Ok, Hubby insisted on getting a Bala Shark and a Pictus Catfish to put in my 55gal, and the CAE is still in there.
Is there any cichlid that will work in this tank?


I have posted this in both sections of the Cichlid area on purpose.

Try looking at Gymnogeophagus species. Some of them are smaller and will work in a 55...but they might get the kuhlis (same tank right?)

Nope, when the second one died in the 55 I pulled the rest out and put them in one of my 10's with my Endlers, so the only things in the 55 are the Bala, Pictus and CAE.

Hubby wanted "big" fish and got the Bala and Pictus " 'cause I like 'em" and didn't take into consideration what we could put in with them, :pft: and the woman at P-smart wasn't much help, go figure.

Kribensis should work well in a 55. They stay fairly small also.

I would go with Accis and Electric Yellows will be okay with the CAE but I don't know about whether they will be okay with the Bala. I would make sure that it is nothing that is smaller then 4" with the CAE cause my CAE ate pombos when I got them cause they were too small.

I'm not real concearned about the CAE, as soon as I can find him a new home he is gone! It was supposed to be a SAE not CAE. :pft: Right now he is only about 2 1/2 inches long.

Well...if you could get the pH bumped up to at least 8, you could consider a trio of A. calvus.

What pH do you plan on keeping the tank at?

It has been hovering at about 7.2 - 7.4 and I am reluctant to try to change it, years ago I spent lots of $$ trying to lower my ph and decided that it just wasn't worth it, especially since I failed miserably! :laugh:

Ok, after doing some research, gotta love google, I am becoming very interested in a.calvus.
There were a few things that I didn't find in my research so here are my questions
Do they dig?
Do they trash plants?
I have read that they get to 2-4 in and 4-6 in, which one is acurate?
How difficult is it to raise the Ph and keep it up?