NEW tank want to have ciclids

[Stormysmom2004]

I want to set up set up a tank with ciclids- have not had fish in 25 years. Already have an undergravel cleaner, heater and a 10 gallon tank. Just need the push to set up

Thanks
Karen

 

[cogburn]

not many cichlids youll be able to keep in a 10 gal

 

[CatatonicBug]

I'm sure others may have a different opinion, but IMO, a 10g is a bit small for cichlids. I know some are relatively small, but most that I have seen get rather large. Do you know what type you are looking for? Are you looking at African or New World cichlids?

Biggest thing to remember is - cycle your tank completely prior to adding fish. Here is an article that tells how to do that. Welcome to the site! There are tons of things to learn here, and many people willing to help. This is an awesome site. You made a really good decision to research prior to starting your tank. We love pictures here, so be sure to post some as you put your tank together!

 

[Purrbox]

About the only cichlid I've heard of that you can keep in a 10 gallon are the Shell Dwellers. These are an awesome little fish, and I'm sure you'd enjoy them.

Oh, and WELCOME TO AA!!!

 

[neilanh]

Welcome to AA!

I agree, what kind of cichlids were you wanting to keep?

 

[JustOneMore20]

About the only cichlid I've heard of that you can keep in a 10 gallon are the Shell Dwellers. These are an awesome little fish, and I'm sure you'd enjoy them.

Multies would be perfect for a 10g. Here is a thread I just made with pics from my Multi tank.

They are shell dwelling Cichlids from Lake Tanganyika that grow to about 2" full grown. They live in colonies and will breed pretty readily. They don't eat their fry, so the colony keeps growing. They are a tad skittish, but thats mainly seen when I startle them (tap on the dresser they are on or something). They stay out all the time and are quite photogenic (as you can see from my thread). They are awesome fish to keep and watch.

You'd need lots of shells and a small amount of sand for the tank. I would skip the undergravel filter and buy a HOB (hang on back). They would also need to be in a species tank. In larger tanks, they can be kept with other fish, but in a 10g, you'll want all the room to be for them.

 

[krustykrab99]

Certainly small ciclids although there aren't many you need to study up on ciclids because some dig in the gravel and will render a under gravel filter useless.