fish were all really laid back.
What I'm getting at is that if raised together in a calm, suitable environment from a young age you may be surprised with what fish will "tolerate" living together without killing each other. Also note that I always had a perspex separator on hand in case of fighting, but luckily I never needed it.
Disclaimer: I'm not recommending throwing a muddle of fish in a tank and hoping it works, I'm saying if you must keep a muddle of fish together, its probably best to raise them together from a small size/young age.
Disclaimers disclaimer: I do not know everything, nor do I claim to. I'm just an average Joe sharing her experiences.
I had a geophagus brasiliensis that I'd raised over 5 years from around one inch to over a foot (33.5cm to be exact) and I always kept smaller fish with him. He lived with 2 silver dollars and a BGK about the same age as him (SD's maxed out at 6 and 8 inches respectively, BGK was about 11 inches when we lost her) and for a few months his tank was a temporary home for the 5 black widow tetras from my 50ltr when it leaked as well - none of them got eaten, Horrace (the geo) was over 10 inches at the time and Gwen (BGK) about the same. I was told by many people that I couldn't keep these fish together because the BGK would kill the silver dollars and the geo would harass the BGK and probably end up with a hole in his belly etc, and none of it ever happened, I never told anyone about the widows when they were in his tank as I couldn't be bothered listening to all the "your fish will eat your other fish" stuff when I knew my larger fish were all really laid back.
What I'm getting at is that if raised together in a calm, suitable environment from a young age you may be surprised with what fish will "tolerate" living together without killing each other. Also note that I always had a perspex separator on hand in case of fighting, but luckily I never needed it.
Disclaimer: I'm not recommending throwing a muddle of fish in a tank and hoping it works, I'm saying if you must keep a muddle of fish together, its probably best to raise them together from a small size/young age.
Disclaimers disclaimer: I do not know everything, nor do I claim to. I'm just an average Joe sharing her experiences.
I vote severums. There's always the chance you get an aggressive one. Just like the chocolate or uaru. Much better chances for you if you grow them out with all those tetras.
