I have a 46 gallon now front that I STILL have not picked out my main fish yet. Wanted a red-tailed barracuda...tank to small...ok, electric yellow cichlid... tank too small... Back to the drawing board! In the meantime, my son wants a tank. I got him a 20 gallon tank. He's already picked out a bunch of SpongeBob decorations. I'm putting black sand in both tanks. I need a filter, hood and light for my son's tank. It will mainly have breeder guppies to feed the fish I get for my tank. Would swordtails go with the guppies? What else should I get for his tank? Any ideas for mine?

Swordtails would go fine with guppies. I personally like South American cichlids, in particular the rams (German Blues, Gold, Electric Yellow, Bolivian, etc.). You could also do angels, gouramis, etc. They're all pretty big but not TOO big.

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Officially fishless until after the move....tune in later for details!

I thought that I read that a 55 gal was too small for electric yellow cichlids, so I figured a 46 would be way to small

They only get up to about 5", so I would say they'll be fine in your tank, but it depends on how territorial they are. If they kill anything you put in the tank with them, they're a bad idea if you ask me.

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Officially fishless until after the move....tune in later for details!

So each fish has it's own personality in how territorial it is? So it would be a hit or miss when buying them?

If you really want Cichlids in a community tank, go with any of the ram cichlids. I have Bolivian Rams, and just love them!

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20 gallon long:Amazon Swords, Ruffle Swords, Red Flame Swords, Fanwort, Wisteria,8 Lemon tetras,
6 otos, 11 Amano shrimp, 3 mystery snails, 3 Bolivian Rams, 3 black skirt tetra and 2-3 lemon tetra fry
10 gallon: 30 lemon tetra fry, give or take...1 gallon Anubias, Fish: 1 betta

+1

Bolivians are great, and very placid. I'm getting the first of a hopefully breedable pair of German Blue Rams tonight. There is also a difference between an electric yellow RAM and an electric yellow CICHLID (I think). Yes, Rams are in the same family, but they are a different species than your average cichlids like Jack Dempseys and Convicts. Very different finnage, coloration, and personality.

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Officially fishless until after the move....tune in later for details!

if your just starting, rams could be a bit difficult to take care of.

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10g- 2 hi-fin fm platys, 3 koi & red wag sword fry
40g Breeder- 6 danios, 4 female swords, 1 male swords
"I was born with nothin and I still got most of it left."- Seasick Steve

That's not totally true. The bolivians are easier to take care of than German Blue Rams. They can tolerate higher pH and aren't quite as sensitive to their environment. I've got 3 Bolivian Rams in a 20 gallon long, heavily planted and I've had no issues...

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20 gallon long:Amazon Swords, Ruffle Swords, Red Flame Swords, Fanwort, Wisteria,8 Lemon tetras,
6 otos, 11 Amano shrimp, 3 mystery snails, 3 Bolivian Rams, 3 black skirt tetra and 2-3 lemon tetra fry
10 gallon: 30 lemon tetra fry, give or take...1 gallon Anubias, Fish: 1 betta