What To Do With Small Tank?

[irvs]

hi all im going to strip down my planted community tank and set up a cichlid tank. Though my biggest problem is the tanks size, its only 60L (tetratec) is it going to be possible to set up with such a small tank??? Also what species of cichlid could i use?

Thanks neil

 

[fatheadminnow]

Unfortunately that tank is too small for any Malawi or mbuna species.

I would say the only couple species you could keep in there is a either a pair of Kribensis, or some Blue Rams.

-FHM

 

[irvs]

iI was expecting that answer. i would love a pair of rams real beautiful fish. Anything else cichlid wise i could keep

Thanks neil

 

[demasonisrule]

shell dwelers, such as Neolampragus multificatus, N. brevis, etc. They may not be as pretty but they make up for it in behavior and personality.

 

[jacko32]

most dwarfs like apistogrammas or red breasted acara

 

[kiriyama]

As demasonisrule suggested, a small group of shell dwellers would work in that size tank, small fish big personalities

 

[kelly528]

Dario Dario and Badis Badis are some other really cool nano fish.... they look and breed like cichlids (in fact I think they are related?) and only top an inch. Very cool fish; even if you don't plan on keeping them they're worht a look.

 

[AdAndrews]

As others have suggested, go with shell dwellers. I currently keep n.multifasciatus in my 18" tank.

 

[jacko32]

shell dwellers are all good for those of you who have hard water but what about the people who have soft water

 

[AdAndrews]

shell dwellers are all good for those of you who have hard water but what about the people who have soft water

you can harden it.

 

[kiriyama]

You can buy special sand, but after following AdAndrews guidance and a few other cichlid guys, I use some ocean rock or tufa rock, I even put some coral gravel in a media bag to buffer the pH, very hardy fish.. very easy to keep

 

[irvs]

Thanks everyone for the great feed back, this reall is such a great forum for help and ideas. I never even concidered shell dwellers, time to start the research (god im such a nerd). Im really looking foward to the change as i kept a community tank a good few years ago and this one just really got me back into the hobby again, time to strp up to a new challange.

Would anyone have any good advice or good web pages i could reed up on that would be a great start?

thanks again neil.

 

[kiriyama]

If you do fancy shellies rather than apistos then have a look here......
http/www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/category.php?cat=14
http/www.cichlidrecipe.com/shellweb/shell_intro.htm
http/www.duboisi.com/forum/
http/www.shelldwellers.com/
http/www.gcca.net/fom/Neolamprologus_multifasciatus.htm
http/tropicalfishfinder.co.uk/stores_productsinfo.asp?store=54&prod=1815
http/www.tropicalfish.org.uk/index.htm

Happy hunting and have fun....

 

[irvs]

Thanks soo much for the info everyone, especially kiriyama for the websites.

neil