Generic Tank Sizes for Cichlids

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For example.....

My 6" dovii takes up every bit of his current 75 gallon that he is growing out in, and he won't be in there much longer before going into his 240 gallon. I wouldn't feel comfortable with a 10" dovii in a 75 gallon.

However, I wouldn't think twice about having a 12" Midas in a 75 gallon.

I think you really have to tale species into account. You really can't have a chart like this. It's going to give people new to aquarium keeping the wrong idea IMHO.
 
fishman09 said:
i completely agree. but a 10" fish in a 12" wide tank still isnt right.
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It isn't. I was just saying what people recommend for those fish. None of my tanks are 12" wide to begin with lol so I can't really talk

And seedubs1 thats another good point. A 10" JD that hides all day won't need the same space as a 10" Umbee that spends all day swimming around.
 
So why in your tank list do you recommend a small cichlid up to 6" in a tank the is 6x it's length and 3x its length for width.

Yet when the fish gets twice the size 12-13" you want to reduce the tanks length to 4x the fish and width only 2x the fish?


BTW a 40b has more swimming area then a standard 55g and would be better suited for a larger fish.
 
Bderick67 said:
So why in your tank list do you recommend a small cichlid up to 6" in a tank the is 6x it's length and 3x its length for width.

Yet when the fish gets twice the size 12-13" you want to reduce the tanks length to 4x the fish and width only 2x the fish?


BTW a 40b has more swimming area then a standard 55g.
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good point. i was trying to keep it to comfortable sizes without going nuts cause the 6" fish in the 40b is the same a 20" dovii in a 10'x5' footprint when you look at the length to width ratio. and on the 40b/55 i like the extra height on the 55 and the extra foot in length vs the 40 accomadating a larger fish. just my opinion
 
But yet you trash the ratio when you put the 13" fish in a 48 x 24" If your going to post something such as this at least have some consistency.

Though IMO your tank recommendations are not practical at all.
 
Bderick67 said:
But yet you trash the ratio when you put the 13" fish in a 48 x 24" If your going to post something such as this at least have some consistency.

Though IMO your tank recommendations are not practical at all.
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thanks i wasnt really trying to make it a mathematical equation when i put this up. i do appreciate the opinion though but id like to know what you mean by not pracrtical at all?
 
My personal rule of thumb for bigger cichlids is take the length of the fish, go 5-6 times that for the length of the tank and double that for the width--roughly.

12" fish=around 72x24" footprint.
16" fish=around 96x30" footprint.

Some might disagree, this is just my personal goal for fishkeeping. Just bought a 72x30x24" for my male black belt that's around 12".
 
aclockworkorange said:
My personal rule of thumb for bigger cichlids is take the length of the fish, go 5-6 times that for the length of the tank and double that for the width--roughly.

12" fish=around 72x24" footprint.
16" fish=around 96x30" footprint.

Some might disagree, this is just my personal goal for fishkeeping. Just bought a 72x30x24" for my male black belt that's around 12".
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thats awesome for your blackbelt. thats more of the direction on tank sizes that i like to see out there. someday id like to stay away from the whole "minimum" idea but i need some more cash. is the blackbelt gonna be solo?
 
No, not solo. Gonna shoot for a few tank mates and see how it goes. So far in six months he hasn't shown any aggression ever to any fish other than his female--I recently rehomed her. He's housed with 4 freddies 3-6" and a lone cutteri male 5" at the moment in a 125. Only aggression in the tank is between the largest Freddy and the cutteri, but they've mellowed out lately.
I have a 60x18x18" sump under the 225 to house any fish that might have an issue and plenty of places to re-home anything that doesn't work.
 
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