How to setup a cichlid tank

Question

I have a 29 gallon fish tank, and I am considering filling it with cichlids

I need to know how many cichlids I can have, and which ones are good for my tank

also I need help with what type of decor i should put in the tank, and if I should use fake, real, or no plants

Also any other tips a beginer should need (I heard you need to add stuff to the water to make it the correct condition for the cichlid)

*I have experience with fish tanks and know about cycling, water changes, etc.

Answer 1

Cichlids can get very large so you do not want to get too many, I have 10 in my 27gallon and they seem to be happy and they are not crowded but once as they all reach five inches I will have to change the amount of them or the tank size. You want to make sure that you have a lot of places for them to hide and/or clam as there own spot in the tank. At least once place for fish but try to give them options. Real looks nice but fake is better. I never used any water conditioner in my tank, just make sure you have some ind of bubbler and a clean filter and you should be good. Good Luck.

Answer 2

1. "I need to know how many cichlids I can have, and which ones are good for my tank"

Depends.  What you first need to do is decide waters of origin really.  While there are cases where South American and many Central Americans prefer water types similar to African conditions, there are also a large number that prefer softer lower PH waters too.  So in order to be of help here, you have to help us too, and pick which kind you are interested in.  In a 29 gallon tank, my GUESS would be, you're a little limited in what you can keep for South Americans, pretty much Apisto's, Rams, and maybe a couple Blue Acara, but not all of those, one or the other.  If you elect to go African, I think you have more options, but you also need to watch them closer.  Just like dirt said, it's not advised to intermix the two different major groups.

2.  "also I need help with what type of decor i should put in the tank, and if I should use fake, real, or no plants"

You have better options with plants, if you want live if you go South/Central/New World American then you do with Africans.  That's not to say it's going to work, but you have better odds it will.  So with that being said, I've tried both ways, and found that I personally have better luck with fake set ups, but I keep and breed Africans.  If you go SA/CA/NW, you might get better luck with live plants.

3.  "Also any other tips a beginer should need (I heard you need to add stuff to the water to make it the correct condition for the cichlid)"

I personally think again, that Africans require more work for you to really get the best out of them then SA/CA/NW types, but that's just me.  I always make sure I add buffer salts in with my water changes to keep a proper electrolyte balance that simulates the same waters my fish originated from.  Some don't go that far, and this isn't going to kill them if you don't do it, I just find I get better results doing it.

You'll for the most part, want to have a heavy rock work in your tank.  There are a some open water species where rocks won't be as beneficial, however, most open water types will grow too large for a 29 gallon set up as it is.  Mainly, you'll need to know what species you get, and how to s*x them.  With most any cichlid, sexing them is important as males, generally, are the more aggressive types, and don't tolerate other males, even from different species, too well.

Answer 3

what kind of cichlids? some are from South America, some are from Africa. Dont mix the two.    www.cichlidforum.com has an awesome amount of information, articles on different fish, tank setups, feeding, care, just about anything you could imagine.  

Answer 4

The general rule of thumb is one inch of adult fish per gallon. Also, there’s the obvious don't mix dramatically different sized fish (i.e. oscars with electric yellows). Any water conditioner should get the water the right condition. Live plants aren’t generally recommended to a beginner because it's one more thing to keep alive and they have special needs, but they will reduce the algae. any cichlids of (approximately) the same adult size will coexist nicely. good luck

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Answer 5

There is no single answer.  But here is simply my opinion.

I like yellow lab cichlids.  I would get about 3 or 4 juveniles, and then let them grow (they will get pretty big and fill the tank).

Since they are yellow, I would get a blue bottom to bring out the colors.  They also like rocks and hiding places, so give them some good rocks.

All cichlids are pretty aggressive, so make sure there is enough room