Some friends found me this 40 gallon with a stand this morning at a garage sale for 20$ so I now have to figure out what to put in it! :clap:
Here's the tank:


I have always loved cichlids - particulary the ones like those in Seedy's signature. :)

SO.... since I know NOTHING about them - I thought that while I go read up on them I'd ask for some opinions in here from the experts.

Thanks in advance!

For that sized tank...I would avoid the Mbuna and Haps from Malawi....

I would focus on Tanganyikan rock dwellers/Altolamps...Try looking into Julidochromis, Chalinochromis, Telmatochromis, Neolamprologous and Lamprologous....

You could have a group of rock dweller/cave/substrate spawner, with a breeding group of Altolamprolous species (like calvus), and some shell dwellers....

Let me know more specifically what you like, and we can help you plan the tank!

Holy cow them is some LOOOOONG words. lol

Okay - so I want to make a visit to a store that Bettabelieveit and Saucy refer to as the "uber fish store" to see what they have for cichlids first.

Is a 40g a good size tank for cichlids?
Can you show me some pics of your cichlid tanks?

Thanks for your help! :)

40 gallon is a great size for cichlids you'l have plenty of choices
SOmeone else can explain the tangs and peacocks but...
On the Mbuna side you still have alot of options and it is definately possible.

Think about 3 groups 12 fish total (more or less) at 1 male per three females for most mbuna
Look into these species ideally because they are less agresive therefore better for a smaller tank
Pseudotropheus saulosi
Pseudotropheus acie
Iodotropheus sperengae
Pseudotropheus socofoli
Labidochromis caeruleus

Of course there are other options you could try 12 single species of mbuna but still need to avoid agresive fish
Or a species tank still avoiding certain agresive fish
Off the top of my head stay away from
Maylandia lombardoi- Kennyi
Maylandia crabro-Bumblebee
Melanochromis auratus
Pseudotropheus demasoni
++++ Alot of other fish check forums first before you buy


Not a great pic but it's my 90gallon mbuna tank
For decor you want as many rocks as possible and that usually turns out great and cheap look into seediy's pinned thing my decor cost about 40 dollars and all except 3 dollars was spent on some needless expensive gravel, the other 3 on playsand EDIT also a background that was kinda expensive but parents bought it

OK Guys.....It would help ME and probably BettaMomma if you guys could give some of the ocmmon names on these cichlids....


First of all, I have problems even saying them (opy & paste help a lot on google LOL)

Second, some of the pet stores don't even know the scientific name for them!!!



I just got my new 55 and am deciding what to put into it..I love the cichlids, but have no idea what you guys wrote up above! LOL :?: :?: :?:

BettaMomma.....you are actually gonna branch out of bettas????? :omg:

I figured you would divide it and put bettas in it??? Or have a big tank of females!!!


WAY COOL!!!! I love my cichlids!

I know - I know, it's a HUGE step for me. :lol:
This tank is going to be for our department at work. And most of the people I work with don't think female bettas are very glamorous looking but rather boring.

SO - they want me to find something with lots of color and fish that are really pretty. So cichlids came to mind.

I am still looking at other options but I LOVE these guys too.
:)

awah my females entertain me more than the males!

Common names generaly won't get you anywhere, stores tend to make up their own, but more often then not they know the scientific names at least the second part.
All i know of common names are
Maylandia lombardoi-kennyi
Maylandia crabro-bumblebee
Labidochromis caeruleus-electric yellow OR yellow lab

Good onya BM you have seen the light :whistle:

Ok...BM...knowing something of your personality...I will STRONGLY dissuade you from trying to keep "Mbuna" (Rock dwelling, predominently herbivorous cichlids from lake Malawi) in a 40 gallon tank...You will NOT like what happens when they get bigger (lotsa fighting, death and nipped fins...)...While it is possible to keep Mbuna in smaller tanks, they require EXTREME micromanagement to keep peace in the tank...You WILL have "insta-kills" (he was fine 5 minutes ago...then BAM...another fish killed it) in a tank that small...

There is nothing more frustrating than loosing a favorite fish that you've had for years to an "insta-kill".... :rip:

I think you should focus your research around Cichlids from Lake Tanganyika, as there are more dwarve species, and many less hyper aggresive fish than the Mbuna from lake Malawi...

As for the "common names"....Vantage is correct, there are really no "common names" for most of the cichlids that we keep...so you might want to brush up on Binomial Nomenclature (genus is the first word of the name and is capitolized, species name is second and is always lowercase)...

This is true. I just very expensivly restocked my tank (400$ cost for my 90gallon), because of fighting and triggered by the death of one of my favorites (a maylandia lombardoi female who was absolutely gorgeuse breed at least three times and followed my finger. RIP) I suggested the least agresive mbuna but you are still likely to get a bad egg and it can take some time to get healthy male female ratio's

My Bad Guys.....guess if I would have thought on it harder, I would have realized on the name thing.... :banghead: :banghead: