Cichlids for the Small Tank

[Pam Chin]

Dear Pam,

I have a 110 liters (30 gallon) tank and was interested in making it a Cichlid tank. I was wondering if you could suggest some good Cichlids to keep in this small environment (I don't want to put a fish that will be in too small of a tank). I have the tank ready to set up with a penguin® 330 and a gravel substrate but any suggestions that you have on this would be appreciated as well. Thanks in advance for your advice and time. Could you also include water conditions for the fish that you suggest? Eventually, I do want to breed the Cichlids and I am looking for colorful species. My water conditions are a pH between 7.0-7.2. I was thinking of kribs (which I know would go well in my tank), electric blue johanni, and Labeotropheus trewavasae, but am open to any suggestions. What I am ideally looking for is a colorful Cichlid that displays good color and is easy to breed in aquaria. I appreciate your taking the time to help me out with this.

Thanks, John.

[Pam Chin]

Dear John,

There are many, different Cichlids that do well in smaller tanks, they are called Dwarf Cichlids. They are found in South America, and Africa; in the lakes and the rivers. Some of my favorite dwarfs are Julidochromis from Lake Tanganyika in East Africa, there is also a several "Lamprologus" that they call Shell Dwellers from that Lake, they are all small, some only reach 5 cm. (2") as mature adults. Keeping these types of fish would require adding a water conditioner to increase your pH. Then there are many other dwarf Cichlids from the rivers of Africa, this would include kribs. From South America their are is a whole family called Apistogramma, all of these fish have nice color I think! Since your water is quite soft, and if you don't want to deal with the water conditioners you should be looking at South American, and African Riverine, type species. Look up Apistogramma and Pelvicachromis. Electric blue johanni (Melanochromis maingano) and Labeotropheus trewavasae, are both very colorful species, but they are not going to go in your size of tank. They are more of group fish, they are harem breeders, one male to many females, and they really need a larger tank to do them justice.