Cichlids lookin for roomies

[alowishus_6]

Hey everyone,

I have slowly become more of an experienced fish owner (well, maybe that's too much credit... lets try "intermediate"), with a 55 gallon tank at home containing a wide variety of fresh water fish and doing very well for quite some time...

Well, here I am at work, and a fellow co-worker has asked me to take over a 10 gallon tank that was in horrible shape due to a very poor owner... and in it are four Yellow African Cichlids who seem to be doing fine, but soon it will be time to consider purchasing a Algae-lovin workhorse to start a' cleanin!!

My question is, what types of bottom dwellers are safe to put with cichlids...at home, living with a pair of fresh water morays and a pair of albino catfish, among others, are two plecostomus's who are maintaining my tank wonderfully... but from what I have heard, cichlids, who are a step above semi-aggresive, require perhaps more temperamental neighbors, or they (4 in all) will have their way. What are my options for bottom feeders with these four yellow musketeers? I would love to get something interesting like a small blue lobster, but something tells me it might be certain death to one of those. I would also be interested to find out what other kinds of fish in general I might eventually be able to mix with cichlids that wouldn't cause confrontation.

Thanks in advance to all that help!!!

-Cory

 

[Voodoo Chilli]

I'm assuming the yellow Africans you're referring to are Lemon Yellow Labs (Labidochromis caeruleus). These are one of the more peaceful African cichlids- so any botton dweller that can tolerate the water conditions needed for Rift Lake cichlids will be fine (although S. petricola is a favorite of mine).

The problem with your situation is that the ten gallon tank is way too small for its current inhabitants- much less the addition of any other fish. I'd recommend at least a 20 gallon- but a 25 or 30 is ideal. Along with the troubles caused by overcrowding with ANY type fish, you also have to deal with African cichlid territorial aggression. Even though L. caeruleus are fairly peaceful, 10 gallons will not provide enough "space" for them.

 

[ferret]

I own 16 various african cichlids, including 1 yellow lab. They have a social pecking order and while not needing an incredible amount of space, definately need more than ten gallons for the above mentioned reasons. Even discounting those reasons, they just plain need more room to roam.

A 20 gallon would be more than adeguate with 4 from my experience. If you got a 30 gallon, you could possibly even consider adding two more yellow labs. I've had 12 happily living in a 29 gallon before. Not all yellow labs. They have sinced moved into a 90 gallon and gained 4 more friends

I have not mixed any fish with them but a common pleco, but they have never bothered him. I don't know if they either a, don't care he's there, or b, don't want to screw with the fish that is on average 2-3 inches larger than they are. They occasionally chase and fight with each order but in half a year of owning these guys I've only had 1 african cichlid die before, and though I suspect some foul play I can't prove it.