Hello I'm new to the cichlid hobby. I used to have a saltwater setup but decided to go fresh water after moving. Setting up a new 55 g tank, which has been running for about 2 months with a few small test fish. From a previous saltwater setup, I have a wet/dry filter system. The base is crushed coral with a variety of rocks. Last night, I went to the local store and got the impression that I should buy all of my fish at once. I understand that introducing fish later is difficult, but it isn't impossible. They had a mating pair of Texas cichlids that drew my attention, but he's trying to talk me out of them and into an african setup because my crushed coral base's ph is nearly 8.0. Learning about these fish, their compatibility and species, is a chore, but I'm trying. Coming from saltwater, I'm not a fan of tanks with 10-20 fish; I'm more impressed with 4 or 5 high-quality fish. Is it advantageous to have so many? Thank you for all of your suggestions.
