So, if you have an 8-inch cichlid, you could fit 2 of them in a gallon tank, but 3 would be pushing it. Keep in mind that these fish are territorial and aggressive, so the more space you can give them, the better, especially if you are keeping multiple cichlids in the same tank.
At the very least, 2 gallons of water per inch of fish is needed, but somewhere between 3 and 3. We want to remind you that the above is a rule of thumb, but not all cichlids are the same.
Ok, so there are lots of different kinds of cichlids out there, with some growing to just 1 inch in length, and some rarer ones making it all the way to 30 inches in length. Keep in mind that here we are going to provide you with the recommended or ideal tank size for each species, not the minimum size! This type will grow to around 5 inches in length and should have around 55 gallons of space to feel comfortable.
This type will grow to around 6 inches in length and requires roughly 50 gallons of water per fish. There is also a red zebra cichlid which grows to 5 inches and does well in the same 50 gallons. This species of cichlid will grow to a maximum of 7 inches in length and needs around 55 gallons of space per fish.
This one will grow to around 5 inches in length, and it requires about 55 gallons of tank space to be comfortable. Keep in mind that yellow, red, and albino peacock cichlids are 3 different species. This is one of the large ones for home aquariums and it can grow to 8 inches long. Ideally, it should have a tank of 70 gallons. This is another type of this fish that will grow to around 5 inches long and requires about 50 gallons.
This dark blue and black cichlid is one of the smaller ones, coming in at 3 inches. The minimum tank size here is about 25 gallons, but ideally somewhere closer to 50 is recommended. This is another big guy, one that can grow to around 10 inches in length and it needs around 70 gallons of tank volume to be truly happy. This is another one that will grow to around 6 inches and requires 55 gallons of water to be happy.
Although this species grows to only 6 inches, it should have roughly 70 gallons of tank space. This is one of the bigger ones out there, coming in at up to 15 inches and requiring around 70 gallons of tank space, ideally. These guys will only grow to 4 inches in length but ideally should have about 50 gallons of space. Once again, there are several dozen additional species other than the ones we have covered here, but these do tend to be some of the most commonly purchased and most popular ones.
As we mentioned before, these are not the easiest fish to care for and there are a few things that you should know about them before making a purchase. Your average cichlid will live to be about 10 years old, so be aware that you are making a pretty big commitment here. Cichlids need a whole lot of space. With their personalities and physical traits, Cichlid tanks should be stocked with no more than one inch of fish for every two gallons at minimum , or even one inch for every three gallons for a healthier environment.
This measurement should take into account the size of your Cichlids as fully grown adults and not their current size if they are younglings or juveniles. That will provide them with plenty of room as adults, reducing their stress levels which helps with their aggression and resistance to disease.
Keeping in mind one inch of fish for every three gallons of water will help to negate the loss of volume due to other equipment, hiding places, and substrate in the Cichlid tank. This dwarf variety reaches 3. Even in a tank with many decorations and hiding spots, you could keep from four to six in your Cichlid tank.
The African Peacock can grow between four and seven inches as adults. These fish form schools in the wild and will appreciate more open space in your Cichlid tank. Keeping two fish is ideal, but with proper filtration, you could keep up to four of these in your 55 gallon aquarium. The Buffalo Head is smaller variety that reaches 4.
They are peaceful in nature when compared to many other species you could house in your Cichlid tank. Our suggestion would be to keep no more than four in your 55 gallon aquarium. This large variety can reach over nine inches in length. Due to their size, you should keep no more than two in a highly filtered Cichlid tank it may be even better to house them in something larger than a 55 gallon African Cichlid tank, to begin with.
Reaching five to six inches in length when fully grown, the highly aggressive Zebra Mbuna should not be kept in a 55 gallon aquarium with other species that are more docile. We would recommend no more than three in your Cichlid tank, with two being an ideal number. With a maximum size of five inches, the convict cichlid can bully fish larger than themselves. If your Cichlid tank will include this species, avoid adding more docile cousins to prevent compatibility issues.
Up to three Convicts can be housed in a 55 gallon tank easily, four if you push it. The Firemouth Cichlid grows up to six inches. This species is known for its unique and fragile jaw structure. Due to their weak jaw, it is best to keep them in their own Cichlid tank.
A pair of Firemouth are perfect for a 55 gallon aquarium, but you could add a third with strong filtration. The German Blue Ram is a cichlid reaching just two inches in adulthood.
This dwarf variety hails from the Orinoco River Basin. They are highly territorial, however, and should be housed in pairs with plenty of space provided in your 55 gallon tank.
If you follow the 1 inch of maximum fish size per gallon rule, we are way over at 40' of adult-sized fish. Some hobbyists crowd fish to reduce aggression; the idea being that with many fish, none are able to secure a territory, and therefore they fight less. That's not working in our tank, as we are seeing physical aggression.
Equipment needed:. The largest tank that you can afford, and find space for at least 29 gallons. Hood for tank with light. Thermometer 72 - 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
Some can be adjusted. Supplies Needed:. Aquarium bacteria Found in products like Tetra's SafeStart. Water conditioner. Water is usually has a pH of around 7. We live in Michigan and have alkaline well water, so do not have to do much pH adjustment. Net for catching fish. Cleaning Tank. Be sure to check new water for chlorine and use chlorine neutralizer if necessary, before adding the water to the tank. Also make sure that new water is a similar temperature to the tank water.
Remove all plastic plants and "furniture" from tank to make it easier to vacuum the gravel. It is easiest to put these in a bucket while cleaning the tank.
Do not change filter every time you clean the tank. This would remove important bacteria. Just rinse the filter off is on old tank water you remove from the tank. Supplies Needed for Cleaning:. For a detailed description of proper cichlid tank cleaning, with information by tank size and number of fish, see African Cichlid Tank Maintenance at Dan's African Cichlid Site.
Feeding African Cichlids. What To Feed: There are many different kinds of food appropriate for cichlids. Floating cichlid pellets are the main staple food I feed. Using floating pellets gives the fish more time to eat before the food falls to bottom of tank, and makes leftover pellets easy to remove.
Cichlids also like greens, such as spinach, occasionally, as well as dried animal foods, such as shrimp. How Much to Feed: We feed our cichlids a little food twice a day, morning and evening. Only give them food as long as they are voraciously going after it. Overfeeding can lead to health problems such as bloat. Livingson spotted and Red Zebra orange cichlids separated by plexiglass divider. Note Zebra's open mouth threat display.
These guys don't care for each other. The general rule for selecting a tank size is "the larger the better.
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