Recommendation for a new African cichlid tank.

[Raul]

I am right now doing my fishless cycling my 55g tank, but have decided to go for African cichlids, i had in the past American cichlids but want something different, right now I am probably still 2~3 weeks away to to finish the cycle, so want to start planning on what I am going to get: I got this recommendation from a book, but I am sure i will not be able to find everything but also looking for suggestion, I just do not want fish that will grow that big like on the 6+ inch range I want to have a healthy tank and crowded but safe, knowing (well what I know) this type of fish probably crowded will be good so they become less territorial. Also i have a cheap power head filter and adding an eheim 2215 today, so I think i have good filtration, and i have the heater to keep the water in the ~80F range for them, ph is already at 8+ right out of the faucet.Again this is the list i got by scientific name I think, also which store you recommend.1 trio Protomelas1 trio Aulonocara1 trio Copadichromis1 trio Labidochromis or Cynotilapia4 Neolamprologus (larger species)2 Eretmodus or 1 trio Haplochromis2 Julidochromis (larger species)1 Synodontis Catfish1 medium sized Plecostomus--Raul

[supadave]

Hi and welcome to the Box !! Your going to love this place . First , I would seriously consider more filtration if you plan to keep that many fish . That's quite a few fish in a 55gal. and I just don't think that an Eheim 2215 is going to be enough . If you haven't already bought the Eheim 2215....you may want to consider the Eheim 2217 or better yet...two of them . This way you get a larger filter with more room for bio media , plus if you decide to upgrade your tank in the future....you'll already have a larger filter . Plus , keep in mind that the cost difference between the 2215 and the 2217 is not much at all .

[sountfc]

+1

The haps, protomelas, and copadichromis can all get pretty good sized, and especially if you're doing 1m2f trios, they're going to be looking to spawn and trying to carve out and maintain territories. Even some of the aulonocara can attain a size of 5-6", so I agree that you're crowding them in there with too little filtration. Just something to consider. Smaller mbuna would probably do better in that scenario.

Hi and welcome to the Box !! Your going to love this place . First , I would seriously consider more filtration if you plan to keep that many fish . That's quite a few fish in a 55gal. and I just don't think that an Eheim 2215 is going to be enough . If you haven't already bought the Eheim 2215....you may want to consider the Eheim 2217 or better yet...two of them . This way you get a larger filter with more room for bio media , plus if you decide to upgrade your tank in the future....you'll already have a larger filter . Plus , keep in mind that the cost difference between the 2215 and the 2217 is not much at all .

[Raul]

Thanks for the welcome, and thank you for the info, well I already have the 2215 and the power filter, since I already did the whole investment I will stay like that for a while and scale down the fish count, technically I just got that list from a book so I am not sure really what to get, what will be then a reasonable count of fish for the 55G and if I decide to go for the smaller mbuna which ones are those and what would be a safe number of fish to keep .

[alexrex20]

In a 4ft tank I would recommend smaller fish like most Tanganyikans, or Malawi mbuna. Big fish make any tank look smaller than it really is.

[Raul]

Thanks for the suggestion once the tank is ready I will probably go for those types, where is a good reliable store here in Houston that are well stocked in Cichlids and have knowledgeable personal.