Are there any Cichlids Suitable for 10 gal?

[tornangel012]

It doesn't seem like it but I thought I would ask.

Someone on my cat forum suggested I try Ciclids because they tend to interact more with whatever is going on outside the tank and I'm setting up a small 10 gal at home to entertain my cat and parents.

Also if there are any cichlids for the 10 gal what would be be good fish to go with them since their temperments seem to be very varied.

I was hoping to have 4-5 cardinal tetras and 4 cory in the tank as well.

 

[benedictj]

You won't be able to really keep a pair of any cichlids in a 10g with other fish (if you were willing to get rid of all of your other fish, you could keep a breeding pair of some dwarf cichlids). As things are, you could probably keep a single Ram or maybe a Nannocara Anomola or Dwarf Flag Cichlid. Still, without others it will limit their displays of behavior. (I kept a single female Blue Ram in a 10g with some guppies and cories for a while without any problems. The Ram actually became really attached to me, following me around the tank whenever I was near it. Unfortunately, the magic ended with a vacation feeding disaster. I'm still distraught.)

I would caution you against any apistos or kribs, as it could lead to disaster.

 

[mooman]

It seems like that would come pretty close to maxing out the tank without any cichlids. Dwarf South American cichlids are great small fish (very personable). Unfortunately only the smallest could go in a 10g and you would only have room for a few small dither fish.

Apistogramma cacatuoides (Caccatoo Cichlid) - Sometimes hard to find and expensive, but the hardiest and most forgiving of the Apistogramma species

Microgeophagus Altispinosa (Bolivian Ram) - Not to be confused with Blue Rams (often quite delicate)

These are the only two that I have experience with. I've read posts by very experienced fishkeepers that routinely breed these in 10g. Beware when they breed they become very territorial and in a tank that small any other fish will become targets of aggression.

It may sound boring to have only one pair of fish in a tank, but I think most people on this forum would agree that a pair of cichlids is way more interesting than a whole tank full of "lesser" fish.

Good Luck

P.S. Kribensis would be good to, but I have no experience there.

 

[tornangel012]

Thank you I suppose you have confirmed my fear so I will forget about Cichlids for the 10 gal and wait till I get my 50 gal set up.

I think I'll just put in a powder blue (dwarf) gourami in replacement.

I could deal with having just two fish but not my Dad he always wants more and I have to keep stopping him from trying to buy fish and dumping them into my tanks. He understands NOTHING about fish or tanks or cycling so it's very hard to teach a stubborn senoir citizen Korean man what not to do. :rant:

 

[buddha_red]

do daily water changes and hope for the best. you might as well argue with a wall. lol

 

[tornangel012]

do daily water changes and hope for the best. you might as well argue with a wall. lol

I have no idea what your trying to say here what does this have to do with me not choosing to get a Cichlid?

Oh I think you were talking about my dad luckily I have stopped him at every attempt to get fish at the LFS but he keeps talking and keeps trying. He thinks BIGGER fish more fun and more FISH even MORE fun....... ~sigh~

 

[Analog Saint]

If you don't have room for a cichlid, but want something with lots of spunk and personality, Paradise Fish (blue paradise gourami, macropodus opercularis) are good. They vary a lot in temperment, but are always a trip. They're also quite spectacular to look at. They'll grow larger than your powder blue dwarf, but they'll still stay small enough for a 10 gallon. They may be a bit more aggressive than the dwarves, but it varies a lot from fish to fish.

My friend's paradise shares a 5g with a dwarf frog and some snails, and seems to be a lot more tolerant on tankmates than mine... Thus the name B*****d Gourami, or BG.
Mine used to be my favourite until late in his old age he's suddenly become far more aggressive to his tankmates, and has to be kept alone.

there's also Tanganyikan Shell Dwelling Cichlids- if you can find them... I've heard of them being kept in 10g tanks before. They stay quite small (about 1-3"), but as for specifics, I'd ask someone with more experience in Tanganyikans. From what I've read, shells and crushed coral will provide these guys with all they need. Search the forum for "shellies" or "shell dwellers" and see what comes up.

 

[benedictj]

You can't do shellies with the current fish you have. They need exceptionally hard water and are best kept in a species tank. Also, they are very, very sensitive to waste in their water, which livebearer produce a lot of.

 

[kanakaia]

I keep my yellow lab in a 10 gal no problem with that but I can't keep nothing else with it the tank is a grow out tank still waiting for it to grow out 6 yrs so far

 

[benedictj]

No yellow labs. That is just an entirely bad idea. These really need to be in at least a 30 gallon, and even then you are really limited in terms of stocking.

In terms of their relevance to this thread,

#1- again the water parameters are entirely different.
#2- a single yellow lab would kill every other fish in your tank. They are very territorial and aggressive. Keeping even a single one in a ten doesn't meet its needs in terms of space to establish a territory.