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I want to start a small (20 high) African tank. I've got the tank running with a PH of about 8.0 (I could buffer it higher) and relatively fine substrate (the name escapes me but it's basicallly a crushed shell/coral, but not quite sand).

I need some suggestions for relatively common and relatively colorful species I could put in such a small tank. My LFSs don't know their heads from a hole in the wall but they have a good selection so please suggest things it is likely they would carry. I spent like half an hour waiting for their African Cichlid "expert" to get back from a break and he tried to tell me that Pseudotropheus would be good!

check out this link

http://www.cichlidrecipe.com/cichlidrecipe/crp22.htm

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Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

Haha, thanks. I was reading through that site but I was only up to page 20 :-)

It seems like the reccomendations he has would lead to a massively overstocked tank though. I understand that this is not necessarily a bad thing with africans, but his 20 gallon reccomendation yields 40-60 inches of fish! Is that really correct?

You can also check this link

As far as the first link I wonder if they're suggesting 6-8 cichlids to start with and waiting to see if any pair up?

I personally don't keep other fish such as danios or tetras in my Tang tanks.

My #1 recommendation would be a shellie tank

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There is water at the bottom of the ocean

would deffinetly recommend a specie only tank with whatever you decide. not gona be much room for visiters to run to. 20 high is a tough tank to work with. small foot print and not much water volume to lose to rock formations.

i would have to agree on a shellie tank, possably a pair of brichardi. the smaller versions. unfortently both of these suggestions are tangs and dont have much of a color compared to some of the malawi africans.im no expert and havent really researched them you would have to look...maybe lelupi ? small shelldweller that has a ton of color.

sorry its early ill try to help some more in a couple hrs when my other eye opens hehhe.

how about a pair od ps demansonii they are fairly small and fun to watch.

Gibson SG you know you want one!!

Thanks for the replies so far - keep em coming

Theresa: Uhh did you get the link on that one right?

I was thinking Shellies as well. I'm fine with doing a species tank. Brichardi have a nice body shape but definitely not the level of color I like to see (I really like blue)

Re: Ps. Demansoni - very nice looking but I think I would pretty much have to have either 1 male alone or a tank full of females. Given that I'd be buying juvies - I'm not sure this would really work. Everything I have read kind of has me thinking that the entire Pseudotropheus genus is off limits in such a small tank.

Fixed the link, sorry...I have no idea where that came from

Shellies shellies shellies

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There is water at the bottom of the ocean

Theresa - that link is much better :-)

So I went out tonight and got a pair of L. Ocellatus. They are just so cute! One settled right in on the biggest shell and is guarding if fiercely. The other is Just kind of sitting listlessly at the other end of the tank but hopefully (s)he will perk up soon and turn out ot be a girl.

I'm thinking that based on the reccomendation of that site, once the tank cycles I would like to add a pair of T. brichardi and... something to occupy the upper regions of the tank. Not sure what yet.

how about tang. shell dwellers?

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