Planted 46g bow stocking with SA cichlids

I wouldn't do a pair of Angels with a pair of Bolivian Rams... one Angel perhaps with a pair.

Careful with fertilizers... adding it before the plants need it can simply feed algae and cause you headaches. I don't usually fertilize until I see the plants all have new growth without canibalization of the older leaves on a plant.. at least then you know the plants have settled in and are liekly to use fertilizers.

Some more two cents worth of advice:

I strongly recommend a good plant friendly substrate like Eco-complete. In addition, try using plant tabs in the substrate rather than fertlizing the water column. an issue you'll have with lighting, moderate plants and no CO2.

Also, get some Excel and dose per instructions to help combat algae and help establish your plants.

Another thought, you might be OK with two angels and another more mild pair of new world cihclids, like curviceps instead of Bolivians (which can be quarrelsome IME)

For smaller size cichlids that is not real hard, I like rainbow cichlids. In nature they are often in small water and seem much more willing to tolerate other fish nearby even when they are breeding. I had two sets with angels and severum in a 75 and they both laid eggs at the same time. There was some dispute about where the nest sites overlapped but no aggressive action more than bluffing.

I love rainbow cichlids and have a pair in a 40 breeder (and two pairs in a 58, but not sure if that will work in the long run), but I wouldn't, personally, add an angel to my 40 breeder set up. I don't think a 46 bowfront will give you enough area to do rainbows and angels either, but that's just IMHO.

My luck with rainbow cichlids breeding while with angelfish and severum was more luck than plan. The rainbow staked out territory under a hollowed out log in an area where the angelfish and severum never ventured due to their tall shapes. They could have gone under but it would have required laying pretty close down on their sides, so they never did that as far as I know. Once the nest site and breeding started, the rainbow were determined enough that the other fish just moved away and stayed until the little rainbow calmed down. The larger fish were able to stay in the tank but heaven forbid that they forgot and trailed lower fins across the opening under the log. If they did that, the rainbow explained the mistake. I now have three tanks of rainbow fry in growout.

Thanks for the replies.
Not so interested in the rainbows.

Definitely want to have the bolivian rams, so may opt for just one angel. Either that or I could get 1-2 Pearl Gouramis? Do you think a M/F pair of gouramis could live peacefully with the rest of the tank?

I like the idea of a colour fish that would take up the mid-upper section of the tank. Seems like either the gourami or angelfish would fit that bill.

I have fluorite black and plan to dose Seachem flourish regularly and use the seachem root tabs.

BluePhoenix said:

I have fluorite black and plan to dose Seachem flourish regularly and use the seachem root tabs.

Click to expand...

Just to be clear, Seachem Flourish is not the same as Seachem Excel . . . If you're using root tabs, I'd forgo the Flourish in a lightly planted tank.

I think a pair of gouramis would look good up top but that partially because angels dont do much for me.

and lets seem some pics.

Thanks. I will include pictures once it is a little more established.

I'm confused. I thought those plants that largely benefit from fertilizer from the water column (anubias, java fern, moss, etc) would benefit from the liquid flourish while those rooted (vals, crypts, bacopa, hygro) would benefit from the tabs.

What's the big difference between excel and flourish and why would you dose one over the other?

I plant for the tank to be moderately planted. The plants I have listed are those that I currently have in the tank.

BluePhoenix said:

Thanks. I will include pictures once it is a little more established.

I'm confused. I thought those plants that largely benefit from fertilizer from the water column (anubias, java fern, moss, etc) would benefit from the liquid flourish while those rooted (vals, crypts, bacopa, hygro) would benefit from the tabs.

What's the big difference between excel and flourish and why would you dose one over the other?

I plant for the tank to be moderately planted. The plants I have listed are those that I currently have in the tank.

Click to expand...

Flourish is micro nutrients. Excel is liquid carbon. Depending on your water, tank set up, stocking, etc. you might not need Flourish (I don't, but I have well water). You need to google Tom Barr's EI dosing method and PPS dosing method. Understand what your dosing, what you need when is important.

I have a planted 40g breeder with five Bolivian rams and two angels. There is no aggression between the two because my angels occupy the top half and the rams the bottom. I think a pair of each would be fine(I have a pair of angels with two pairs of Bolivians in my current setup). IMO go with it.

The biggest issue with a relatively lightly (and slow growing) planted tank and no C02 is keeping the algae at bay when you have the light on for so long for the few plants. I, personally, have never had much luck going that route. Excel will help you overcome the lack of C02. Not fertilizing too much will help by not feeding the algae. (and when I talk algae, I don't mean the soft brown or green stuff the plecos will eat, but the horrible, nasty, gross, detestable black beard algae).

It's why I've always resorted to fully planted, high light, C02 tanks . . .

but you may have more luck!