Cichlids with other fish

[idris]

I've always thought of keeping Cichlids as a separate branch of fish keeping - you pick cold water, marine, fresh water tropical or Cichlids, and that's what you stock a tank with. (Obviously Cichlids are a sub devision of fresh water tropical a, but you get my point.)

From memory, Cichlids are generally suited to hard water, but as I live in an area with really hard water, my tank always has a higher GH anyway.

I keep seing Kribs, Apistos and Rams in my LFS, and think they look great. They're often labels as community fish.

How suitable are small cichlids really for a good sized community tank?

 

[roadmaster]

The apisto's and rams will do poorly in hard water over the long haul for they are decidedly soft water fishes IMHO
Fully prepared now to hear from those who claim to keep them in Portland cement.
African cichlid's thrive in hard alkaline water.(not so nice for community tank's except with other African's)
South American cichlid's tend to favor softer more acidic water.
With that said,I have managed to keep Domestic Discus,Keyhole cichlid's.Angelfish,many of the tetra species in fairly hard water 7.6 pH and 12dgh.