Need Help W/ 20 Gal Set-up

[PoPoV]

Im going to set up a 20 gal Cichlid tank next week. I wanted some advice on fish species that could be kept happily in a 20 gal talk. I wanted to get some Oscars but they will grow to rapidly to be confined in such a small tank. I do want a fish with a very high agression level. But i do know that I am very limited due to tank space. Sorry if its a pretty big newbie question, but i want to keep happy fish, Instead of just setting up a 20 gal and throwing in mixed Cichlids that are not happy. Thanks guys!

 

[Ferris]

The tank is only big enough for you to consider Kribs or Tanganyikan shelldwellers as far as African's go. Mbuna, Haps etc get too big and are far too aggressive for that size tank i'm afraid.

A pair of Kribs would go well in a 20 gal and if you want aggression - they certainly fit the bill.

 

[Murray]

I just came online a couple weeks ago to find out the same question, and i decided on a pair of kribs and they are very very good u can put a pair of them in with a school of tetras and have a happy fun old time

here is a picture of mine

 

[nukeonekitty]

I don't think any LFS are here have kribs because I want a pair in my 20 gal!

 

[PoPoV]

Thanks for all the good info. Im likeing the ides of Kribs. They are very beutiful fish! ill see if my local fish store have any readilly available. Any suggestions on how to set up my 20? as far as substrate, decorations, Plants. etc, all the stuff that would promote to healthy kribs?


p.s. Why Kribs with Tetras

 

[Murray]

i am new to this aswell i just got a pair a few days ago if you want to read my struggles getting a male and a female read the post is this a female krib, i went through 8 fish to get a pair hahahahaa, but thats unusual luck

when selecting ure kribs if they are big enough to sex, get a slightly bigger male than female thats what worked the best for me

as far as why kribs with tetras, well kribs are gonna grow to b3 up to 4 inches so you dont hav4e alot more room in there hwoever u do want some other fihs, i think the term is dither fish? kribs are fairly unagressave but when they lay their eggs other fish better back off, so other bottom dwellers might become a problem, from what i understand anyways.

as far as decorations go, fairly heavily planted with quite a few caves for them to go into, if you get a male and a female they most likely will mate and they do so in caves, i have a clay pot onits side in mine and some other cheap plastic ornaments that act like caves (i am a broke university student rocks are expensive haha)

but yeah pick some up and if your getting young ones get a few of them and wait till two pair up and then remove the rest of them, good luck homie

 

[PoPoV]

i am new to this aswell i just got a pair a few days ago if you want to read my struggles getting a male and a female read the post is this a female krib, i went through 8 fish to get a pair hahahahaa, but thats unusual luck

when selecting ure kribs if they are big enough to sex, get a slightly bigger male than female thats what worked the best for me

as far as why kribs with tetras, well kribs are gonna grow to b3 up to 4 inches so you dont hav4e alot more room in there hwoever u do want some other fihs, i think the term is dither fish? kribs are fairly unagressave but when they lay their eggs other fish better back off, so other bottom dwellers might become a problem, from what i understand anyways.

as far as decorations go, fairly heavily planted with quite a few caves for them to go into, if you get a male and a female they most likely will mate and they do so in caves, i have a clay pot onits side in mine and some other cheap plastic ornaments that act like caves (i am a broke university student rocks are expensive haha)

but yeah pick some up and if your getting young ones get a few of them and wait till two pair up and then remove the rest of them, good luck homie

Right on man. I was checking out the Kribs at my LFS here in sacramento california and i didnt like the Specimens that they had. They just didnt look healthy. In my mind i wanted to rescue them, but i want perfect specimens since my girl freind is letting me get another tank of whatever i want . Ill keep looking around. Thanks for the feedback guys!

 

[Murray]

however most of the kribs i found were alot smaller than these and it was harder to tell the sex difference, so do your best, your woman will love them (hopefully, unless shes a hater)

 

[PoPoV]

however most of the kribs i found were alot smaller than these and it was harder to tell the sex difference, so do your best, your woman will love them (hopefully, unless shes a hater)

Nah she loves the fish! She just doesnt like me feeding them the cute guppies or platies . But still cant find any nice Krib. Im starting to think their not aggresive enough for my taste after more research.

 

[Murray]

thtas about as good as ure gonna get for a 20 gallon tank tho

 

[jayjay]

You wanted an aggressive cichlid and chose an oscar first

Neetroplus nematopus depending on tank dimensions. (Not African).

N. brichardi, Julidochromis , shell dwellers

Dwarf pike cichlid, again not African.

Jewel cichlid - Some will disagree with this option. Again depends on dimensions

For aggression you're limited with tank space. Also do you breed your own live fish to fed? Or quarantine them? There is not much benefit of feeding live fish to cichlids IME.

Non-aggressive options -

Egyptian mouthbrooders
Kribs
Rams
Apisto's
Small acara's
Rarer species of Pelvicachromis
Chromides (possibly)
Keyholes
Lots of others I'm too lazy to list.

 

[PoPoV]

You wanted an aggressive cichlid and chose an oscar first

Neetroplus nematopus depending on tank dimensions. (Not African).

N. brichardi, Julidochromis , shell dwellers

Dwarf pike cichlid, again not African.

Jewel cichlid - Some will disagree with this option. Again depends on dimensions

For aggression you're limited with tank space. Also do you breed your own live fish to fed? Or quarantine them? There is not much benefit of feeding live fish to cichlids IME.

Non-aggressive options -

Egyptian mouthbrooders
Kribs
Rams
Apisto's
Small acara's
Rarer species of Pelvicachromis
Chromides (possibly)
Keyholes
Lots of others I'm too lazy to list.

Awsome! Thank you very much. This was the info I was looking for. And Yes, I have 2 livebearer tanks that have active healthy fry in them. That was one decision why I wanted to get cichlid tank. But i enjoy watching natural agressive behavior. Its like having the history channel on 24/7

 

[jayjay]

Your welcome. Though if it was me and I need to feed fry to something I'd consider a piscavore (sp.) If I could I'd get Chaca chaca's, but for the occasional feeding a cichlid should be okay.

 

[PoPoV]

Your welcome. Though if it was me and I need to feed fry to something I'd consider a piscavore (sp.) If I could I'd get Chaca chaca's, but for the occasional feeding a cichlid should be okay.

I think iv decided to get a pair of dwarf pike cichlids (orange). If I get a bigger tank could i have a pair of Jewel cichlids as well? Hemichromis bemaculatus...I think? Would they get along?

 

[jayjay]

No, unlikely it would work. Also a pair of dwarf pikes is risky and for a pair I think it's 30g.