Just set up our first aquarium...

[luvmyfish]

On Monday we set up a 20 gallon aquarium and have added all the items needed. Thermo., filter, gravel, rocks, and chemicals to start. About how long do we wait until we can add small starter fish? My fiance wants to get African chiclids. (I know that is probably spelled wrong sorry). Does anyone have those?

 

[Andi]

mm starter fishies, I'm in love with these, currently have 5 cycling my new 33g tank

pristella maxillris, aka x-ray fish

 

[cryosi]

i went into lfs for a few of them today completly sold out! yet they were full the day before go figure

 

[StiX]

Andi beat u to em!

 

[semper fi]

have to be more specific on the african cichlids luv. there are malawi, tangs, victorians, mbuna and non mbuna. various species in each category. what kind were you thinking of?

maggie

 

[Great Lakes]

Tiffany, seeing as how this is your first tank, are you sure you will be happy with a couple cichlids? I ask this because most of us couldn't resist overstocking our first tank. You will be able to keep 12 to 15 nice community fish, or 2 or 3 cichlids, see why I ask?

You can always get more tanks though....

 

[semper fi]

oh come on now gl. my first tank was no way overstocked! thrity cichlids african south american picked out for their colors in an 85 gallon hex?

 

[Great Lakes]

Semper, it would all depend on what kind she liked. You wouldn't put 10 red devils in a 20 would you???

 

[icefins]

well i would go with with a pair of jacks but then you would have to get a bigger tank so i would go with the africans.

 

[Great Lakes]

Luvmyfish, I'm moving this to Cichlid Heaven for you. The Mods there will see it easier, and help you out.

 

[mostanks]

lets see 20g tank,is a 20 long or hi?
not much you can fit in there,your best bet are proly some shellies

http/www.fishindex.com/phpinfo//8/1-1//3002

http/www.vatoelvis.com/L_ocellatus.html

they are called shell dwellers from lake taganyika,they stay under 3"s and will do pretty well in a 20g.

what's your ph like in that tank?

 

[reef3]

wow a 20? i wouldnt bother putting cichlids in there, they get to big, but even if you do put 2 or 3, the strongest one will make the other one MISSERABLE, so its bets to have cichlids in groups of 6 or 7 at least, for a 20 i reccoment, tiger barbs, gouramis, and other bigger tetras

 

[cichlidmaster]

I disagree, reef,
There are many cichlids that can be housed in a 20 long quite well.....

CM

 

[reef3]

sure, but they arent no peacoks or haps or even mbunas!

 

[cichlidmaster]

There again...I disagree,

A trio of peacocks can be housed in a 20 long, depending on the type of peacock it is.

As I am sure you know, some peacocks only reach an adult size of 4" for the males and 3-3.5" for the females.

One other aspect is Luvmyfish did not specify WHAT type of cichlid they were interested in so making a blanket statement that they won't work is not really correct!!!

CM