Just Started A Cichlid Tank

[reiben]

Hey all, I used to post on this forum a lot a while ago (about a year) .. before I moved but now im pretty much settled in and ready to start collecting again. I have a 26 acyrillic hexagon tank and ive decided to try with some african cichlids. My PH is 7-8 .. good for cichlids, water temp about 78 also. I have smashed coral to buff the PH up, and I just went today to LFS and bought rocks ect. becuase Ive heard that Cichlids adapt with the rocks better. I am going tomorrow to buy some starter fish. I heard that there very teritorial so the LFS owner told me to put roughly like 25 in the 26 gallon tank to avoid aggression of territory. Any advice/tips/hints that any of you could give me before I start my cichlid journey again Thanks everyone its good to be back B)

 

[Ginge]

Hey all, I used to post on this forum a lot a while ago (about a year) .. before I moved but now im pretty much settled in and ready to start collecting again. I have a 26 acyrillic hexagon tank and ive decided to try with some african cichlids. My PH is 7-8 .. good for cichlids, water temp about 78 also. I have smashed coral to buff the PH up, and I just went today to LFS and bought rocks ect. becuase Ive heard that Cichlids adapt with the rocks better. I am going tomorrow to buy some starter fish. I heard that there very teritorial so the LFS owner told me to put roughly like 25 in the 26 gallon tank to avoid aggression of territory. Any advice/tips/hints that any of you could give me before I start my cichlid journey again Thanks everyone its good to be back B)

First peice of advice slam on the breaks and slow down.
No way this advice is all wrong. You cant keep african cichlids in that i dont think. At most maybee 6 yellow labs. In that tank imagine 25 6" fish no fish can be more than (at most) 18" away from another. I wouldnt dream of putting 25 in my 55G 4ft tank. Iw would be best for you to change the tank type around and head for another type. Sorry for sounding harsh.

Shellies and kribs will be ok in that tank.

 

[Ferris]

Yep, thats some really bad advice you've had there by the sounds of it . The tank is too small for Mbuna or any Malawi's IMO. Shelldwellers from lake Tanganyika would be an option or a pair of kribs as Ginge suggested.

 

[fish_r_great]

I'd say shellies which will stay on the bottom and some dithers such as white clouds for the top.