new to cichlids - need advice

[K. Sher]

Hi,

I've just set up a new 20 gallon tank with the intention of keeping more
goldfish... but cichlids caught my interest when I read that some kinds can
be kept in a small tank. I am completely new to them, so I don't know what
their requirements are. The tank is cycling now with a penguin 125
bio-wheel filter and some gravel. I am looking for a single fish or maybe a
pair of 20 gallons is big enough, something tame and good to interact with.

What kinds of cichlids should I look for?

Thanks

[Happy'Cam'per]

Hi there

First thing that comes to mind are New World Cichlids (South American) like
Rams, Bolivian Rams, keyholes, and the rest of the apistogrammas (sp?).

If you want to go with African Rift Lake Cichlids (Old world) then I would
highly recommend a shell dwelling type like Brevis from Lake Tanganyika, a
pair or maybe 2 pairs in a 20 gallon would do quite nicely.
HTH
--
**So long, and thanks for all the fish!**



"K. Sher" > wrote in message
news:rPC5c.818018$ts4.184885@pd7tw3no...
> Hi,
>
> I've just set up a new 20 gallon tank with the intention of keeping more
> goldfish... but cichlids caught my interest when I read that some kinds
can
> be kept in a small tank. I am completely new to them, so I don't know
what
> their requirements are. The tank is cycling now with a penguin 125
> bio-wheel filter and some gravel. I am looking for a single fish or maybe
a
> pair of 20 gallons is big enough, something tame and good to interact
with.
>
> What kinds of cichlids should I look for?
>
> Thanks
>
>

[Rob]

As a follow-up to this: your local water conditions should be considered if
you go one way or another on this one, as well as your taste in tank decor.
If you have soft water, you will find it far easier to keep S. Americans
from the Amazon basin. If your water is hard, Tanganyika is going to be far
easier. You can also keep Central American cichlids very happy in hard
water, but many of them are larger and quite aggressive, and may not be
suitable for a 20g.

That said: S. American tanks are very conducive to being planted and most
of the fish will be far happier if they have plant cover. African tanks are
generally sand and/or rocks, depending on the inhabitants; if you keep shell
dwellers you will want to replace your gravel with sand, for their enjoyment
and yours as they constantly keep themselves busy digging, rearranging and
defending their precious shells (which you will need to provide) from
poachers. Neolamprologus Brevis are quite common but tend to be dull grey
in color; I've always kept N. ocellatus, and would quite happily keep N.
multifasciatus (the smallest cichlid in the world at 1.5 inches) in a small
tank. All of these little fish have serious attitude, and will (laugably)
attack your hand when you clean the tank near their shell. Despite their
pint-sized aggression, as long as there are enough shells for everyone they
will eventually settle down and spend most of their time doting over their
chosen shell.

I've kept both groups of cichlids before - started with S. American for
several years and, with my hard water, always had trouble trying to get the
water to where the fish would be happy with it. You can always use Reverse
Osmosis (distilled) water and additives to bring the chemistry back in line
with the Amazon Basin, but that gets costly over time. I now keep a 90
gallon strictly Tanganyikan tank. Although I loved the look of the planted
tank and some of the S. American fish, it's hard to beat the fascinating
behavior of the Tanganyikans and the fact that many of my fish breed quite
readily in my local (unaltered) water.

FWIW.

- Rob

"Happy'Cam'per" > wrote in message
...
> Hi there
>
> First thing that comes to mind are New World Cichlids (South American)
like
> Rams, Bolivian Rams, keyholes, and the rest of the apistogrammas (sp?).
>
> If you want to go with African Rift Lake Cichlids (Old world) then I would
> highly recommend a shell dwelling type like Brevis from Lake Tanganyika, a
> pair or maybe 2 pairs in a 20 gallon would do quite nicely.
> HTH
> --
> **So long, and thanks for all the fish!**
>
>
>
> "K. Sher" > wrote in message
> news:rPC5c.818018$ts4.184885@pd7tw3no...
> > Hi,
> >
> > I've just set up a new 20 gallon tank with the intention of keeping more
> > goldfish... but cichlids caught my interest when I read that some kinds
> can
> > be kept in a small tank. I am completely new to them, so I don't know
> what
> > their requirements are. The tank is cycling now with a penguin 125
> > bio-wheel filter and some gravel. I am looking for a single fish or
maybe
> a
> > pair of 20 gallons is big enough, something tame and good to interact
> with.
> >
> > What kinds of cichlids should I look for?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> >
>
>

[Rick]

"K. Sher" > wrote in message
news:rPC5c.818018$ts4.184885@pd7tw3no...
> Hi,
>
> I've just set up a new 20 gallon tank with the intention of keeping more
> goldfish... but cichlids caught my interest when I read that some kinds
can
> be kept in a small tank. I am completely new to them, so I don't know
what
> their requirements are. The tank is cycling now with a penguin 125
> bio-wheel filter and some gravel. I am looking for a single fish or maybe
a
> pair of 20 gallons is big enough, something tame and good to interact
with.
>
> What kinds of cichlids should I look for?
>
> Thanks
>
there are lots of cichlids that can be kept in a 20 g tank but you might
want to check what your tap water is and shoot for something suitable for
those parameters. You might like a nice pair of Pelvicachromis pulchers
(Kribs). They will breed like rabbits so you will have to eventually get rid
of the fry. I have a pair and about 50 fry in a 20 right now although most
of the fry are going to auction this weekend. African cichlids normally
require larger quarters however a small pair of Pseudotropheus kingsizei
would fit. Aspistogrammas, Tankanykains, all kinds. Check out the LFS for
different types and those that remain small.

