4x4x2 is still tiny im just busting your chops but honestly you wont be able to house them for life.. maybe 2 intermedia or possibly 2 monos... tanks never seem to be big enough.. and yess i agree parents can be a damper... i had a 550g that i got for free with everything..drilled, full wet dry, pumps, wooden canopy, wooden stand, ect.. well it sat in my backyard for a whole summer and they wouldnt let me bring it in the house because of weight issues i sold it before winter fell upon us. i plan on making or getting one made in my basement in the near future.
realy i read a post some where that a 4x4x2 is a great size for p bass. what about a 5x5x2 i will most likly make it a plywood tank though. i much rather have a square tank.
garf tanks are great as long as they dont leak. longer and wider the better.. square tanks arent that great for cichla unless there like 8x8 IMO or extremely large.. your going to want a long tank so that they swim along the glass and you can really see there color... if your keeping monos and orinos a 6+ x 4 x whatever would prob be perfect this is all my opinion.. if you ask the fish im sure he would tell 30 feet by 30 feet and it must have 20 automatic feeders that go off every 10 minutes