How many African Cichlids?

[bud29]

I've heard that to avoid aggression, you want to have quite a few cichlids in your tank. I am interested in buying some African Cichlids and am wondering how many african cichlids I need to put in my 30 gallon to not have very much aggression.

 

[Fishie]

I don't know if you can do 30G African cichlids need a 55G. You could maybe if your LUCKY a couple of females. You usually overstock to avoid aggression. Africans need a 55G or
more.

 

[Jacobsal91]

I have a 36 bowfront tank with 2 mbuna and 1 birchardi. I kept it small so its easier to care for and its a smaller bioload. With a 30g it can be done just introduce small ones at the same time. In that size if you add one at a time, the one that was there first will attack newcomers. 55g would be ideal, but if u gotta work with what u got it IS possible and im doing it currently and ive had the same africans for quite a few years now.. Overstocking for that tank i would introduce 5 or 6 at the same time and that should be good, just be positive your water parameters are good! And watch them carefully, every indivisual is different some will be more aggressive than others and that can be a big problem in a smaller tank like the one you got.

Here is mine











The third fish is a smaller aratus but shes too quick to get a pick of lol but your lookin at a 3in red zebra male, and unknown sex of a 3in birchardi.. If someone could actually sex this creature for me that would be great to know

Good luck

 

[bud29]

So 5 or 6 small ones?

 

[Freakgecko91]

I disagree. If you really want Africans, I'd say look into dwarf species like Kribensis, nannacara, or shell dwellers (neolamprologus, lamprologus, etc)

You should accommodate your tank to fit your fish, not your fish to fit your tank.

 

[Jacobsal91]

That is also an option, my statment reallt goes for mbuna and some other cichlids that get a bit on the larger side

 

[Freakgecko91]

30 gallons is just too small for a highly aggressive fish that need to be in groups to keep said aggression in check...I'd say if the OP really wants to do africans, Tanganyikans would probably be the best bet. Look into cyprichromis leptosoma, they're great little Tanganyikans

 

[bud29]

OK, my problem is that the tag where I can buy them just says 'african cichlids.' How do I tell which is which? All I can really remember is that most of them were almost solid orange.

 

[Fishie]

OK, my problem is that the tag where I can buy them just says 'african cichlids.' How do I tell which is which? All I can really remember is that most of them were almost solid orange.

All I can say is learn your fish or ask employee! Solid orange ones are probably red zebra.

 

[bud29]

All I can say is learn your fish or ask employee! Solid orange ones are probably red zebra.

I'd better start learning. I've stopped listening to my employee ever since he recommended I put a bala shark and a tiger barb with a platy and a zebra danio.

 

[garfy]

Take photos of the fish in the store and post them on here.They will soon be identified.

 

[bud29]

Take photos of the fish in the store and post them on here.They will soon be identified.

I will do that. That is a very good idea.

 

[bud29]

Ok, the pictures i took were too big of files and bad photos anyway. The light was so bright you really couldn't get a good shot. You really can't see much except for the solid orange one. There were a couple white ones with orange traces on their scales, a white one with yellow traces on its scales, and a solid yellow one. Terribly sorry......are you still able to possibly identify them???

 

[Freakgecko91]

The solid yellow one was most likely a yellow lab

 

[Fishie]

The solid yellow one was most likely a yellow lab

Yeah that's what I think.

 

[Freakgecko91]

Try going to a website like liveaquaria.com and seeing if any of the listed african cichlids that they have match up to what you saw, and if they do, most the scientific name here (the latin name in parentheses). That will be a start at least

 

[bud29]

OK, I went to liveaquaria.com and the ones that they matched up to the best were the red zebra and Mbuna mixed. (Pseudotropheus sp.)

 

[bud29]

So, could I get 4-6 of these cichlids for my 30 gallon tank?

 

[Fishie]

So, could I get 4-5 of these cichlids for my 30 gallon tank?

Tell me how it goes...

 

[Freakgecko91]

I just don't think a 30 gallon is a good idea for africans (minus certain species)...good luck...you may have a blood bath on your hands once they reach sexual maturity