Top 5 Tank Mates for Keyhole Cichlid

The best tank mates for the Keyhole Cichlid are other docile cichlids from the same natural waters. The Kehole cichlid is considered to be a calm cichlid. For the most part this genus or family of fish is fairly aggressive. Cichlids are usually known to be mildly aggressive towards other fish.

Common tank mates for the Kehole cichlid consist of Angelfish cichlids, Severum cichlids, and Acara cichlids. It’s worth noting know that these are all cichlids and cichlids have a tendency to be aggressive when breeding is involved. Sixlids are constantly trying to find their pair that they can read with. So depending on if your aquarium has multiple sexes, it could result in these fish trying to breed.

For the most part the keyhole Cichlid is a docile fish. There may come a time though when it tries to breed with another fish. When that occurs, it will then become in aggressive fish. It’s important to know that because this fish is it necessarily aggressive but it can be if it’s trying to breed.

[Noel-ke]

Angel's and black neons how I kept mine, seemed to work.

[chrisx]

I have kept and bred mutliple generations of Keyholes. When they get proper nutrition, they end up the same length as Angelfish (4.5-5"), with a thicker body, but not as tall. They need more food than they can get in a mixed community to reach their full size.

I have kept various combinations of Keyholes and Angels. In most instances they get along (if the angels are raised with the keyholes) and will school together. Young angels raised with mature keyholes are the best combination. If the angels are mature when the keyholes are added, the angels will bully the keyholes.

Keyholes are like angels in aggression level. They can be kept in a shoal when young, but a pecking order will form, and pairs will form for breeding, forcing the other keyholes to hide. In one of my tanks, the tank boss keyhole died at three years old and the tank decended into chaos after that. For this reason, I recommend a pair of keyholes with a pair of angles added six months later. Then you can add whatever dither fish that are not fin nippers.

Keyholes look best with a very light substrate. With a darker substrate they will camoflage and carry a darker color.

[westonbrecosky]

Have mine with a red spotted Severum and and a electric blue acara at the moment! The only aggression in my tank is between the 2 keyholes and they leave each other alone for the most part! I’ll be adding angels when I upgrade tank size down the line!

[aaronspencer]

Rams would probably be ok to if there not breeding. I seen your video about hybrids I have some carpintis X parrot they look amazing bro. Keep up the good work man 🙋🏽‍♂️👍

[taylorn]

Would the keyholes eat neon/cardnels?
Really want to put 4 in my 55 gal.

[HalifaxCollect]

I posted this to another video from you. Sorry about the spamaroony.



My tank is long and shallow and 170cm/5.6 feet long. HEAVILY planted and with endless amount of roots, branches and houseplants/ferns growing out of it with their fine and dense roots. It is really designed for dwarf cichlids in mind.
A lot of cherry and amano shrimps in there. Too many to keep track of really. Do you think African Butterfly Cichlids would pick them off and put a dent into the shrimp population? I don't mind them eating some of the shrimp babies because there's a limit to how many shrimps one "needs" but.... Yeah. What do you and your viewers think?