New cichlid tank

[mx22]

Hello,

I'm new to the cichlids so I thought I'll get a heads up from people in the know before I start anything...

I will be picking up a new tank, around 30gal (maybe a bit bigger, but definitely less then 40gal - not enough space for anything bigger prob) in a few days. My wife and I want to put some cichlids in there, some that do not grow to a large size. I know she likes electric yellow cichlids, so a couple of them will def go in the tank. What are some other cichlids that can be put in the tank along with them?

What should I use as decorations in the tank? Rocks? Where do you guys get them from - I know our local Petco only has some life rocks and they are saltwater from what I understand.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[unwritten law]

Those yellow labs really should be in bigger tanks.. like a 50. Also it is an african cichlid so because of their temperament and needed water parameters only other africans can be kept with them, and pretty much all of them also need close to 50 gallons of water or more....sorry but for the health and happiness of the fish i wouldn't add a yellow lab or other africans because of this and that they are harder to keep because of their parameters.

For a 30 gallon there a plenty of south american cichlids that can be added. Rams, apistos, keyholes, or angles are just a few. Also convicts, firemouths, other miscellaneous dwarf cichlids like kribs... and maybe even a severum.

Depending on what you decide on is what you would decorate your tank. Normally with cichlids you want plenty of caves or hiding places and also very well planted with live or fake plants... Dont get the live rock... its for saltwater like you said, you can buy their really expensive and stupid rocks but you can find some cool free rocks around ( I got some from a lowes parking lot and college landscaping) or you can get a lot of cheap rocks at lowes or home depot. You need to be careful not to get limestone or other rocks that will deteriorate and change the pH of the tank. Lastly I like driftwood in tanks... it can be more expensive but also looks really cool.

 

[SinisterKisses]

Mbuna can't be kept (without issues really) in anything less than a 36" long tank, and if you ONLY have a 36" long tank, you're very, very limited as to which mbuna you can keep (yellow labs are mbuna).

I would have to suggest sticking with smaller South or Central American cichlids.

 

[WizardofMann]

Hi SK.

Please can you give examples of smaller SA or CA cichlids

 

[SinisterKisses]

Well, assuming the tank is 36" long, 29-33gal minimum, things like convicts, firemouths, some of the acara species, cutteri, rams, apistos, or other less common fish in the same families as those I just listed.

 

[Monoxide]

It's really hard with cichlids in a small tank. I've done it when I first started my tanks. And they just killed one another or eat the other. They do need many caves.. not just the one cheap pink one at walmart for 10 dollars. Just remember to do some real research and reading.. and remember to cycle.. from your first post you seem very new and so read some stuff. I had 5 different kind of cichkids in a 30 gal. and it was nice for while then they just got mean.

 

[rickg]

FYI... don't listen to these people

although what these guys are saying is mostly true they're not entirely accurate. I've kept a 29gal tall w/ a HOB filter a heater and a bubble stick. i have stocked 14 various african cichlids (mbuna) of varied sizes 3 large (about 4") and the rest med. size (about 2"-3"). i also have 3 algea eaters, 2 sleek catfish (lightning fast to get away from the mbuna, and great for cleaning those nooks and crannies) and 1 pleco (built like little tanks). now i did do a fish in cycle and lost just about all 6 of the fish i stocked barring 2. but after a long drawn out cycle was COMPLETED! I slowly began restocking with the most colorfull cichlids i could find. i would stock 4 or so and ride out a mini cycle before adding another few. after significant build up of algea i added the pleco and catfish. I found these really great white rocks w lots of little caves and tunnels and stacked them up really high in the center of the tank i abandoned the fine particulate because it was ugly and went with larger white gravel and some colorfull glass rock thrownin for accents. I know mbuna love to dig and the larger ones still can, i'll actually watch them pick up the pebbles in thier mouth and move them one by one. cichlids are territorial by nature but have a very short attention span so the "overstocking", if u will, actually keeps them from getting too agresive. they'll start to go after one guy and get distracted by another fish swimming in his field of vision. this also keeps them all active instead of hiding which i've noticed occurs when there are only 4 or 8 in the tank versus the full 17. i went with my own experiments based on research and trial and error and most importantly budget and space. i live in an apartment and my primary goal was to have a fish tank to brighten up the room and it certainly does. i test my water constantly and have found that w regular water changes (20% every 2 weeks) PH, nitrite, nitrate, and ammonia all stay at ideal levels (0 ammonia and nitrite, 7.8 ph, and 40 to 80 nitrate which is lowered to safer levels w a water change). now 6 months after the first cycle i haven't lost any fish and rarely test the water. the algea eaters clean the walls all i do is water changes. so if u can afford it and have the space by all means go big! but if u can't afford that $ or space you can still have awesome cichlids that everyone will tell you how cool they are

P.S.
no disrespect to all you "pros" or big fish or whatever, but you guys all told me my fish wouldn't make it and they needed a min. of 55gal. and canister filters etc. but i'm proof that bigger may be better but it is absolutely not a must.

 

[rickg]

if anyone would like to now what kind of mbuna i stock, just hit me up. i just didn't feel like gettin into it on the post

 

[SinisterKisses]

And how long have these fish been together?

It's advise like this that makes me cringe.

 

[rickg]

i began stocking about 6 months ago and the 14 mbunas have been together for about 5 months maybe 4.5, advice like that makes u cringe but it works and its unrealistic for the average person to have a giant tank in their home

 

[SinisterKisses]

Nope. 4.5 months does not count as "working". When it's been together without a fish loss for two years, once the fish are mature, then we'll talk.

