Cichlids for a 20 gallon?

[DarkCrow]

Since my 10 gallon is now exactly how I want it and looking great (albeit plants, which will be soon), I'm thinking of setting my old 20 gallon up with some sort of small cichlids. Now, I know there are some smaller ones out there, but which are out there and readily available?

Also, does anyone know how to protect a tank from a heat register?

[jbradt]

You could look at a pair of rams... I think either GBRs or Bolivians would work in a 20 with some dithers.

Don't really know about the heat register thing.

[DarkCrow]

You could look at a pair of rams... I think either GBRs or Bolivians would work in a 20 with some dithers.

Don't really know about the heat register thing.
I'm thinking of going all cichlid, and no schooling fish. Any way I could get 6 or so dwarf cichlids in there?

[krytan]

You could have a pair of rams or kribs but not six of them.

[DarkCrow]

You could have a pair of rams or kribs but not six of them.
Ah, so some dither would be needed.

[mostlycichlids]

Shouldn't really need dithers with Rams in a 20g.

[lucy42083]

It's not that you need the dithers, it's that there is not enough territory for multiple pairs of rams or kribs in a 20 gallon tank. If you got 6 dwarf cichlids in a 20G you'd see a lot of fighting, and the weaker individuals could be bullied to death. And since that footprint really only has enough room for 1 cichlid pair (or 2 non-paired individuals), but the bioload could certainly handle more, the OP would probably want some schooling fish and corys to fill up the tank.

[luckydud13]

I suggest mulites, they may not be the best looking fish, but when you see them in their pack like fomration, and the drama that goes on, you feel like your watching the dicovey channel. You could fit 6 in a 20. just put sand on the bottom and a hell of alot of escargo shells. Soon you will see a dominant male, but with so many laces to hide, and all that room, he wont bother the others.(unless they try to get frisky with any females) :)

[noodles62]

Is it a 20 long or tall? That will make a big difference; however 6 pair is too much either way.

[67chevelle]

I'm thinking of going all cichlid, and no schooling fish. Any way I could get 6 or so dwarf cichlids in there?
If you are going all cichlids,then it should either be one pair or hareem,or all singles.You could get a ram,a keyhole,a krib, or an apisto,and you should be fine.I would not get any more than 3 singles however.

[Neervana]

20gal is not enough for a pair of rams. get a 30. in a 20, chichlids are impossible. they like territory and they get annoyed when they keep having to fight over space. do a planted tank with an angel in there and a few cories.

[67chevelle]

Angels need at least 30 gallons.20 gallons is fine for a pair of dwarfs.Angels are cichlids,BTW.

[snoopy65]

Rams like about 10 square inches of floor space each for territory. Some a little more, some a little less, so a 20 will be fine for two Bolivians, Blue, or Gold Rams. Rams tend to stay to the bottom of the tank, so most people put a mid to top dwelling schooling fish in the tank with them to fill out the tank, and cory cats are always nice and rams tend to not pay them any attention. Rams like a well planted tank.

[Lexi_D]

I made a thread on this same topic before! Here:

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=143424

[DarkCrow]

I made a thread on this same topic before! Here:

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=143424THANK YOU!

And I think 67chevelle is about right, you could probably either do 3 moderately small like keyholes, or you could probably do 6 mulites like luckydud.

[jpappy789]

I suggest mulites, they may not be the best looking fish, but when you see them in their pack like fomration, and the drama that goes on, you feel like your watching the dicovey channel. You could fit 6 in a 20. just put sand on the bottom and a hell of alot of escargo shells. Soon you will see a dominant male, but with so many laces to hide, and all that room, he wont bother the others.(unless they try to get frisky with any females) :)

I have males squablle over territory constanty in my 55. In a 20 it would be worse. Start with 3 or 4 multies and let them breed on their own...it's very easy.


If you are going all cichlids,then it should either be one pair or hareem,or all singles.You could get a ram,a keyhole,a krib, or an apisto,and you should be fine.I would not get any more than 3 singles however.

That's still quite a lot of cichlids for a 20. Singles will still set up a territory and a 20 doesn't have that much space.


20gal is not enough for a pair of rams. get a 30. in a 20, chichlids are impossible. they like territory and they get annoyed when they keep having to fight over space. do a planted tank with an angel in there and a few cories.

A pair of rams would work perfectly fine in a 20 gal. And that is too small for angels, not enough height for one thing...

[mostlycichlids]

It's not that you need the dithers, it's that there is not enough territory for multiple pairs of rams or kribs in a 20 gallon tank. If you got 6 dwarf cichlids in a 20G you'd see a lot of fighting, and the weaker individuals could be bullied to death. And since that footprint really only has enough room for 1 cichlid pair (or 2 non-paired individuals), but the bioload could certainly handle more, the OP would probably want some schooling fish and corys to fill up the tank.

But I don't think most people know the true meaning of Dither Fish! A community setup with a ram pair in a 20g is different than a ram pair with dithers! Dither fish are used to make shy fish more confortable with their surroundings, rams really wont have a problem with being shy in a 20g.

[67chevelle]

A 20 long would be fine for 3 singles if enough cover is given.I have a 20 long with 3 singles(cockatoo,ram,krib) as well as quite a few people in the fish club I belong to.A 20 long is 30 inches,10 iches for each dwarf is enough.