minimum tank sizes for most New Worlds

[Ben]

Here is going to be an absolute minimum tank size list. I have collected information from other forums and sites, hope you like

New World Cichlids
AngelFish - 20-30gal, is the absalute minimum, no lower then that, and the tank hight has to be 18 inches or higher because if the long fins of this magnificant fish.

Covicts-At least a 10g for one and at least a 20g for a pair. Convicts max out at about 6"

Dovii-The wolf cichlid. One of the largest and meanest...at least a 180g is in order for a single male specimen.

Demon Fish - 75gal for the bare, bare minimum

Discus - 55gal or higher is needed for a small shoal.

Dwarf Cichlids (i.e rams)- for one a 10-15g, for a pair a 20 gal is the minimum

Festae-If you have the true Red Terror then a 75g is needed.

Firemouths-20g long single or pair

Flowerhorn-It truly depends on what strain you got it and whether or not it's a male or female. If it's a female at least a 55g for most. If it's a male then you MUST get a 75g.

Green Terror-At least a 75g, Green Terrors can and do get up to 14"

Jack Dempseys-At least a 30g for and a 55 for a pair. However, Jack Dempseys do take a while to grow to 8", some 10"

Jaguar Cichlid(Managuense)-No matter what you're gonna need a 75g, if it's a male I would say a 100g is going to be needed.

Midas Cichlid-ABSOLUTE minimum is a 75g, 90g are preferred as pure Midas tend to get up to 14"+

Oscar-75g IS THE ABSOLUTE MINIMUM!

Peacock bass - If you get a Ocellaris or Monoculus you must have at LEAST at a 240g tank waiting.

Rainbow cichlids-20g Long for a pair or single

Red Devil-75g is preferred...they max out at around 12". If you have a female you possibly could get away with a 55g.

Severum-30g long (3 foot) for one, 55g for a pair

Texas- A 75g. 'nuff said.

Trimac - These get big and thick. A 75g is needed.

Uaru-same as severums

Uro(fake red terror)-A 55g is a must.

Please add more or correct me if i have left something out or made a mistake

 

[Vegan Peaches]

what about angelfish?

 

[Ben]

woops, forgot them,

added them now

 

[Tempestuousfury]

Might want to also include info on breeding/ pair tanks.

 

[juanveldez]

DD your info is wrong on the tank sizes for the Dovii and the Festae, the dovii only needs a 180 for a single male while you can very comfortably house a single male festae in a 75 since on average they only get to be 15 inches. now for a pair yes a 240 would be best. I would also add that female gold suams only get to be about 8 inches and can be housed in a 55, as can a pair of true green terrors as the males only get to be about the same size.

oh and EDIT: the Urophtalmus is actually AKA the myan cichlid
the way to tell them apart from a festae which they resemble is in two ways on by the barring, not always reliable, and two by the spot at the base of the tail, a festaes spot only comes down half way from the top while a myans covers the whole base.

 

[jaywings19]

Hey... Discus are NW Cichlids too.

I'd say Discus minimum is 50G US allowing at least 10-15 per adult Discus.

 

[Doggfather]

Just a suggestion:

You may want to add some common name for each fish, for example, not many people new to fish and cichlids ,ay not know a ram is a dwarf cichlid

good work

 

[Ben]

thanx for the suggestions guys

 

[Dwarfs]

Rainbow cichlids-20g Long for a pair or single
Firemouths-20g long single or pair
Bolivian rams-15g for pair
Apistogramma-10g for one, 20g reg for a male and his females
Severum-30g long (3 foot) for one, 55g for a pair
Uaru-same as severums

 

[Vip]

I will stress this point as well, its not so much of the size with new world cichlids but its the Territory issue as well, the main reason you cant put 2 oscars in a 75g is because they will fight over tank space even if they were brought up in the tank as babies.

 

[Doggfather]

Here is going to be an absolute minimum tank size list. I have collected information from other forums and sites, hope you like

It would be a good idea to give credit to the sites you got all this information off after all, we don't want this site getting in any legal troubles.

 

[Ben]

  Here is going to be an absolute minimum tank size list. I have collected information from other forums and sites, hope you like

It would be a good idea to give credit to the sites you got all this information off after all, we don't want this site getting in any legal troubles.

dont worry, ive asked people if i could use the information an i got alot of it from my genral knowledge and books i have

 

[juanveldez]

I agree with dogg in that while you may have gotten permission from the authors to use their info it probably would have been better to give them some of the credit DD, other than that it is a good post imo and something that we can work on here on TFF to get a good idea of the min tank space needed for many of these fish. VIP brings up another good point in that the reason that many of these fish need such large tanks is because of territory issues. lets not get into a debate as to who wrote what lets get this post back on track and work on ways to improve this list in a way that would be benifical to all members and so that it can be cleaned up/ edited and pinned.

 

[Ben]

yeh thats the point, to give newbies information and a good start to Nw's.

But if i give the site where i got it from it would probably be removed because its a forum, i can put up the books i got it from though

 

[mwm]

Convict pair doesnt need a 33galllon tank