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Could i keep African Cichlids in a 29 gallon? If so what are good species to keep and how many? What special requirements do they need? My ph is 7.5. I liked the small electric yellows i saw at my LFS. Thanks.

Excellent, electric yellows are one of the few species you can have. I'd suggest all-electric yellows because other Africans are usually more agressive and a 29 is still a small tank in the big scheme of things.

4-6 is a good number. Decorate with lots of rocks and you're set. 7.5ph is fine

I personally wouldn't do 6. The yellows can get up to 6 inch and 6 in a 29gal is not a lot swimming room when they are grown. If the tank was 35 gal and had the 36" long foot print then I would suggest more. I would keep it at 4 at max. You could also add a pair of synodontis pertricola. They stay small and do not add much to the bio-load.

Try tanganyikan cichlids, mainly the brichardi complex, calvus, compressiceps, shelldwellers, other neolamprologus, cyprichromis.

Do a search on tanganyikan cichlids, theres a huge amount of information out there.

I would never recommend tangs to a beginner. Not only are they expensive as hell for such tiny fish, they're much more fragile than the bulletproof mumbuna.

This is something I don't get and have brought up on several occasions. The person specifically wants yellow labs. Labs are a great idea for the tank considering that they are peaceful, relatively small, cheap, and hardy.

Now, you are saying that he look into fish that are much more complicated, he hasn't expressed interest in, is hard to find, expensive, and much more fragile. Why?

"Could i keep African Cichlids in a 29 gallon?"

Now, you are saying that he look into fish that are much more complicated, he hasn't expressed interest in, is hard to find, expensive, and much more fragile. Why?

Hmm, I dont think he actually stated that he is a beginner, and I wouldnt say he is a beginniner just because he has 33 posts on this forum. We dont know his background on other fish he has kept.

Why do I point him into tangs? Well, he asked for africans, and tangs are basically that. Wether they are more exspensive depends on region. Some stores here sells mbuna $2-9, while I can still find some tangs that would be perfect for his tank, and arent that "fragile" for about $4+, mainly julies, brichardi, some shellies.

I mainly point him to tangs since electric yellows, and I believe most mbuna, wouldnt work in a 29 gallon. 4 Electric yellows would lead to alot of aggression on the females, and at the juvenile stage, it is hard to pick females from males, which may lead to 2 males:2 females, which means alot of aggression.


Grr sorry for all the editing, so many typos and such

Last edited by inkodinkomalinko at 04-Oct-2005 19:43

yeah a 29g is a really small tank for malawi cichlids. There isn't much that can go in there. It's recommended to keep most mbuna in 50g+ tanks anyways due to aggression.

Electric yellows are less aggressive than most mbuna but that doesn't mean that they still aren't aggressive.

You can have 4 Elec.Yellow's (1 male & 3 females), with a sandy subtrate & alot of Rocks, as a background & hiding places.


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i agree with the above. smaller species would be the better choice. Mbuna are hardy and yellow labs are timid in comparison but this doesnt make them a good choie for a 29g. This doesnt mean it couldnt work. with some work and removeing agressive males it could. this would require a bunch of juvies and watching them and deciding which is aggressive and which are males.

i would recommend looking into the smaller species or what might be good is a breeding pair of something. Maybe some brichardi with some nice rock work. i could see a pair of those being happy in a 29g. would be plenty of valume to handle a batch of fry till old enough to remove for sale or donation.

tangs fragile?????????? all the ones I have kept must be unusual......

KRIBS!

I've got a fever... and the only prescription... is more cowbell!

Uh, I think he wanted africans..

kribensis are an african cichlid


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Could i do a pair of Kribs in a 10 gallon? I just acquired a used tank.

Oops! *feels stupid* Im always thinking along the lines of africans as the lakes...

And yes, 10 gallons would work for a pair of young kribs, even though they'd perfer more space (especially when raising young)

Kribs are west african! i'm not stupid!

I've got a fever... and the only prescription... is more cowbell!