Are these cookie-cutter setups overstocked?

[SnowHeart]

Hey all. I'm thinking of setting up a 20 gallon long in my office in a couple months, and just happened to be looking around the net for ideas. I had completely ruled out the idea of putting cichlids in there, then I stumbled on this webpage: link. (http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/cookie_cutter_20g.php) (The cichlid forum.) There are some "cookie-cutter" setups for a 20 gallon long there, but to my neophyte-eye they look overstocked. Any thoughts?

[Clurin]

A couple of the setups look a bit overstocked to me, but most seem okay as far as bioload. I'm not sure I'd mix some of the fish they're mixing though (multiple shell-dweller species, for example). Most of the South American ones seem pretty decent though.

[SnowHeart]

Interesting. Thanks.

Do you think the setup with the pair of herotilapia multispinosa ("rainbow cichlids") and 5 tiger barbs would work? My understanding was they require at LEAST a 30 gallon, preferrably a 50 gallon tank.

Or, instead of multiple species of shell-dweller, do you see a pair of shell-dweller and a different pair that would work well in the same tank?

[Clurin]

Based on this (http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/h_multispinosa.php) page, I'd say a pair would be fine in a 20 long, and the only concern I'd have about the tiger barbs is that they seem to have a different diet - the cichlids teeth are specialized for algae.

In a 20 long, you might be able to find a small rockdwelling species to go with multies or brevis, or whatever other shelldweller suits your fancy. =)

[Emg]

I would go with a tank full of Multifasciatus or Similis myself.....you wouldln't need anything else in there with them because thier activity alone would be enough to keep you amused and interested.

They are both community fish and you will quickly have quite a generational mix in there...and everyone mixing about, shifting thier shells and throwing sand at each other all over the place....lol...add a few texas holey rocks or tofa rocks in there along the back, with mostly shells in front along the bottom...with a mix of sand and crushed coral for substrate. Just don't have your filter intake too close to the bottom of the tank...or it may get covered in sand. My multies have piled sand about halfway up the side of a 10gallon tank....I really need to move them to a 20long !! :eek:

You would be able to keep more multies in a tank than the Similies....as the multies are a bit more tolerant of each other.....but the Similis are prettier I think.

Have fun choosing Heart ! :D

[SnowHeart]

Thanks all. This is a big help. Nice to know I can go with some of the smaller cichlids here if I decide to go that route.