30 gallon to small for Cichlids?

  • Get the NEW AquariaCentral iOS app --> http://itunes.apple.com/app/id1227181058 // Android version will be out soon!

Matt5888

AC Members
Oct 16, 2013
14
0
0
30
Hey, i just purchased a 32 gallon tank, I've got sand and a few caves, plants, etc plan on getting more plants mainly face as this is only my third tank, but i was wondering if id be able to get 3 or 4 cobalt blue, and yellow labs in the tank. If it helps i have a pleco, a catfish, a yoyo loach and a ghostknife in my tank at the moment.
 

jpappy789

Plants need meat too
Feb 18, 2007
26,364
5
89
33
Gainesville, FL
Real Name
Josh
I'd say that your tank is likely too small for the type of cichlid tank you have in mind. Cobalts and yellow labs are "mbuna" from Lake Malawi and are not the type of fish that do well in a community setup...they do best when given a LOT of rockwork and stocked to keep their territoriality at bay. Generally this requires around a 4 foot tank at minimum, but you may be able to get by with a smaller, mix-sexed group of only one species in a tank that size (however they still wouldn't work with the other fish). I'm not even sure if the two are compatible together, hopefully a Lake Malawi expert will chime in.

I'd also caution against keeping the other fish you have for several other reasons:

1) Plecos can range anywhere from a few inches to multiple FEET in length. Usually anything sold as a "common" pleco will get too big for smaller tank sizes...generally 10-24" depending on the exact species.

2) Yoyo loaches are highly social and should be kept in a group. That, along with their size and activity, makes them unsuitable for a tank this size.

3) Ghost knives also get very large and may not be able to compete well with boisterous fish.

4) Do you know which species of catfish you have? There are quite a lot of different ones out there with different needs. Some are social, some are more solitary...some get rather large, some stay small enough for this tank, etc.

Lastly, how exactly did you setup the tank? Has it been cycled properly?
 

jasonfishaddict

AC Members
Jun 18, 2010
537
1
0
54
I live in King William county Virginia, USA
Real Name
Jason
Hey, i just purchased a 32 gallon tank, I've got sand and a few caves, plants, etc plan on getting more plants mainly face as this is only my third tank, but i was wondering if id be able to get 3 or 4 cobalt blue, and yellow labs in the tank. If it helps i have a pleco, a catfish, a yoyo loach and a ghostknife in my tank at the moment.
To answer your question, no a 30g isn't too small for cichlids as long as their adult size doesn't exceed 4".
Now I have a few questions:
1) What kind of pleco?
2) What kind of catfish?
3) Do you mean Black Ghost Knifefish?
Many plecos and other catfish reach lengths of well over 4" to say the least. The Black Ghost tops out @ 20". Which brings me to my last question; are all of these fish going in your 32g?
If this tank was dedicated to cichlids, dwarf species would make better choices.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
Last edited:

Matt5888

AC Members
Oct 16, 2013
14
0
0
30
To answer your question, no a 30g isn't too small for cichlids as long as their adult size doesn't exceed 4".
Now I have a few questions:
1) What kind of pleco?
2) What kind of catfish?
3) Do you mean Black Ghost Knifefish?
Many plecos and other catfish reach lengths of well over 4" to say the least. The Black Ghost tops out @ 20". Which brings me to my last question; are all of these fish going in your 32g?
If this tank was dedicated to cichlids, dwarf species would make better choices.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
1) i belive its a common, at the pet shop i got to it just said Pleco, but its albino
2)same with pleco the shop just said cat fish sorry, but from looking online i think hes a Synodontis Eupterus Catfish (Synodontis eupterus)
3) yea still getting used to the names sorry
 

Matt5888

AC Members
Oct 16, 2013
14
0
0
30
yea, it cycle for 3 weeks now, i also plan on getting at least 3 more loaches to clam mine down since hes kind of aggressive at the moment. Would a yoyo loahc school with any other fish or would it be best to get more yoyo's?
 

Matt5888

AC Members
Oct 16, 2013
14
0
0
30
im kinda new to aquariums but so far am loving the hobby thanks you the adive everyone!
 

leshrimp

AC Members
Jul 6, 2013
231
0
0
Cichlids can be kept in that size tabk but not with some of the other fish you have in there.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 

Matt5888

AC Members
Oct 16, 2013
14
0
0
30
Hey guys sorry for being gone for so long i went on vacation for a few days. Well to let you all know the Black ghostknife is gone, i sold her to a friend and i have sicne purchased 1 frontosa and 2 zebra blue Cichlids. Now before you all go nuts, there all babies like really small. the zebras are about 1.5 inches and and the frontosa is maybe 1" but i will be aquiring a 75 gallon for only the cichlids, will that be big enough?
 
zoomed.com
hikariusa.com
aqaimports.com
Store