African chiclids

[Jomonkey527]

Well it looks like may wife, daughter, and I are getting a new tank. Right now we have a 55 with a Clown Pleco, Jack Dempsey, and a black banded leporinous. I'd love to add one or two more fish but that's another question and thread for the future, thought if anyone comments on that great!

Long story short it looks like based on the room we have it'll be a 30 tall. What if any African chiclids would you suggest? How many? Any Pleco, etc for cleaning? Thanks in advance I hope to get to read some replies.

 

[Fishie]

Well it looks like may wife, daughter, and I are getting a new tank. Right now we have a 55 with a Clown Pleco, Jack Dempsey, and a black banded leporinous. I'd love to add one or two more fish but that's another question and thread for the future, thought if anyone comments on that great!

Long story short it looks like based on the room we have it'll be a 30 tall. What if any African chiclids would you suggest? How many? Any Pleco, etc for cleaning? Thanks in advance I hope to get to read some replies.

12-15 IMO to balance out aggression. Malawi fish are pretty and colorful and a awesome lake to chose from. A lot of African Cichlids are pretty though electric yellow labs are nice from lake malawi. No snails they will eat them but most plecos are good. I dont know about shrimp though.

 

[CraigMac]

Sorry but I think in that tank the only cichlids you could get are dwarfs. Most African cichlids like yellow labs need at least a 4' long tank, so a minimum of 55. A 30 gallon is 3' but a 30 tall I think is only 2'. The fact that it's tall doesn't help any as most of them stay at the bottom or middle of the tank, the top is more just wasted space.

 

[Jomonkey527]

Actually it's a 30 extra tall. Not sure if that changes anything.

 

[Fishie]

Actually it's a 30 extra tall. Not sure if that changes anything.

I thought you meant 30inches high but I would recommend 40G at least to balance out aggression IMO confused me about 55G

 

[StevesPrettyCool]

12-15 IMO to balance out aggression. Malawi fish are pretty and colorful and a awesome lake to chose from. A lot of African Cichlids are pretty though electric yellow labs are nice from lake malawi. No snails they will eat them but most plecos are good. I dont know about shrimp though.

12-15 in a 30 tall? I'm fairly new to cichlids though I've done a lot of research so I could be wrong, but that seems like a bit much especially for a tall wouldn't ya think? Right now I'm looking at my 30 (not tall) and the footprint of that tank isn't very large, so I'd imagine a tall would be significantly smaller? Juvies maybe but twelve 3-4" fish of any kind seems a bit much for a 30 tall. I'm interested in this as well since I've been told 16 tops for a 55 gallon.

 

[Malawi Freak]

Dwarfs or shell dwellers will only work in that tank. Roughly around 12 total and I wouldn't do a pleco since its smaller and they need more room plus are pretty messy.

 

[garfy]

Dwarfs or shell dwellers will only work in that tank. Roughly around 12 total and I wouldn't do a pleco since its smaller and they need more room plus are pretty messy.

Agreed that tank is too small for all but dwarf cichlids and shell dwellers.And definately no pleco.You could try looking up rams,Apisto's and kribensis.

 

[joel618]

I agree w shellies. Pleco has too big of a bioload for that size with other stock.