And no, not everyone can have a "giant" tank - though a 55gal tank is NOT giant - but you CAN stock appropriately for the tank you do have. If you can't afford a 55gal tank, fine, but don't stock a 29gal tank like it IS a 55gal tank. It's just irresponsible and bad fish keeping. I can't afford a 10,000 gal tank, which is why I don't keep arapaima, as much as I might like to.

 

[umdkillerb]

Ill have to agree with rick on this one...

I have the following fish in a 29 gallon tank: 1 tiger oscar (7-8 inches), 2 red devils (5-6 inches), 2 bumblebees (3-4 inches), 1 jack dempsy (4 inches), 1 black convict (2-3 inches), and 1 bottom feeder catfish (3-4 inches)..

I've had these fish in the same tank for over 6 months, no fighting, no scarring, no over-stress.... the tiger could easily eat the convict and he never messes with him or chases him. Everyone always talks about compatibility, and its bs. As long as you regularly feed the fish and introduce them at the same time to the tank, in my case when they were young-ins, they will be fine. Also have suitable hideouts, I have a cave with a small entry, so that if the convict or bumblebee ever needed to hide he could without the big guys gettin him. Either way I never see them fighting and unless you have tried having a diversified tank and witnessed the fish eat each other then dont say it wont work just because you heard a petsmart employee tell you not too. Eventually when the fish reach mature lengths then a new tank will be needed, but mine certainly suffices for now.... Walk into petsmart and tell me that the 45 fish in that 10 gallon tank would rather live there, at least they will have more room in a 29 gallon tank then the crap conditions in the store.

As for the initial question by mx22, I would suggest the bumblebee african cichlid, these fish dont get too big (4-6 inches) and work well with others, I have two that hang out together a lot. They are also pretty fish and are active. Also the black convict is a good choice because it wont get too big either and its an aggressive fish so itll be fun to feed it bugs or feeder fish. But, if you want to have the best cichlid of them all and dont care about size, buy a tiger oscar. They are by far the coolest fish, they're very smart and will recognize you when you walk into a room, they act like dogs, wagging their tails when they're hungry, and they beg. The best part is you can feed them large feeders and almost anything (lizards, bugs, mice even). You get the most out of the tiger than any other fish.

 

[SinisterKisses]

OMG please tell me you're joking?!

I know it won't work from EXPERIENCE, not a petsmart employee. A 29gal tank is not big enough for almost any of any of the fish you just listed!!! An oscar can NOT live in a 29gal tank for life, these fish reach 12" easily and are incredibly messy fish. What you are doing, if you're actually serious, is incredibly cruel.

 

[umdkillerb]

r u serious? I already said that when the monster gets to full length a 29 gallon will not work... And yes I am dead serious, im not sure that you are gauging a 29 gallon tank correctly, there is plenty of room in the tank if I had a digital camera I would show you. The fish aren't at anywhere near their full potential yet I don't understand why people keep saying that a 29 gallon cant hold an Oscar. I assumed you knew a lot about fish.... it takes years for them to grow to their full length, and their growth rate is related to the tank size they are in...... It'll be real hard to convince me that I am treating these fish inhumanely, honestly you have no idea what you are talking about

 

[rickg]

to sinisterkisses i really mean no disrespect, but your way is not the only way. take these forums for what they are a collaboration of advice from people (not person) who have experianced similar situations. and as far as my tank only being up and running for a short time, do u think because you've been using a certain method for years that no other could possibly work? my fish guy is a seond generation operator of his family fish and aquarium store, are all of his years of expertise to be thrown by the wayside because some girl thinks u need a huge tank (and btw 55 is big especially in a 1 bedroom nj apartment) to have awesome colorfull and vibrant cichlids. it's 2009 be open minded even if it's only relating to fish.

long story short if u or anyone else has a question that maybe i could help w i'd be happy to at least try to answer what i can.

 

[Orion]

No one said SK's way was the ONLY way. She wasn't shoving her opinion down anyone's throat either. However, "her" way is the way that's been developed and passed on from countless breeders and hobbyists alike from around the world that's best for the fish. It's common knowledge, not just something someone made up on the fly. If you don't like it, don't listen to it, simple as that. But personal attacks will not be tolerated by anyone. We can have as much of a heated debate as people want, but keep the personal attacks and insults out of it or the moderators will start handing out bans.



umdkillerb - It may take some fish a few years to fully grow, but just the Oscar alone will reach full size in less than a year if kept in a proper setup.

 

[SinisterKisses]

As Orion said...an oscar should reach almost full-size EASILY within a year if it's not shoved into a much, much too small tank. And yes, I know exactly what I'm talking about, 17 years of obsessively keeping fish has seen to that. There are good fish keepers, and there are irresponsible fish keepers. I just pity your poor damn fish. It's 2009 - animals are supposed to be valued at this point, but clearly not by all people.

 

[rickg]

oh well sucks to be the fish then i guess i'll just use them for my own personal enjoyment... oh yeah thats why i got em in the first place. hmm something to think about?.?.

 

[Orion]

You implied that SK's way wasn't the only way, so the same applies to you. Your way and your opinion isn't the only either. Yes, at the very basic level, we keep all pets for our enjoyment, however most people feel that it is our responsibility to provide the best possible care for those pets. So no it's not something to think about. We either try to do good by the animals we care for, or we don't. Either way that's up to each of us.

 

[SinisterKisses]

Sorry, I can't stand selfish people. Especially selfish people who have animals. Orion beat me to it, but he's just said exactly my thoughts on the matter. If you can't keep fish - or dogs, or cats, or any other animal - and take their needs and best interests into consideration instead of your own selfish wants, then you should not be keeping them.