How Many Cichlids In This Tank

[ballyclover]

Hi,,
I have a rio 180 40 gallon tank.

Currently stocked with 14 saulousi and jalos...was looking to add more of this type mbuna cichlids. My local shop said about 1 gallon per inch of fish and that mbuna tanks should be over stocked. I d like some more colour and using the calulation if my current fish get to 2" that would still allow me a few more,,, maybe labs...

I run 2 ex1200 filters so ammonia and nitrate should be in check.

Any suggestions or advice

 

[james41683]

what are the dimensions of the tank? the one inch per gallon rule does not apply to african cichlids. 14 full grown fish would definitely be too many for a 40 gallon tank.

 

[DerpPH]

what are the dimensions of the tank? the one inch per gallon rule does not apply to african cichlids. 14 full grown fish would definitely be too many for a 40 gallon tank.

Agreed. The rule should be their minimum tank size plus their waste production=number of fish in the tank. Cichlids need at least 20 gallons with an unholily large ammount of filtration. So you should go 5 gallons per fish. If you can you can always rehome them.

 

[ballyclover]

actually since posting I've had quite a lot of discussion and visited a Mbuna breeder for further advice. It would seem that Length is more important the width, my wife was right.As Mbuna are mainly bottom dwelling fish so height is not that important.
 
There are actually no set in stone numbers for the amount to be kept, 1" per gallon or any other, its down to individual tanks and breeders. Obviously you don't want dead or stressed fish so you would use some common sense and see how it goes.
 
The breeder I saw said the Mbuna tanks should be over stocker to prevent aggression and viewing his tanks, several which were similar in size to mine, I can see I wont have a problem with the numbers I am thinking of.
 
The main problem he points out is Nitrate and ammonia levels due to waste, and advises over filteration, which I already do.
 
So thank you for the advice, but I don't think its an answerable question, rather a guide and a bit of trial and error

 

[DerpPH]

actually since posting I've had quite a lot of discussion and visited a Mbuna breeder for further advice. It would seem that Length is more important the width, my wife was right.As Mbuna are mainly bottom dwelling fish so height is not that important.
 
There are actually no set in stone numbers for the amount to be kept, 1" per gallon or any other, its down to individual tanks and breeders. Obviously you don't want dead or stressed fish so you would use some common sense and see how it goes.
 
The breeder I saw said the Mbuna tanks should be over stocker to prevent aggression and viewing his tanks, several which were similar in size to mine, I can see I wont have a problem with the numbers I am thinking of.
 
The main problem he points out is Nitrate and ammonia levels due to waste, and advises over filteration, which I already do.
 
So thank you for the advice, but I don't think its an answerable question, rather a guide and a bit of trial and error

That may be but the fish need room to grow. Your tank is not overstocked in terms of filtration and waste goes. It is overstocked in terms of size.