Cichlids in a 35 gallon tank?

[TheKingOfDaFishes]

I have a custom-made aquarium that is L shaped. It's 36" long, 12" wide, and 12" high. It's 5 sq feet with lots of aquascaping. I am wondering if that even though it holds few gallons if the square footage would allow me to keep at least a few lake Malawi cichlids and if so how many (about) It has two 250 gph canister filters I made with two buckets, a hose, filter media and a strainer. I'm not sure exactly which kinds of cichlids yet because I am planning on finding some people who are selling or giving away young ones on here that will get no larger than 5-6"

 

[TheKingOfDaFishes]

Anyone??? No ideas?

 

[Fish on Fire]

Should be fine with that footprint.

I'd prefer to turn it into a shelldweller/ calvus tank though.

 

[TheKingOfDaFishes]

Should be fine with that footprint.

I'd prefer to turn it into a shelldweller/ calvus tank though.

Would small Central American cichlids be better? I know some of those stay small.

 

[heavyhitter]

Convicts, jewels, keyhole, rams, blue acaras. Many cool apistogramma fish, and aquidens.

Not new world but kribensis and jewels. I wouldnt mix ritftlakes with Central/South Ameicans

 

[Fish on Fire]

Would small Central American cichlids be better? I know some of those stay small.

If you want multiple cichlids, Africans would be the way to go in a tank that size.

 

[Fish on Fire]

Check this out:

 

[duanes]

That size tank is a mere puddle, @ 20 gallons.
Only the smallest cichlids are suitable.
I agree with the suggestion of shell dwellers.
The only Central American I can think of for that size tank would be a pair of Archocentrus nanoluteus, and they are pushing my idea of the envelope.
And the only S Americans suitable would be dwarfs like Rams, and Apistos.
I usually consider 10 gallons per inch of adults fish, I don't mean the number of fish but mean for example a pair of 2 inch cichlids per 20 gallons as adults, or 2 or 3 Ten inch fish per 100 gallons.
nanoluteus below

 

[Danny Danh]

I have a 7" King Kamfa in a 35G, he's happy.

 

[Wiggie]

I have a custom-made aquarium that is L shaped. It's 36" long, 12" wide, and 12" high. It's 5 sq feet with lots of aquascaping. I am wondering if that even though it holds few gallons if the square footage would allow me to keep at least a few lake Malawi cichlids and if so how many (about) It has two 250 gph canister filters I made with two buckets, a hose, filter media and a strainer. I'm not sure exactly which kinds of cichlids yet because I am planning on finding some people who are selling or giving away young ones on here that will get no larger than 5-6"

Calvus would be great in that tank, are slow growers, and wont get over 4-5". Also you can combine different types. I would not combine Calvus and Shellie's though as Shellie's are such prolific breeders and calvus are predators. Their snouts are perfect for sucking those fry right up out of rock work and shells. So you'd have a lot of fighting going on eventually with a combination like that. Or if you JUST did Shellie's that'd be cool. But it sounds like youre looking for something bigger. Good luck!