How many african cichlids can i out in a 40g

[roydesilva]

How many african cichlids around 1-2 inches can i out in a 40g I've got the tank cycling at the moments and its got heaps of filtration(1000liters a hours) I want some yellow labs, electric blue peacocks, and maybe some other mbuna cichlids... Plz help!!!!

 

[Cecil2010]

I would say a safe number would be 11-13ish

 

[Rossco]

What do u use for filteration?? Curious I got a 40g breeder African tank to that I just started

 

[NYgiantsRP]

Will the fish stay 1-2"? If they are just juveniles then it changes the answer a lot. What types of cichlids are you looking at?

 

[roydesilva]

Yeah they are gunna stay around the same size 3 inches max and I'm using eheim classic 2212 I believe it's external filter

 

[NYgiantsRP]

Shell dwelling Africans? Dwarf South Americans?

 

[Freakgecko91]

Yellow labs and electric blues both get over 3 inches as adults? There's a handful of common (and I use that word relatively lightly) dwarf genera (and by dwarf, I mean any species that remains under 4"). I'm not aware of really any mbuna that actually fall into the "dwarf" category. There are many South American, as well as west African, and even many from Tanganyika, but I'm not sure of any Malawian or Victorian (someone correct me if I'm wrong)

 

[roydesilva]

Yellow labs and electric blues both get over 3 inches as adults? There's a handful of common (and I use that word relatively lightly) dwarf genera (and by dwarf, I mean any species that remains under 4"). I'm not aware of really any mbuna that actually fall into the "dwarf" category. There are many South American, as well as west African, and even many from Tanganyika, but I'm not sure of any Malawian or Victorian (someone correct me if I'm wrong)

O then yeah how many yellow labs and electric blues can I keep

 

[PockX]

O then yeah how many yellow labs and electric blues can I keep

If it's a standard 40, I would probabaly say 7-9. Depending on filtration and your wc schedule. Africans can be out in a more overstocked tank to fan the aggression out so that one is overly aggressive. You'll want to over filtrate have alot of rock holes and territory to call there own.

 

[roydesilva]

Thanks what rock types are good?? I was thinking base rocks... Would that also raise my ph??

 

[PockX]

Actually..I think you could maybe do about 10-12 cichlids maybe (I personally wouldn't do more than 10)..but yeah..that depends on your decor and everything I stated before. And you can use carbonate stones (I think that is what they're called?) such as limestone to raise it..however, adding rocks to raise it really does do much. Luckily my water where I am currently is hard right out of the faucet. You can buy pH boosters I know too.

You'll want to position the rocks so they're able to get in and out of holes between the rocks too.

 

[roydesilva]

Yeah I was planning to get 20-25 yellow labs, electric blue peacocks and another digging african cichlid, I've forgotten the name... there all 1 inch or less, they guy was kind enough to let me measure them.... and as they grow ill see which are the best looking then sell the rest

 

[PockX]

Yeah I was planning to get 20-25 yellow labs, electric blue peacocks and another digging african cichlid, I've forgotten the name... there all 1 inch or less, they guy was kind enough to let me measure them.... and as they grow ill see which are the best looking then sell the rest

You'd be be better off getting 10 juvies and just keeping the same ones to make them more use to each other for the time entire time you have them. I would not recommend 25 cichlids in a 40 gallon..even if they're still small. They grow pretty quick.

 

[NYgiantsRP]

Are you referring to electric blue hap? You can't have any of those in a 40g, they are too big and active. I wouldn't put many more then 7 yellow labs, and thats it. If you add other Africans in such a small thank they might get beat up.

 

[NYgiantsRP]

Also the smaller sciaenochromis fryeri gets to about 7" too.