This our 20 gallon with mixed mostly unknown africans, Can't see them all but there's eleven of them all bought very young and seem to be growing pretty good.
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20 gallon mixed africans
- Thread starter KimandRob
- Start date
Re: Africans in 20g
Ummm... yeah,
I have 4 Africans and a Pleco in my 20 and I'm fearing that they don't have enough room... I'm getting a 55g soon to accomodate them.
Please, give your fish a better home... Cichlids especially need room that they can mark out, otherwise they feel uncomfortable and probably will fight.
Ummm... yeah,
I have 4 Africans and a Pleco in my 20 and I'm fearing that they don't have enough room... I'm getting a 55g soon to accomodate them.
Please, give your fish a better home... Cichlids especially need room that they can mark out, otherwise they feel uncomfortable and probably will fight.
Thanks but, They are all pretty small and we have lots of rocks and hiding places for them. We had only six and they were mean. we got 5 more and they seem to get along more now. I've read that you should keep more to ease aggression. I'm trying to figure out why you guys can't view the pic. The one we posted in rate my tank works.
i will once again re-establish that a 20 gallon is large enough for only a few species of mbuna as adults, and only 2-3 of them at that (usually 1m for 2f)
mbuna are fiercely territorial, and many of them grow to 5 or more inches....so your tank is simply not large enough.
whether you choose to take the advice is your own choice, but dont "wonder why" when several months from now you are pulling bodies out of your tank on a daily basis.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/rift_lake_setup.php
on the above link read the second paragraph, just so you dont think i am crazy.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/introduction_list.php
read all of the above articles if you really wish to understand the world of african cichlids.
mbuna are fiercely territorial, and many of them grow to 5 or more inches....so your tank is simply not large enough.
whether you choose to take the advice is your own choice, but dont "wonder why" when several months from now you are pulling bodies out of your tank on a daily basis.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/rift_lake_setup.php
on the above link read the second paragraph, just so you dont think i am crazy.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/introduction_list.php
read all of the above articles if you really wish to understand the world of african cichlids.
i can see your picture now, and i can tell you the first problem you will run into.
the yellow fish in the front with the horizontal stripes is "melanochromis auratus" or the "malawi golden cichlids" - they are generally accepted by most african cichlid hobbyists to be the most aggressive mbuna in the hobby.
keep a net close by......
the yellow fish in the front with the horizontal stripes is "melanochromis auratus" or the "malawi golden cichlids" - they are generally accepted by most african cichlid hobbyists to be the most aggressive mbuna in the hobby.
keep a net close by......
It's a cute looking tank, don't get me wrong there 
But please accept our humble opinion's on stocking your tank!
Managuense is correct, melanochromis auratus are very mean fish! about as mean as a Johanni and they require a big tank with lot's of hiding places "he will take over that whole tank trust me" and can and will kill off your fish, I think the blue fish "socolofi's" are the second strongest fish in your tank and shouldn't have a problem. But I HIGHLY and I mean highly recommend that you get a larger tank, if you can afford it, hagen makes a 77 Gallon tank which is 48x18x24 which is an awesome tank to house cichlid's IMO
In any sense, please don't take our post's to be offensive towards your knowledge with cichlid's, we all were in this position at one time, and that is the beauty of forums like this to help one another.
Good luck and I hope everything works out good for you and your fishies
But please accept our humble opinion's on stocking your tank!
Managuense is correct, melanochromis auratus are very mean fish! about as mean as a Johanni and they require a big tank with lot's of hiding places "he will take over that whole tank trust me" and can and will kill off your fish, I think the blue fish "socolofi's" are the second strongest fish in your tank and shouldn't have a problem. But I HIGHLY and I mean highly recommend that you get a larger tank, if you can afford it, hagen makes a 77 Gallon tank which is 48x18x24 which is an awesome tank to house cichlid's IMO
In any sense, please don't take our post's to be offensive towards your knowledge with cichlid's, we all were in this position at one time, and that is the beauty of forums like this to help one another.
Good luck and I hope everything works out good for you and your fishies
Yeah - this looks familiar
I started out with a 55 gal tank and lots of cichlids - none of which where over 2 inches long. The trouble with that was that most 2 inch cichlids are juveniles - and cichlids grow up real fast - like in 3 to 4 months.
I reckon thats how long you've got to work out who is what - and how they'll behave when they get bigger
From what others have said about that cute little yellow thing at the front, be aware that in 8 weeks time he'll be capable of killing one of your other fish overnight - and will more than likely do so. The highest killing rate in my tank was from a midas - he'd take down two a week with no trouble - just out of badness - (and they where big fish, not tiddlers).
Once you get the hang of it, and move the fish around to different tanks for compatabilities sake (did I mention how many tanks you'll have in 6 months time ?) it will all smooth out and you'll love the things.
But what you have now will not last - be prepared to adapt in order to survive lol
Welcome to the tank
I started out with a 55 gal tank and lots of cichlids - none of which where over 2 inches long. The trouble with that was that most 2 inch cichlids are juveniles - and cichlids grow up real fast - like in 3 to 4 months.
