cichlids for a 29 gallon

E

exotic_keeper

i only keep vicious fish
Jul 10, 2006
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how many african cichlids can fit in a 29 gallon full grown.When i say african i mean the colorful mbuna or tanginika cichlids
 
how many african cichlids can fit in a 29 gallon
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for Mbuna, NONE ... anything smaller than a 55 gallon tank is just too small. this species is very aggressive and territorial. then need to be kept in groups of one male with at least 3 females and four is better, of the same species. fewer females and they'll get killed by the male due to his spawning aggression. additionally, this species is a rock/cave dweller and you need a LOT of rockwork with at least one cave for each female. add that necessary rockwork and there's just not enough open swimming room for Mbuna.

Tanganyikan shell dwellers on the other hand, can be easily maintained in a 29.
 
Actually, I'll bet you could get three or four Gephyrochromis acei OR Labidochromis caeruleus in a 29. Certainly they'd be happpier in a tank with a larger footprint, but I wouldn't say that NONE will work.
 
I disagree you could keep 5-10 in a 29 gallon as long as they are mildly agressive like 1 species of Labidochromis.

Labidochromis caeruleus “Yellow Morph”
Labidochromis perlmutt
Labidochromis chisumulae
Labidochromis freibergi
Labidochromis hongi
mix with 1 of these species
Iodotropheus
Gephyrochromis
Tropheops
1 male to 3 females or all males.
A larger tank would be better and you could keep 20 mbuma in a 55 gallon from 3 different genuses.
 
All males?

I would have to disagree. There is no way two male perlmutts would get along in a 29g. I couldn't keep two males in my 75g without one finally killing the other. Here's a pic of two males fighting over territory:
http://www.malawicichlidhomepage.com/aquarium/labidochromis_perlmutt.html

The Labidochromis species is not as aggressive as other mbuna, but they are still aggressive.

Also, many of the Tropheops reach 6". Too big for a 29g.

I agree with liv2padle. If one wants to have Africans in a 29g, there are several smaller Tanganyikan cichlids that would do fine in that small of a tank.
 
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I would recommend 3 females to one male over all males. You can actually keep up to 15 in a 30 gallon 5-10 would do better. Check out stocking ideas at malawimayhem.com It has some very helpful information if you are serious about Africans. In my experience overstocking these guys extremely curbs agression problems a little chase now and then is about all I see in my tank.

55 gallon
3 yellow labs
2 kenyi
1 socofoli
3 Ice blue Zebras
5 featherfin synondontis Catfish
1 rubberlipped pleco
 
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A 30g has a larger footprint that a 29g. It's not the amount of gallons that's important for Africans, it's the footprint (length and width). Although it's only 6 inches longer, it does help.

I started with mbuna in a 29g, thinking it would be large enough. Then they started reaching adulthood and killing each other off. I purchased a 38g (same footprint as 30g, just taller), and that helped for a bit. Then came the 55g. Then came the 75g. Then came the wife asking if I need a 12-step program for my addiction. :D

Yes, overstocking does help with aggression. But so does putting them in a tank of appropriate size.

cichlid-forum.com also has a good amount of info on Africans.

akapaul26, your post said "1 male to 3 females or all males". That's where I got the all males from. I agree, 3 females to 1 male is good ratio.
 
Yeah 3f to 1m I just gave all males as a suggestion another person on this site has success with all males but I personally would do 3f to 1m. I do agree tanganyikan would work better but I was just saying that keeping mbuna was not out of the question and was just trying to give some suggestions. I thought live2padle was just saying it was entirely not possible at all unless he had a 55 gallon. there is good advise here so what ever you choose exotic keeper good luck.
 
As liv2padl said, none on the Mbuna.

You can physically put them there, especially when small. Their growth and agressiveness in a 29 or 30, regardless of the footprint does not provide the better enviorenment for them. If you overstock to control the agression, then you will still have the territorial issues and bio-load problems.

There will be a half dozen that will tell you you can, that it is okay. I would not listen to them. Then they will say it is okay for grow out, but so few people follow thru to that upgrade.
 
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