Cichlids in a 20 Gallon long?

[JCrizz]

I have been looking into what I want to do with my 20 gallon long tank after I get rid of the Platys. I was considering cichlids, but know that they typically need more room than that. I figured I would pick y'alls brains to see if you thought there were any that might thrive in that size tank. It would be a species only tank if I went that route. Thanks in advance!

[mnemenoi]

Rift Lake - Many of the Shelldwellers from Tanganyika could work in that set up. Usually they are broken into 3 groups. 1. Communal (multifasciatus, similis, brevis) they do best in that set up and males can be a bit aggressive to each other, but tolerate females and fry. 2. Ornatipinnis groups (Golds, Blacks, Pearly, stappersi, and a few other oddballs) Highly aggressive and will attack each other males or females and will eat each others fry. You could do a single pair in a tank that size with enough hardscape to buffer between the two. They attack you hands when put in the tank. 3. Mud dwellers (Lepidiolamprologines) Much larger shellies that are a bit too large for a 20.

South Americans - Checkerboards, Curviceps, Apistogrammas would all be well suited with a pair in a SA style tank with tetras as dithers and maybe some small cories.

West Africans - Kribs would be your easiest bet and I usually recommend them at a 30. Kept with just the pair it could work with enough wood hardscape and lightly planted.

[ptran]

Small shellies got my vote.

[ptran]

Hongi Sweden, male max out at 2.5". (I have lots of fry for sale )

[JCrizz]

Pics? Can pm me too if there's a lot. Looking at the other ones now

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[morpheus]

not much else to say, but roy's reply was pretty detailed. i was going to vote for some shellie species as well, or kribs. the apistos can get some really nice color too

[mnemenoi]

There are actually quite a few more, but most would need a tad bigger tank (like a 29/30) Dwarf Crenicichla (dwarf Pikes) are really overlooked and can be cool. Festivums are usually chill and do best in a single cichlid species type set up. There are the Goldeneyes from West Africa, also the Zebra Acaras and Krobias. There are quite a few other dwarfs from SA, but we rarely see them here and they can be a bit costly. Rams (Bolivian are the easier species to manage) are an option as well.

[troy tucker]

I was going to say mikrogeo. but Roy did. Like their bigger family members. They love to sift sand.

[ptran]

Why not guppies? LOL

[ptran]

Pics? Can pm me too if there's a lot. Looking at the other ones now

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Check out some photo here:

http://www.houstonfishbox.com/vforums/showthread.php?67872-Rare-Hongi-Sweden-Breeders&highlight=hongi

I have to warn you that they will breed more than rabbits.

[morpheus]

everything you have seems to breed like rabbits....

[JCrizz]

What do you guys think of Brichardi?

[ptran]

everything you have seems to breed like rabbits....

LOL. Thanks. Just my luck to have good breeder. Even the guppies I just got are having babies.

[ptran]

What do you guys think of Brichardi?

Maybe just a breeding pair. If you envision a group of 10 adults (2M8F), I think 20g would be too small for them.

[morpheus]

i agree with ptran. if you had only one pair it might be ok, but they breed fast and need their space to spread. you get to truly see the multi-generation colony in larger tanks