I've been offered a friend's African cichlids when he moves (in about 2 months so I have time to cycle a tank). He doesn't know what species they are - looking at them I think they might be different varieties of Labidochromis, some yellow, some black and white, ect. He has around 8 of them plus a huge pleco in a 30 gallon tank. This seems a little crowded plus I only have a 20 gallon to keep them in, so I know I can't take them all. But what would be a realistic number to keep? Would four or five work out?
How many in 20 gallons?
- Thread starter karen99
- Start date
the answer is ZERO. African Mbuna are polygamous ... you have to keep ONE male with at least THREE and FOUR would be better still, females or the male will harrass the females to death. that dictates a minimum of FOUR fish and FIVE would be better still.
additionally, these fish are very aggressive and need sufficient space to have a territory of their own. to have a territory there has to be some way of demarking it in the tank. that means rocks ... lots of them. with a minimum of one cave per fish. given this, there's simply not sufficient room in a twenty gallon tank for 4-5 of these fish. a 55 gallon tank is considered the bare minimum for African Mbuna.
additionally, these fish are very aggressive and need sufficient space to have a territory of their own. to have a territory there has to be some way of demarking it in the tank. that means rocks ... lots of them. with a minimum of one cave per fish. given this, there's simply not sufficient room in a twenty gallon tank for 4-5 of these fish. a 55 gallon tank is considered the bare minimum for African Mbuna.
I agree with padl...They belong in nothing smaller than a 55g...Otherwise it'll be a nightmare in a few months, especially if these guys came from a bigger tank...
I'm another one who would have to agree. 55g minimum for mbuna. You could stuff them in the 20g, but you would probably end up with one in the end. Either by killing each other, or just dying from depression or stress. Mbuna are very unhappy in a small tank, so you would never be able to enjoy how they would normally behave if kept in an acceptable size tank.
I would say they are better off going back to LFS than continue living in a 30g, or worse off a 20g. IMO, even one mbuna would not be happy in such a small aquarium.
I would say they are better off going back to LFS than continue living in a 30g, or worse off a 20g. IMO, even one mbuna would not be happy in such a small aquarium.
Agree, none in the 20. You'd have to invest in a larger tank if your going to house them properly.... 55 is ideal for begginers. Some species *may* be able to be kept in a smaller tank, but that is for the more advanced african keepers, as they are more familiar with the species and can foresee any potential problems.
Right now I think my 90 is too small for them, and see them needing at least a 6 foot tank. But maybe I'm crazy
:.
-Diana
Right now I think my 90 is too small for them, and see them needing at least a 6 foot tank. But maybe I'm crazy
:. -Diana
OK thanks for the input. What I've read is that these Labs are pretty peaceful (for cichlids anyway) and these guys actually looked very nice and healthy despite being packed into a 30 gallon tank with an 8" pleco. But... most were only 2.5-3" so probably not quite full grown.
Thanks. I would have liked to try them, but don't want the fish to suffer.
Thanks. I would have liked to try them, but don't want the fish to suffer.