View Full Version : options for a 30g?
lambitron
08-16-2008, 6:32 PM
We should be getting a 30g tank tomorrow from a friend. Right now we have a 29g community tank, and we'd love to turn the 30 into a cichlid tank. I've been researching all different types of cichlids, but I'm not sure what would do well together. For the most part, they all seem semi-aggressive to aggressive. So would it matter more to keep everyone around the same size? Or do some just not do well with others?
I've been checking out liveaquaria, and we really like the convicts, green terrors, firemouths, along with all of the ones that we've seen in petco (I'm not sure what they are, they are bright yellow and bright blue, I think some are peacocks?).
Not sure what would fit, or go together. Any suggestions for stock would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
nano cichlids
08-16-2008, 6:44 PM
We should be getting a 30g tank tomorrow from a friend. Right now we have a 29g community tank, and we'd love to turn the 30 into a cichlid tank. I've been researching all different types of cichlids, but I'm not sure what would do well together. For the most part, they all seem semi-aggressive to aggressive. So would it matter more to keep everyone around the same size? Or do some just not do well with others?
I've been checking out liveaquaria, and we really like the convicts, green terrors, firemouths, along with all of the ones that we've seen in petco (I'm not sure what they are, they are bright yellow and bright blue, I think some are peacocks?).
Not sure what would fit, or go together. Any suggestions for stock would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
bass are a big no no they reach sizes over a footlong :jaw-dropping: green terror wouldnt be good for a 30 gallon but 2 firemouth would be. you can always try your hand out at breeding convicts try Red Points or Ram
lambitron
08-16-2008, 6:57 PM
Which ones are bass? Did I mention them? lol.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=830+831+839&pcatid=839 That's the kind we always see in petco.
We have a Bolivian ram in our 29g community tank. Not sure we're ready to try any breeding yet...
What about any bottom feeders for a cichlid tank?
nano cichlids
08-16-2008, 7:07 PM
I've been checking out liveaquaria, and we really like the convicts, green terrors, firemouths, along with all of the ones that we've seen in petco (I'm not sure what they are, they are bright yellow and bright blue, I think some are peacocks?).
i assume peacocks you mean peacock bass? bottom feeders ive found that angel cats do good but a sail fin pleco is best
the petco fish you always see is a electric yellow cichlid.
lambitron
08-16-2008, 7:14 PM
By peacock... I mean.... http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=830+831+1568&pcatid=1568 that guy?
This would be our first cichlid tank (obviously, if you couldn't tell). We really aren't sure who would be good with who. You mentioned 2 firemouths- should cichlids generally be kept in species tanks? Like, not a firemouth and a convict or something like that?
I'm sorry if these are dumb questions... But we had some aggression issues with a gourami in our community tank, so we're trying to get all of the information we can to choose a good match for the cichlid tank.
nano cichlids
08-16-2008, 7:56 PM
well a convict will breed with almost any central american cichlid (ie firemouth) which means you will get a hybrid, or they will be both the same sex and you will be fine. but Firemouths can get big the picture your showing me is an african cichlid
ibr3ak
08-16-2008, 11:56 PM
What are the tank dimensions? If it's at least a 3' tank you could do either a dwarf mbuna specie tank (1 specie) with maybe salosis, males are blue barred and females are yellow, so you get a nice contrast without going to a second specie or a peacock tank, just don't overstock.
toddnbecka
08-17-2008, 2:35 AM
Peacocks as in African cichlids grow too large for a 30, as do most mbuna. I have seen that size tank stocked with yellow Lab's and demasoni, but I wouldn't recommend that combo for someone new to cichlids.
SA or CA cichlids don't mix well with Africans, best to choose 1 species and raise 5-6 of them to get a pair (if you're wanting to spawn them.)
Alternatively, you could keep some Tanganykian shellies and a Julie or calvus well enough in a 30.
