Zacheyp's no gallon long cichlid build

zacheyp · 07-21-2012, 05:53 PM

Ok guys so im venturing from the world of saltwater to the world of cichlids. I will be using a standard 20 gallon long tank and incondesent hood, a tetra 30 whisper filter and a standard tetra heater. My questions are this--
How should i stock?
What substrate should i use?
thank you

steven p · 07-21-2012, 06:20 PM

you salties seems so scared of fresh water..

where I live, the waters hard as rocks... so, if i change enough regularly, the buffers from the city water keep the ph high and friendly for the africans.

other options include crushed coral substrate, crushed coral in the filter baking soda, ph^ and some other buffers and salts..

hows your water?

zacheyp · 07-21-2012, 06:38 PM

my water is soft...
also what fish should i keep?
thanks

**rainbuilder** · 07-21-2012, 06:43 PM

With soft water you can keep almost any fish in the aquarium trade from South America and Southeast Asia. If you are looking for cichlids you could keep angelfish, apistos, severums, etc. There are many South American cichlids that prefer soft water. You could also keep tetras, rasboras, and other small schooling fish.

zacheyp · 07-21-2012, 06:48 PM

If i change my water to make it hard what cichlids could i keep?

**AzFishKid** · 07-21-2012, 06:57 PM

African cichlids mainly; they prefer hard water. Though a 20G is kind of small for a lot of cichlids.

Kworker · 07-21-2012, 07:01 PM

Plenty of rock work should help get water parameters you seek.. plus cichlids love rock tunnels and barriers and such plus its probably best since it can help with their aggression towards eachother

jeremyTR · 07-21-2012, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steven p

you salties seems so scared of fresh water..

where I live, the waters hard as rocks... so, if i change enough regularly, the buffers from the city water keep the ph high and friendly for the africans.

other options include crushed coral substrate, crushed coral in the filter baking soda, ph^ and some other buffers and salts..

hows your water?

this freshie is kinda afraid of saltwater lol. I'd be afraid I'd mess up on the salt mixture on water change day and kill everything lol

zacheyp · 07-21-2012, 07:10 PM

is 20 g too small for cichlids

Kworker · 07-21-2012, 08:13 PM

For Africans yes. Shell dwellers you could do though but that's it. A pair of rams would be fine.

PlantedRich · 07-21-2012, 09:35 PM

You may be in for a tough go when sorting what to stock in cichlids as there are so many and they fall all across the range in what they prefer. For a smaller tank, I might stick to some of the tang cichlids as they are often small. For a small Malawi, i might look at the little "brother" of the famous yellow lab. Labidochromis chisumulae were fine for me when I was breeding them in 29 gallons. Herotilapia multispinosa (rainbow cichlid) is great for a smmall tolerant south or Central American. They can do well in small tanks.
The big problem is choosing whioch YOU like best.

zacheyp · 07-21-2012, 11:33 PM

So does 5-6 cichlids in a 20 sound good?

CatB · 07-21-2012, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zacheyp

So does 5-6 cichlids in a 20 sound good?

no.
too many cichlids, not enough room.
maybe 5-6 shell-dwellers would fit in a 20 L but i doubt it.
as far as cichlids go, in a 20 L you could keep:
a pair of rams
OR
a pair of apistos
OR
a pair of kribs
OR
some shell-dwellers (i know nothing about them so idk how many)
and that's really it.

20 L really limits your selection for cichlids, why are you so set on them? you could keep a good number of small schooling fish in a 20 L easily.

07-21-2012, 05:53 PM	#1
zacheyp Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: New Jersey Posts: 172	Zacheyp's no gallon long cichlid build Ok guys so im venturing from the world of saltwater to the world of cichlids. I will be using a standard 20 gallon long tank and incondesent hood, a tetra 30 whisper filter and a standard tetra heater. My questions are this-- How should i stock? What substrate should i use? thank you

07-21-2012, 06:43 PM	#4
rainbuilder Pigeon Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (28/100%) Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Texas Posts: 799	With soft water you can keep almost any fish in the aquarium trade from South America and Southeast Asia. If you are looking for cichlids you could keep angelfish, apistos, severums, etc. There are many South American cichlids that prefer soft water. You could also keep tetras, rasboras, and other small schooling fish. __________________ RAOK Club #38 Fraternity of Dirt #91 45 gallon hexagon 'Smooth Hillside'

07-21-2012, 06:57 PM	#6
AzFishKid Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (106/100%) Join Date: May 2008 Location: Phoenix, Arizona Posts: 6,278	African cichlids mainly; they prefer hard water. Though a 20G is kind of small for a lot of cichlids. __________________ ••• P H I L I P ••• "Because fake plants would be weird and sad." -Bsmith "This isn't a hobby, this is a way of life." -Da Plant Man Bucephalandra "and friends" Collection

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

07-21-2012, 06:20 PM	#2
steven p Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: columbus, ne Posts: 1,151	you salties seems so scared of fresh water.. where I live, the waters hard as rocks... so, if i change enough regularly, the buffers from the city water keep the ph high and friendly for the africans. other options include crushed coral substrate, crushed coral in the filter baking soda, ph^ and some other buffers and salts.. hows your water?

07-21-2012, 06:38 PM	#3
zacheyp Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: New Jersey Posts: 172	my water is soft... also what fish should i keep? thanks

07-21-2012, 06:48 PM	#5
zacheyp Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: New Jersey Posts: 172	If i change my water to make it hard what cichlids could i keep?

07-21-2012, 07:01 PM	#7
Kworker Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Long island Ny Posts: 480	Plenty of rock work should help get water parameters you seek.. plus cichlids love rock tunnels and barriers and such plus its probably best since it can help with their aggression towards eachother

07-21-2012, 07:10 PM	#9
zacheyp Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: New Jersey Posts: 172	is 20 g too small for cichlids

07-21-2012, 08:13 PM	#10
Kworker Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Long island Ny Posts: 480	For Africans yes. Shell dwellers you could do though but that's it. A pair of rams would be fine.

07-21-2012, 09:35 PM	#11
PlantedRich Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Pflugerville, Tx Posts: 1,513	You may be in for a tough go when sorting what to stock in cichlids as there are so many and they fall all across the range in what they prefer. For a smaller tank, I might stick to some of the tang cichlids as they are often small. For a small Malawi, i might look at the little "brother" of the famous yellow lab. Labidochromis chisumulae were fine for me when I was breeding them in 29 gallons. Herotilapia multispinosa (rainbow cichlid) is great for a smmall tolerant south or Central American. They can do well in small tanks. The big problem is choosing whioch YOU like best.

07-21-2012, 11:33 PM	#12
zacheyp Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: New Jersey Posts: 172	So does 5-6 cichlids in a 20 sound good?