Hello, I have a 3 inch female Cuban cichlid in a 30 gallon that’s pretty feisty and can’t really be housed with much than really fast non cichlid fish, I wanna set her up in a forever tank and I have a spare 45 laying around I could set up for her because I don’t think female Cubans get bigger than 5 inches or so, wondering if anyone knew what to expect for max size on a female Cuban?
How big do female Cuban cichlids get?
- Thread starter anzo1993
- Start date
It should be fairly obvious, that tetracanthus being the only endemic cichlid in its habitat, (as are other normally non-community oriented lone habitat species, such as M beanii, or N haitiensus) that trying to house it with other cichlids is usually not advisable especially in a tank that is barely the size of a puddle.
The female I kept was not full grown at 5".
Her mate, in the shot below was slightly larger than 10"
The pair shared a 125 gal 6 ft tank, and in that tank would tolerate no other cichlids, or for that matter allow no other fish to remain alive.
I would think a lone female would be OK in a 45 gal, as long as enough water changes were performed to keep nitrate levels minimal.
The female I kept was not full grown at 5".
Her mate, in the shot below was slightly larger than 10"
The pair shared a 125 gal 6 ft tank, and in that tank would tolerate no other cichlids, or for that matter allow no other fish to remain alive.
I would think a lone female would be OK in a 45 gal, as long as enough water changes were performed to keep nitrate levels minimal.
Thanks for the advice for now I’ll set up the 45 and if the time comes she reaches 6inch plus I’ll upgrade her
Female Cuban cichlids typically reach a maximum size of around 5 to 6 inches, although individual sizes can vary slightly based on genetics and environmental factors. If you have a 3-inch female, moving her to a 45-gallon tank would be a great idea, providing her with ample space to grow and establish territory. It's important to ensure the tank is well-filtered and decorated with hiding spots, as Cuban cichlids can be territorial and aggressive, especially as they mature. Pairing her with fast, non-cichlid fish is wise to prevent any aggression issues.