how many african cichlids should i put in a 30 gal tank? Id like to overcrowd the tank but im not sure how.?

Question

I've heard of overcrowding a tank so that the fish will not be territorial but Id like to know how many fish I should put into the tank and what to do and look out for when trying to accomplish this.

Answer 1

6 is perfect!

Answer 2

Overcrowding african cichlids can work to help prevent territorial disputes but it's risky. The problem that can occur is if one fish or one species is significantly more aggressive than the others in the tank they will be hostile no matter what and will eventually kill the weakest in the tank. Then will kill the next weakest and so on until the over crowding is thinned out and it can claim a territory and that will be the end of many other fish in the tank.

I really wouldn't suggest it unless you have considerable knowledge of african cichlids and can select just the perfect species. Frankly it's a ticking time bomb just waiting for one fish to get sick or die.

MM

Answer 3

If you like cichlids you could go to the german ram or most ram variety they are a lot more docile then other cichlids and dont get anywhere as big they go well with neon tetras etc and are trully a beautiful fish most cichlids get about 12" long so you would have to upgrade the 30 gallon with only one fish. The only down fall with rams is they are a very picky fish they require soft water and a very cycled tank but trust me you will be rewarded in the long run

Answer 4

Seriously - I agree with Sam, it depends on the cichlid you go with. Some cichlids don't grow very large (electric yellows, red zebras, etc) while others (Frontosas, Budas, Oscars, Red Devils, and many others) will grow to be MUCH larger than a 30 gallon can accomodate!

Here's a thought: If you have a 30-gallon only and really enjoy the looks of a certain fish that cannot live as an adult in the 30-gallon, see if you have a local store that will give you credit for trade-ins. I had a small 55-gallon South American tank setup in my bedroom to raise South American cichlids only. I'd buy them as fry (and sometimes a little larger) and when they got too big for the tank, I'd trade them in for a nice store credit and start the process over again. The pet store I worked with LOVED this idea - it allowed them to sell more mature fish to hobbyists. :)

Of course, you may have to prove yourself in the aquatic community before a fish store will work out this type of deal with you...but you gotta start somewhere!!

Answer 5

What you really need to do if you have an interest in doing this properly is research species and then make sure you choose something appropriate. The majority of African's are too big or aggressive for the tank. (of course, Africans consist of fish from less then an inch long to two feet long, and can have very different behaviours and needs).

Most people, when they speak of 'Africans', are referring to Malawi cichlids.

I would recommend Pseudotropheus Saulosi if you can get them. They're small and not too aggressive, you can keep a group of about 6 (1m 5 f or 2m 4f) and the males and females are completely different colours.

Iodotropheus Sprengerae (Rusty) is a unique coloured mbuna that is very mild and also suitable. You can keep 5 or 6 of these guys as well, or a trio with a trio of Lab Caerueleus (Electric Yellow). You can also keep a group of 6 Caeruleus.

Demasoni is a very small, but very aggressive cichlid. You can keep them in this tank, but not with other fish, and they must be kept in a group of at least 10 to control aggression, which means diligent aquarium keeping.

A Trio of most types of Aulonocara (Peacock) will also work out nicely. The plus is they're among the nicest freshwater fish available. The downside is that you need to keep 1 male with 2 females, and females are very plain.

There are also Tanganyikan African cichlids. Many of these guys are small and pair off like new world cichlids, and so can be housed in this tank. They are not meant to be crowded like Malawi's, but given ample space as their territory for a single pair. You can do a pair of brichardi, Leleupi, Caudopunctatus, Julidochromis Regani or Transcriptus, or Alto. Lamprologus. You also have the option of going with two or three pair, a harem, or a colony of shelldwellers (different species of them have different breeding habits).

Go to www.cichlid-forum.com to learn more about them. Best cichlid site I've found.

Answer 6

I used to have cichilds as well. They can grow to be about 4in in len. If you have a standard rectangle shaped tank you can have 2 fish per gallon. So 30x2=60. But you also got to keep in mind they will breed so your best bet would be going with about 10-15 to start with so that way if they breed you will GEt up to 60+. Also you can exchange the fish at your local pet store for other supplies. These fish are very aggressive either way. Just look out for any of the fish literally eating the other fish aline (yes they do that sometimes) that will be the one you have to remove. But you can have up to 60 in the 30 gallon tank.

Answer 7

What species are you keeping? I mean, there are so many African cichlids out there that no one can give you a straight answer without a species name. Shell-dwellers, for example, tend to tolerate a lot more company than other species, and in fact, many species will grow far too large to be contained in just 30 gallons.

Answer 8

I would say 7, so each fish would basically get a little more than 4 gallons to themself, so 7 is not pushing it, but a fair amount for a 30 gallon tank.

Answer 9

8

Answer 10

depends on the size of the fish,and what kind of cichlids .. it all depends generally one per ten gallons is adequate but since you want overcrowding...

Answer 11

Overcrowding is never good.

And it really depends on what type to know how many to put in.


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