Need 8-10" cichlid ideas

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
M

MC4RKiller

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Feb 21, 2016
118
87
31
VA
Just got 2 new 40G breeders...planning on 1 of them to house some EB Acara or an EBJD along with some dithers probably ruby barbs or male rosy barbs.

With that said I would like to devote one of my new spaces to a more "pet like" fish. Looking for something that grows less than 10" but not smaller than 8" and has good personality. I have excellent filtration and waterchanges are not an issue. Not picky if it is SA or CA...just something interesting. I will be ordering online so unusual species are an option.

Things Im already keeping and not interested in more of:
Rainbow cichlids
Discus
Thorichthys
Convicts
Synspillum
Jaguar
Red Devil
Severum
Green Terror
 
To me, nothing larger than a 4" cichlid should be housed in something as small as a 40 breeder. Since it's little more than a puddle, maybe a pair of Herotilapia multispinnossa.
 
  • Like
Reactions: convict360
Interested in a single larger fish only. From what I have read it is acceptable to stock fish in this size range 4X length and 1.5X width of tank. Which would be a 9" fish from my calculations, given my WC regimen and filtration I would be comfortable going up to a 10" fish :)
 
MC4RKiller said:
Interested in a single larger fish only. From what I have read it is acceptable to stock fish in this size range 4X length and 1.5X width of tank. Which would be a 9" fish from my calculations, given my WC regimen and filtration I would be comfortable going up to a 10" fish :)
Click to expand...
The tank is pretty cramped when thats applied to its maximum though. I have a 12" fish in 4' long tank and he completely the dwarfs the tank.
That "4x the length" thing is as good as "a gallon per inch".
 
Well the inch per gallon is pretty unrealistic in the world of cichlids, the 4X length and 1.5X width guideline is at least manageable and reasonable housing for the fish on a long term basis. I have kept many 12" fish in 75G tanks and it is adequate however the smallest I would go for them.
 
I know many people think I'm way too conservative, but those 1" per gallon "rules" and tank sizes where made when most people only kept guppies and neons, and maybe a cichlid the size of an angelfish. Those specifications are not for the kind of cichlids or other fish available today. Any cichlid of 10" or more need a minimum 6'tank.
The rule I use for my own tanks is 10 gallons per inch of adult fish length, and then add height and width to be realistic.
So lets use a pair of Parachromis managuense, an 8-10" female, 12-14" male, for me, I'd probably need at least a 150 gal tank.
In nature a pair like that would probably guard an area of at least 250 gallons.
I've watched 10" JDs in the Cenotes of Mexico guard at least that size area against any of cichlid.
 
40 breeders are excellent tank but much too tight for a 8-10 inch cichlid
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom