Small cichlids: 10g tank?

[mome rath]

Are there any small cichlids suitable for a 10-gallon tank?

I would preferably like to get 2 or 3 small rams if possible. If not, I will wait until I move and grab my 40g that's sitting in my basement at home. I just have this tank of fancy guppies (a get-rich-quick scheme gone horribly, horribly wrong... a story not worth telling) that I'd like to empty out and restock with something interesting.

At home I keep Africans (75g) , SW community with fish and hermit crabs (29g), a jewel cichlid with some cory cats (20g), and a small FW community (10g... okay, "community" means a green swordtail and some cories, but next time I visit the folks I plan on putting a few more fishes in there), and about 16 million fancy guppies in a 20g high.

Also here is a picture :(


[edited to say I didn't know what to do with a poll.]

[paradigmcubed]

nice pic!

[valerie]

I have a pair of rams in my 15gal and they are doing ok.They fight a bit but not too bad. I would suggest that if you get rams get a true pair otherwise the male could become a bit too aggresive with the female(as a 10gal isn't much space). I had to return/ try a few female before i got a pair that worked.

You could also try apistos or other dwarf cichlids. Even shelldwellers would work.

[mome rath]

Thanks for the replies. I think I might go look around tomorrow and see what's available around here...

Need to need to need to get rid of these guppies, yeah!

[dcallen]

Hi,

I find the shellies to be fascinating and fun to watch. I think a pair of them would be a good choice for a 10 gallon tank. I'm thinking of doing it myself. Good luck with your search.

[JimG]

I had a pair of kribs in a well filtered 10 gal for a long time, they did just fine.

[mome rath]

That's interesting because I just saw a very nice pair that I wanted to get... Maybe I'll go ahead and do that.

[Harry Tolen]

Some other ideas for a 10-gallon tank:

Nannacara anomala
Anomalochromis thomasi
Neolamprologus multifasciatus

All of these fish stay small and will breed in a 10 gallon tank. They are also fairly hardy, given the right water conditions, which unfortunately cannot be said of Rams.

[Jayhawk]

Harry,

I've had problems with N. anomala in a 10 gallon - the female would batter the heck out of the male. Since she was smaller, I couldn't find a way to create a small enough hide out for him. I'm just wondering if I had an unlucky pair or if that was common. Also, would it work better in a 20 long? I really liked these fish until the female turned evil!

As for 10 gallon cichlids, I'd toss in Neolamprologus brevis, occelotus, similis and meleagris.

Eric

[Tightdog1]

yea you could a pair get kribs or you could get some apistos.

[mome rath]

I keep thinking about those kribs I saw this weekend... I think they may be coming home with me very soon. Thanks for all your help, everyone.