Is 30 gallons to small

[phin]

guess you can't be picky then. maybe he'll give you something bigger. you can do cichlids in a 29. I did my first colony of cichlids, some saulosi in a 29. Had 2 males and 5 females in there for a few years.

 

[CharlieKlein]

I also say no cichlids in a 29. The only ones that work are dwarf cichlids----- rams, apistos, kribs, and keyholes
You could do a pair if those, 12 cardnal tetras, 6 Cory catfish, 6 hatchet fish

 

[Freakgecko91]

Wow, I've never seen so much broad and wrong information on one post thread before! Of course there are dozens of species that will work in a 30 or a 29.

Angels
Bolivian rams
German blue rams
Apistogramma sp
Nannacara sp
Laetacara sp (not thayeri though, curviceps, araguaiae, or will work)
Keyholes
Dicrossus (filamentosus and maculatus, although not commonly seen)
Convicts (a breeding pair alone would work)
Honduran red points
Amatitlania sp.
Cryptoheros sp
Kribs (and not just pelvicachromis pulcher, other p. species as well)
Shell dwellers (neolamprologus and lamprologus)
Julidochromis sp
Leleupi
Jewels

And many, many more! That's just a short list. Please stop making broad and generalized statements people! Not all Africans are super aggressive, although, in general most species are. Also don't say that all new worlds are massive brutes that decimate anything that goes
in their environment. There are cichlids of all sizes, shapes, temperaments, colors, etc from all of the continents they are found: the few in north America, central America, south America, Africa, and the few in Asia (etroplus sp.)

The last thing I wanna through out there and get off my chest is that people commonly through around the word "breed" when discussing cichlids. This term has absolutely no place in this discussion. Cichlidae is a family of fish. There are many genus within said family, and many species within said genus (and sometimes even Species yet to be described). Then there are locales, certain collection points that may or may not have an effect on the color of pattern. In no way are these breeds. A great example of the proper use of the word breed can be seen in domestic dogs. Each breed varies greatly, yet they are all of the same species, canis familiaris. In no say are they different species like in cichlids.

I'm not trying to bully or pick on people, I just want to make sure that everyone is informed and is giving the best advice possible to everyone else. Thanks!

 

[Kowalski]

Wow, I've never seen so much broad and wrong information on one post thread before! Of course there are dozens of species that will work in a 30 or a 29.

Angels
Bolivian rams
German blue rams
Apistogramma sp
Nannacara sp
Laetacara sp (not thayeri though, curviceps, araguaiae, or will work)
Keyholes
Dicrossus (filamentosus and maculatus, although not commonly seen)
Convicts (a breeding pair alone would work)
Honduran red points
Amatitlania sp.
Cryptoheros sp
Kribs (and not just pelvicachromis pulcher, other p. species as well)
Shell dwellers (neolamprologus and lamprologus)
Julidochromis sp
Leleupi
Jewels

And many, many more! That's just a short list. Please stop making broad and generalized statements people! Not all Africans are super aggressive, although, in general most species are. Also don't say that all new worlds are massive brutes that decimate anything that goes
in their environment. There are cichlids of all sizes, shapes, temperaments, colors, etc from all of the continents they are found: the few in north America, central America, south America, Africa, and the few in Asia (etroplus sp.)

The last thing I wanna through out there and get off my chest is that people commonly through around the word "breed" when discussing cichlids. This term has absolutely no place in this discussion. Cichlidae is a family of fish. There are many genus within said family, and many species within said genus (and sometimes even Species yet to be described). Then there are locales, certain collection points that may or may not have an effect on the color of pattern. In no way are these breeds. A great example of the proper use of the word breed can be seen in domestic dogs. Each breed varies greatly, yet they are all of the same species, canis familiaris. In no say are they different species like in cichlids.

I'm not trying to bully or pick on people, I just want to make sure that everyone is informed and is giving the best advice possible to everyone else. Thanks!

Thanks for the relief! So from your take is a 29 gallon not atiquate to have 2 male and 4 female?
Possibly 1 Kenyi male and 2 female, and 1 male and 2 female from a different sort of cichlid

 

[CharlieKlein]

I would have to counter that. I am by no means a cichlid master or do I know alot about them. But from a bit if reasherch, and the advice of many here, a 4 foot tank is required for and Mumbai or cichlid that isn't a dearf

 

[Freakgecko91]

I'd shy away from mbuna to be honest, look into shell dwellers, they are small Africans that prefer to live in small colonies. They live, sleep, and breed in snail shells (neothauma sp. snails in the wild, aka lake tanganyika). In a 30, depending on the footprint, you could do about 10-12, depending on the species. N. multifasciatus, N. brevis, and N. ocellatus are the most common. I keep mine in a tank with an inch deep sand bed, 2 chunks of Texas Holley rock, some Anubias that sit within some of the holes of the rock, and about 3-4 shells per fish. They're super shy at first, but they warm up quite fast. They also tend to breed quite readily, so they are a blast to keep. You could also do a pair of julidochromis sp. if your rock work is done well enough.