Rick

[Amateur]

"K. Sher" > wrote in message
news:rPC5c.818018$ts4.184885@pd7tw3no...
> Hi,
>
> I've just set up a new 20 gallon tank with the intention of keeping more
> goldfish... but cichlids caught my interest when I read that some kinds can
> be kept in a small tank. I am completely new to them, so I don't know what
> their requirements are. The tank is cycling now with a penguin 125
> bio-wheel filter and some gravel. I am looking for a single fish or maybe a
> pair of 20 gallons is big enough, something tame and good to interact with.
>
> What kinds of cichlids should I look for?
>
> Thanks
>

In addition to some of the fine suggestions seen already, depending on water
conditions out of the tap, you may want to look at some of these other species
as well.
Hemichromis guttatus
Julidochromis transcriptus
Eretmodus cyanostictus
Chalinochromis sp. "ndobhoi"
Chalinochromis brichardi
Neolamprologus brichardi
N. pulcher
Crenicichia hekeli
C. compressiceps
Altolamprologus compressiceps "sumbu dwarf"
Laetacara dorsigera
L curviceps
Nannacara anomala
N. aureocephala
Dicrossus filamentosus
D. maculatus
I won't list all the shell dwellers available, but a couple have been mentioned
in another post. ;-)
As to the bland look of the brevis......
http://www.amateurcichlids.com/gallery/random/2.jpg
AC
www.amateurcichlids.com

[Rob]

Amateur wrote:

> As to the bland look of the brevis......
> http://www.amateurcichlids.com/gallery/random/2.jpg

Yup, pretty bland... LOL! ;-)

Actually, that photo is fairly extraordinary - if you do a search on them,
most photos you'll see will be far "blander". This one looks like it's a
"Sunspot" variant (i.e. not typical of what you'll find in most stores), and
is shot in light to make it look as iridescent as possible - most of the
ones I've seen have far less color and usually less markings. I'm not
denying that they can have some pretty patterns when they're happy and
colored-up (and inevitably have great behavior), but relatively speaking,
they have relatively less color and markings compared to most of the other
readily-available shell dwellers.

Once again, just my opinion... Please don't get all offended and flame me.

- Rob

[Happy'Cam'per]

> As to the bland look of the brevis......
> http://www.amateurcichlids.com/gallery/random/2.jpg

Hey Amateur

Great wee fellas are'nt they? I love these guys :o
--
**So long, and thanks for all the fish!**

[Amateur]

"Rob" > wrote in message
news:RjQ5c.72028$Up2.67869@pd7tw1no...
> Amateur wrote:
>
> > As to the bland look of the brevis......
> > http://www.amateurcichlids.com/gallery/random/2.jpg
>
> Yup, pretty bland... LOL! ;-)
>
> Actually, that photo is fairly extraordinary - if you do a search on them,
> most photos you'll see will be far "blander". This one looks like it's a
> "Sunspot" variant (i.e. not typical of what you'll find in most stores), and
> is shot in light to make it look as iridescent as possible - most of the
> ones I've seen have far less color and usually less markings. I'm not
> denying that they can have some pretty patterns when they're happy and
> colored-up (and inevitably have great behavior), but relatively speaking,
> they have relatively less color and markings compared to most of the other
> readily-available shell dwellers.
>
> Once again, just my opinion... Please don't get all offended and flame me.
>
> - Rob
>


Rob,
If you knew anything at....... Just kidding. I'm not the flaming type. ;-)
This brevis was shot on the southeast Zambia shore. I too have seen some online
pics of L. brevis that left something to be desired. Most of the brevis I saw
in the lake were fairly colorful, though I only saw three pairs. =)
AC
www.amateurcichlids.com

[Rob]

Amateur wrote:

> Rob,
> If you knew anything at....... Just kidding. I'm not the flaming type.
;-)

Heh...

> This brevis was shot on the southeast Zambia shore. I too have seen some
online
> pics of L. brevis that left something to be desired. Most of the brevis I
saw
> in the lake were fairly colorful, though I only saw three pairs. =)

Must be a kick to see 'em _in situ_. I've only done marine diving so far,
but my interest in rift lake cichlids (Tanganyika in particular) and Africa
in general may lead me there at some point.

As for L. brevis: most of the ones I've seen in some of our better local
stores that carry a lot of good quality cichlids have also been fairly bland
in color - even the "Sunspots". This doesn't mean that I haven't been
tempted, but I have three very active L. ocellatus in my current tank who
just won't stop breeding and generally terrorizing everyone who comes near
their shells. Even in a relatively large tank I won't be adding any
potential competitors (although the normally rock-dwelling N. leleupi are
also known to breed in shells on occasion, and mine have been seen "sniffing
around" on occasion before my dominant male ocellatus drives them away
again).

- Rob

[thebutton]

tanganykan shelldwellers or apistos
i would go for the africans though- theyre polygamous-interresting but you
may need salts to modify your tapwater chemistry.buy with shells(their home)
in shop-good sign-

"K. Sher" > wrote in message
news:rPC5c.818018$ts4.184885@pd7tw3no...
> Hi,
>
> I've just set up a new 20 gallon tank with the intention of keeping more
> goldfish... but cichlids caught my interest when I read that some kinds
can
> be kept in a small tank. I am completely new to them, so I don't know
what
> their requirements are. The tank is cycling now with a penguin 125
> bio-wheel filter and some gravel. I am looking for a single fish or maybe
a
> pair of 20 gallons is big enough, something tame and good to interact
with.
>
> What kinds of cichlids should I look for?
>
> Thanks
>
>