I reckon thats how long you've got to work out who is what - and how they'll behave when they get bigger
From what others have said about that cute little yellow thing at the front, be aware that in 8 weeks time he'll be capable of killing one of your other fish overnight - and will more than likely do so. The highest killing rate in my tank was from a midas - he'd take down two a week with no trouble - just out of badness - (and they where big fish, not tiddlers).
Once you get the hang of it, and move the fish around to different tanks for compatabilities sake (did I mention how many tanks you'll have in 6 months time ?) it will all smooth out and you'll love the things.
But what you have now will not last - be prepared to adapt in order to survive lol
Welcome to the tank
i see this type of thing so often on forums that i feel i should make a short comment about this.....
person "x" says something like "i have an oscar in a 20 gallon, what should i feed him?"
person "y" says "you should get a larger tank for a fish that grows to 12-14"
person "x" then says "oh, but he is doing just great in the 20 gallon"
person "y" and usually several others chime in and support the idea that person "x" needs a larger tank.
then, person "y" ceases to post with thoughts of
-"oh, they dont know what they are talking about" or
- "i think that what they are saying is overkill" or
"whatever, my fish are doing just fine..." or
"that's not what my buddy (or LFS) said..."
i think the point the person "x" is missing is that people on these forums have seen beginner mistakes happen SO MANY TIMES, and when they offer advice to them it often comes from mistakes that they themselves have made at some point or another.
my only point here is that we are not out to make your life miserable, or to try to make you spend all of your money on gigantic fish tanks.......we simply see a disaster coming, and we want YOU to enjoy this hobby as much as we do.
big fish need big tanks, end of story.
person "x" says something like "i have an oscar in a 20 gallon, what should i feed him?"
person "y" says "you should get a larger tank for a fish that grows to 12-14"
person "x" then says "oh, but he is doing just great in the 20 gallon"
person "y" and usually several others chime in and support the idea that person "x" needs a larger tank.
then, person "y" ceases to post with thoughts of
-"oh, they dont know what they are talking about" or
- "i think that what they are saying is overkill" or
"whatever, my fish are doing just fine..." or
"that's not what my buddy (or LFS) said..."
i think the point the person "x" is missing is that people on these forums have seen beginner mistakes happen SO MANY TIMES, and when they offer advice to them it often comes from mistakes that they themselves have made at some point or another.
my only point here is that we are not out to make your life miserable, or to try to make you spend all of your money on gigantic fish tanks.......we simply see a disaster coming, and we want YOU to enjoy this hobby as much as we do.
big fish need big tanks, end of story.
They look to me like bits of limestone in a sedment matrix so I'd call it a breccia. And I personally don't much like the Rena heaters as they're a bit bulky though they've always been reliable for me.
I've kep a number of africans in 20 longs before, which are about 30 inches long I think, but that's a 20 high and long term, or even medium term I think it'll struggle. Thsi has all been said before.
Controlled overstocking works, but only to a point. It works because there's so little space noone can setup territories, and there's enough space for a chased fish to run and hide. However in a tank of this size, there isn't enough space for a fish to run. That's your problem, even at this size, and these fish will grow, no doubt about it. It's nothing to do with water quality, it's just about behaviour.
I have kept mbuna in 20 longs, but only the smaller, less aggressive types, and even then I have a lot more rock work - effectively there is only cave in this tank as the auratus will want the hole rockpile as it's territory
I've kep a number of africans in 20 longs before, which are about 30 inches long I think, but that's a 20 high and long term, or even medium term I think it'll struggle. Thsi has all been said before.
Controlled overstocking works, but only to a point. It works because there's so little space noone can setup territories, and there's enough space for a chased fish to run and hide. However in a tank of this size, there isn't enough space for a fish to run. That's your problem, even at this size, and these fish will grow, no doubt about it. It's nothing to do with water quality, it's just about behaviour.
I have kept mbuna in 20 longs, but only the smaller, less aggressive types, and even then I have a lot more rock work - effectively there is only cave in this tank as the auratus will want the hole rockpile as it's territory
They're all rocks that I got from the local beach here in NC. Cleaned and scrubbed before use of course.
I do like the rena heaters, I have one in 3 out of 4 tanks.
I had no idea that some of these were that much different and aggressive. I did know about the territory thing. When I bought them I just asked for a bunch of them from the same tank, All babies or close to it. Thanks for all the input, I will have to keep a close eye on them.
I do like the rena heaters, I have one in 3 out of 4 tanks.
I had no idea that some of these were that much different and aggressive. I did know about the territory thing. When I bought them I just asked for a bunch of them from the same tank, All babies or close to it. Thanks for all the input, I will have to keep a close eye on them.
I have to say also.....i like the rockwork.
Ahh i just noticed you were from Wilmington NC.....i'm about 3hrs and 30min away.
Since you are in NC check this club out.....based in charlotte. But for the surronding areas. http://pvelasco.net/CAASBBS/index.php
Ahh i just noticed you were from Wilmington NC.....i'm about 3hrs and 30min away.
Since you are in NC check this club out.....based in charlotte. But for the surronding areas. http://pvelasco.net/CAASBBS/index.php