You may find this link helpful:http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/quick_reference_list.php
Rbishop
08-17-2008, 6:26 AM
Shellies..rams..apistos...
jpappy789
08-17-2008, 1:08 PM
I would go with some shellies and either a pair of calvus or a pair of the smaller julidochromis species.
wataugachicken
08-17-2008, 3:09 PM
just like with the cichlids, do your research on "bottom feeders" too. common plecos will easily outgrow a 30g tank - they get anywhere from 8-24 inches long, and that includes the 'sailfin' pleco.
depending on what type of cichlid you want to get, not all types of bottom-dwelling fish are appropriate for every kind of cichlid. i have seen recently (and in person) an eyeless common pleco - it fell victim to a few african cichlids who decided they didn't like it anymore.
jpappy789
08-17-2008, 3:41 PM
:iagree:
In my 55 the tangs didn't take too well to even a BN plec.
Richled13
08-18-2008, 12:17 PM
For a beginner (I'm pretty much one too, though, so take this with a grain of salt!), I'd perhaps recommend american cichlids more than africans, because Americans are generally less crazy (especially the smaller ones that will fit in your tank, except maybe convicts), more adaptable to water conditions (except German/Gold/Blue Rams), and don't require the constant addition of pH-changing salts. Not to mention that cycling is more difficult at those higher pH levels required for Africans, as ammonia is much more toxic at high pH levels than lower ones (something to do with free Hydrogen ions binding with the ammonia to make it into ammonium).
That being said, there aren't a ton of small Americans that will fit into a 30 gallon. I assume it's the 36" long version. In that case, the convict/firemouth match might work, though like he said, hybrids will be an issue if they aren't the same sex (and firemouths are tough to sex at a young age). You could definitely do maybe even as many as 4 Bolivian Rams, which are pretty cool guys from what i've heard, and a lot tougher than their fragile cousins the German/Blue/Gold Rams. I don't know much about Apistogramma (dwarf South Americans) except that I never see them in stores.
Bolivian Rams would make for a cool tank I think, and they aren't super aggressive (but territorial like all cichlids).
jpappy789
08-18-2008, 4:45 PM
Africans don't need additional salts. Even if you have a tank with low pH/GH/KH/TDS something like crushed coral is much more cost effective anyways. And cycling at a higher pH shouldn't make a difference as you should be cycling without fish anyways.
lambitron
08-22-2008, 9:20 PM
Okay, this might be a dumb question?
We decided on two african cichlids- red zebras
We were told they were really aggressive- and what I've read here, that seems to be the general consensus. But they seem incredibly peaceful thus far.
We had a gold gourami in our community tank, that we had to set up a special temp 10g tank for, because he was really aggressive and was slowly nipping our other fish apart. Would it be a horrible idea to put him with the cichlids? He seems to be even more aggressive than they are. And I really hate having him in the 10g, I know he's gonna get pretty large.
Okay, this might be a dumb question?
We decided on two african cichlids- red zebras
We were told they were really aggressive- and what I've read here, that seems to be the general consensus. But they seem incredibly peaceful thus far.
We had a gold gourami in our community tank, that we had to set up a special temp 10g tank for, because he was really aggressive and was slowly nipping our other fish apart. Would it be a horrible idea to put him with the cichlids? He seems to be even more aggressive than they are. And I really hate having him in the 10g, I know he's gonna get pretty large.
Well, cichlids are cichlids. Cichlids have various personalities from completely docile to psychos. Mixing gouramis and African cichlids is a bad idea. I wouldn't suggest that. Get the gourami its own tank.
toddnbecka
08-22-2008, 9:45 PM
You didn't mention how big the red zebras are, but I would presume they're still juvies. Butterkoferi are mellow enough when they're young, but you can't keep anything else with one after it reaches maturity (unless you have a HUGE tank.) Having 2 red zebras is also likely to turn out bad for one of them in the long run. They're best kept in groups of 1m/3f, or at least a half-dozen if you can't get the proper m/f ratio. More fish means the aggression gets spread around, any one fish isn't stressed or beat to death.
Also, mbuna require a low-protein diet, while the gourami is the opposite. Even if they ignore the gourami their diets aren't compatible.
I have africans in my 30 and they're doing great. A main issue to watch out for in smaller tanks besides aggression is filtration. You'll definitely want to over filter...a smaller canister filter would work great for you.
In my opinion, africans are completely do-able in a 30 as long as you shy away from the super aggressive species like kenyi and demasoni.