re : wanting to switch to cichlids

[srangel]

Hello everybody! I am new to this site! Thanks for the warm welcome. I kinda miss my 120 gal convict cichlid tank i left in the Philippines. Right now i have a 10 gal filled w/ 2 mollies, 4 platys.... I want so much to switch to african cichlids but my tank is too small. But maybe if i just had 2 or 3 it would be okay. My question is how do i make the switch? Do i have to empty my tank again. I cycled it and its a new tank that i have only had for 2 weeks. I have made 10% water changes twice already. My fishes are doing okay except for teh 2 female platys that keep hiding behind the plant for a very long period of time. If id do change to cichlids, do i have to empty the tank and cycle again. Pls educate me on this. It is my 1st time to do a switch. I am still thinking about it and would like your feedback.

 

[Sploke]

I think the only africans you could get in there would be multifaciatus (sp?), the shlldweller species. Do a search for multis or shellies or shelldwellers, you should get a lot of information. I've never kept them but they seem like pretty cool fish, and stay small.

I believe shellies are tangyanikan cichlids, so they'll need pretty hard water. You probably won't have to re-cycle the filter, but you;ll probably want something like crushed coral, aragonite or sand substrate, with lots of shells for the fish. I'm sure someone with more experience will chime in soon but that gives you something to start researching anyway.

 

[DeputyChiefJR]

If you're doing any Malawai species you have to upgrade to at least a 55 gallon

 

[wobble]

If you're doing any Malawai species you have to upgrade to at least a 55 gallon

I agree. Malawi are highly aggressive and need their territory or they will kill each other. The smallest you could get away with would be a 40L with some dwarf malawi, but best would be 55 or larger. If that isn't an option, I would highly recommend choosing a different type of fish.

 

[moesha]

please do not put any mbuna in a 10 ga tank. they will not survive very long and be extremely stressed and unhappy. you could try maybe some dwarf new world cichlids like rams or a pair of the shell dwelling africans, but please please please dont put any mbuna in a 10 ga.