5 Gallon Cichlid

[MagicAfra]

I was thinking of getting a Marineland Crescent 5 Gallon.

I was wondering what people might think of putting a single cichlid in it.

I have some mbuna right now and their sizes range from 3-6 inches (Cynotilapia Afra, yellow lab, Acei).

I know that its behavior would not necessarily be the same as in a larger tank but the bio-load should be sustainable, if slightly turbulent, and certain cichlids can be fairly hardy. If it doesn't work out, perhaps I can move it to one of my other tanks.

I was thinking perhaps a single of any of the following (Convict, Afra, Apistogramma Cacatoides, Rock Crib, Altolamprologous Calvus, Lemon Cichlid, Brichardi, or Julidochromis).

Wondering what you might think and what type of fish might work.

 

[Scottyhorse]

'Multies' are the smallest, but the minimum for them is a 10 gal, so you can keep 3 or 4 together, which they like.

 

[MagicAfra]

I am wondering if for Shelldwellers it is not the floor space that matters. In that case, the Marineland Crescent might have a similar amount of territory to a ten gallon. Perhaps enough for three?

 

[bettaowner]

If you have young cichlids I would use the tank to raise fry.

 

[MagicAfra]

Both Ideas are great, either of which I might do. I do get fry every once in a while and might be able to put some hardy plants along with the rocks in it since they'll be too small to dig them out. I also think that shell dwellers are interesting if I can manage to pull off the territory divisions.

Is no one responding to the query on other fish because it is obviously not good or it is too variable to tell? Perhaps no one tries it or just think it shouldn't be done with a 3-4 inch fish?

 

[bettaowner]

I would do a single apisto at the largest. A ram would be nice.

 

[MagicAfra]

Yea, I think between the two I would choose the Apisto. I might like a GBR slightly more or less in looks but they seem more sensitive and I have hard water. Actually they both prefer soft.

Given my hard water do you know any rift lake cichlids which might be slightly more comfortable, especially since I can easily buffer their water with aragonite while I can't easily lower hardness and ph. Albeit they would have to have certain characteristics:

Would you set your limit on an Apisto just because of the size, or because of the activity of the fish or what? You said "at the largest" yet I would think that it might be an added bonus to have a fish that was ponderous or territorial rather than fast swimming. It is also not quite robust which would be good but are you taking into account possible fluctuations? Just wondering what your thoughts are and what makes you think them.

 

[bettaowner]

I chose apistos because they are pretty small. They also dont swim as much as most cichlids.