Other than that, a full cichlid community isn't going to work well in my own opinion. Most of the species listed prefer to only have 1-3 individuals in a small area, but can be complimented with other species, such as tetras, live bearers, Cory cats, rainbows, etc.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

I totally agree ^^ you should refer back to the link I sent. Here it is again in case you missed of or I'm.thinking of a different thread.

Anything in the 29 and under should work just fine. Or there are many others as posted above that will work out in different combos. http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/quick_reference_list.php

 

[cichlid_tank619]

Wow, I've never seen so much broad and wrong information on one post thread before! Of course there are dozens of species that will work in a 30 or a 29.

Angels
Bolivian rams
German blue rams
Apistogramma sp
Nannacara sp
Laetacara sp (not thayeri though, curviceps, araguaiae, or will work)
Keyholes
Dicrossus (filamentosus and maculatus, although not commonly seen)
Convicts (a breeding pair alone would work)
Honduran red points
Amatitlania sp.
Cryptoheros sp
Kribs (and not just pelvicachromis pulcher, other p. species as well)
Shell dwellers (neolamprologus and lamprologus)
Julidochromis sp
Leleupi
Jewels

And many, many more! That's just a short list. Please stop making broad and generalized statements people! Not all Africans are super aggressive, although, in general most species are. Also don't say that all new worlds are massive brutes that decimate anything that goes
in their environment. There are cichlids of all sizes, shapes, temperaments, colors, etc from all of the continents they are found: the few in north America, central America, south America, Africa, and the few in Asia (etroplus sp.)

The last thing I wanna through out there and get off my chest is that people commonly through around the word "breed" when discussing cichlids. This term has absolutely no place in this discussion. Cichlidae is a family of fish. There are many genus within said family, and many species within said genus (and sometimes even Species yet to be described). Then there are locales, certain collection points that may or may not have an effect on the color of pattern. In no way are these breeds. A great example of the proper use of the word breed can be seen in domestic dogs. Each breed varies greatly, yet they are all of the same species, canis familiaris. In no say are they different species like in cichlids.

I'm not trying to bully or pick on people, I just want to make sure that everyone is informed and is giving the best advice possible to everyone else. Thanks!

For my own in formation. If I shouldn't use "breed" to identify a certain type of cichlid, what is the correct terminology? I figured breed was appropriate as in "hybrid" or cross breeding of two specific types of cichlid.

 

[Freakgecko91]

Referring to a cichlid species is simple, it's a species. Every cichlid (unless it is yet to be named, as in the case of fish such as amatitlania sp. 'Honduran red point' or like I have, geophagus sp. 'rio pindare' [sp. means 'species', the wording within the quotes is a describing factor, typically a locale as seen with the rio pindare, or a specific common name, like the HRPs]) has a scientific, or Latin, name. The formula is Genus species. So as an example, I will use a Bolivian Ram. The genus is mikrogeophagus. The species is altispinosa. So it's Latin name is mikrogeophagus altispinosa. So 'species' is the proper term when describing members of the family cichlidae.

As for hybrids, they should be referred to as such, a hybrid. They do not have a scientific name, as they do not normally occur in nature. Many of them have ridiculous names, like flowerhorns, blood parrots, and midevils, and typically are referred to by their given common name. I personally refer to hybrids as abominations, but that's a whole other topic.

 

[cichlid_tank619]

Referring to a cichlid species is simple, it's a species. Every cichlid (unless it is yet to be named, as in the case of fish such as amatitlania sp. 'Honduran red point' or like I have, geophagus sp. 'rio pindare' [sp. means 'species', the wording within the quotes is a describing factor, typically a locale as seen with the rio pindare, or a specific common name, like the HRPs]) has a scientific, or Latin, name. The formula is Genus species. So as an example, I will use a Bolivian Ram. The genus is mikrogeophagus. The species is altispinosa. So it's Latin name is mikrogeophagus altispinosa. So 'species' is the proper term when describing members of the family cichlidae.

As for hybrids, they should be referred to as such, a hybrid. They do not have a scientific name, as they do not normally occur in nature. Many of them have ridiculous names, like flowerhorns, blood parrots, and midevils, and typically are referred to by their given common name. I personally refer to hybrids as abominations, but that's a whole other topic.

I love that part about hybrids! LoL .. Also after I posted that "species" pop in my head and I did a homer.. DOOH!

 

[Freakgecko91]

It's all good! I'd rather that question get asked so that others understand as well!


Brichardi are another great species for a tank this size. Another tanganyikan that is unique in that all generations of the colony help protect and raise the future generations. They develop a very tight-knit colony and its an absolutely fascinating behavior not commonly seen in fish, let alone most other vertebrates!

I usually prefer new worlds, however, tanganyikan dwarves have a soft spot in my heart because of the intelligence, social behavior, and colors.
Most new world dwarves are territorial and prefer to be kept in pairs or small harems, so you get less individuals cichlid wise, but many more options for dither/complimentary fish. It's all about what you're looking for.