Electric Yellows

[Paula2]

Hi all

I've been reading online and do plan to purchase some specific books but I'd appreciate some advice from this forum too.

We have a second hand tank sitting in the back room and waiting for some occupants - my OH and I have decided we'd like to keep some cichlids and wondered if this tank would be suitable for what we have in mind (no worries if it's not, we'll set it up with something else and get another tank for the cichlids ).

It's a 150L/39 US g tank - which is 4.5 ft long x 10 inch wide (it's an in-wall tank).

We want to set it up with a colony of electric yellows - one male and 3-4 females? and maybe a few top level fish if there's space?

Filtration we'll purchase to suit (aware that more is better). The plan was for sand/fine gravel substrate with rocks and maybe a few anubias/java fern (or maybe not plants, haven't decided).

Would the tank be too narrow? Or would it be OK with just the cichlids but forget about other fish? Or not at all?

Thanks in advance

edit to fix width.

 

[gaz guildford]

am i being dense or is 0.6 ft mean 6 inches? if so id say it was far too slim but plenty long enough

 

[Paula2]

I think I've mixed up my fish sizes - whoops!! For some reason I was thinking they were smaller... Are there small cichlids that would suit or will we have to go back to our plan of other fish (tetras etc) arrrghh well..

it's 10 inches wide.. / 26 cm..

How about a 183cm x 36cm? Or does it need to be a wider tank than that? I read length was the important one (but OK, I agree slim tank is taking that too far )

 

[Paula2]

OK, I must be going mad... I was thinking these guys were smaller... whoops!

I'd love a tank with mouthbrooders, they have such amazing behaviour. Will wait and set up a good sized tank for them

 

[Paula2]

I've seen 'longer is better' so that fish can get away from each other and out of sight etc..

If we had a single species tank would this be such an issue?

We've got the perfect spot for a 3 x 1.5 x 1.5 ft tank in the loungeroom, we'd plan on 1 male + females.. if we set it up with lots of rocky hidey holes etc, would this be a suitable size?

TIA

Paula

 

[BiffMalawi]

Definitely I think you could have 2 male and 8-10 female Labs in there. Lots of rocks, over filter and 40% water change every week and your set. You'll love labs.

 

[Paula2]

Woo hoo!!!

Thanks, this is the plan for our next tank... and then we're planning a bigger tank for sometime next year.. (but that's another post )