I have a 20 some gallon tank. I have 8 of these guys swimming around. As I said in a previous thread they were given to me. It has come to my attention that I may have an overcrowded tank. I have had them since last June without any problems. The actually seem pretty peaceful until I feed them. They go a little nuts then. They have plenty of hiding spaces and such.

I had considered getting a fish for Prep but it seems I may be already over my fish limit. What do you guys think?

I think 8 of those guys in a 20 gallon tank is wayyyyyyyyy too much.

I think 8 of those guys in a 20 gallon tank is wayyyyyyyyy too much.
MM can you explain why please, as I thought the same thing, but I am not a fish expert and do not really know why.

MM can you explain why please, as I thought the same thing, but I am not a fish expert and do not really know why.

Basic rule of thumb.... 2 inches of fish per gallon of water give or take dependng on the fish. Otherwise they over use oxygen, compete for food and often your filtration systems can't keep up etc.

Being that African Cichlids can be more aggressive than other fish, thinning the herd would be a good idea.

Since I got the tank they haven't been any problems. Would it not be a good idea to just not ad any others but leave things the way they are. I always heard 1 inch of fish to a gallon. How would I go about thinning the heard?

Since I got the tank they haven't been any problems. Would it not be a good idea to just not ad any others but leave things the way they are. I always heard 1 inch of fish to a gallon. How would I go about thinning the heard?

Well if there aren't any problems then whats the problem? :razz: If they're doing ok just leave 'em like they are. Sounds like they're competing for food though, hence the feeding frenzy at feeding time.. And thinning the herd just means getting some of them out of the tank....move to another tank...give some away...flush em..whatever. :lmao:

Good luck adding any other kind of fish to the tank with those suckers.

Thanks for the help. I don't think they are competing for food they just all come to the top, the same as my goldfish. Do cichilids do okay in a tank by themselves? I don't have another big tank to put some of them in. I was just concerned that I could be hurting the fish I already have.

Thanks for the help. I don't think they are competing for food they just all come to the top, the same as my goldfish. Do cichilids do okay in a tank by themselves? I don't have another big tank to put some of them in. I was just concerned that I could be hurting the fish I already have.

it really sounds like they're fine starr.

Since I got the tank they haven't been any problems. Would it not be a good idea to just not ad any others but leave things the way they are. I always heard 1 inch of fish to a gallon. How would I go about thinning the heard?
Getting another aquarium would be one way, giving some away like I am trying to or........ I won't even say it! :lol:

Thanks for the help. I don't think they are competing for food they just all come to the top, the same as my goldfish. Do cichilids do okay in a tank by themselves? I don't have another big tank to put some of them in. I was just concerned that I could be hurting the fish I already have.
thats cool that you are checking this out, hey don't worry about not taking my babies....I agree if your fish are fine, leave it alone! Don't upset the balance.

How big are the fish now? Africans (Like the ones most often sold in stores as assorted Africans) can range in size from 3" to 8" at adulthood.
If your fish are still only around 1 to 2 inches then there will not be room in a 20 gallon tank for all of them when they are full grown.
Because of the aggression of the Africans it's not recommended to have adults in anything smaller than a 30 gallon. A 55 is even better.

I know someone (a friend :whistle: :howdy:) who is selling a 20 gal (long) complete set up w/ wooden stand for a small amount of scratch.

Just pm me.

How big are the fish now? Africans (Like the ones most often sold in stores as assorted Africans) can range in size from 3" to 8" at adulthood.
If your fish are still only around 1 to 2 inches then there will not be room in a 20 gallon tank for all of them when they are full grown.
Because of the aggression of the Africans it's not recommended to have adults in anything smaller than a 30 gallon. A 55 is even better.
I guess I will deal with that when it comes if they get bigger. They are bigger than when I got them. I got the tank with 6 and added two shortly after. The ones I bought have matured their colors. I don't know if they will continue growing.

i had two of them and then woke one morning to have 100 babies!!!

Well star I hope every thing worked out for you its been a yr since you started this thread but some of the post in it concerned me 8 cichlids in a 20 gal tank is not good they will grow and want there own space and fight and kill for it depending on the species some cichlids get up to 20 inches but most of the asorted cichlids you find in petco dont but they do get to 10 inces or so all depending on wich species you have there are so many. and even some of the small cichlids I've come to find out are verry agressive even to the bigger fish wich is weird IMO but they get away with it. but any way some cichlids are expensive to have them fight and die due to lack of space some of mine were $20.00 EA :( but I realy like them. any way hope this might help any who read it.

My experience with Chiclids are that they will only grow to the size of the aquarium. It sounds weird but they will only grow to 5-6 inches in a 20 gallon tank. Problem I always had was there was one bruiser who ends up being the lone fish. After a while, he kills everything else off.

King of the hill sort of thing.

yeah it happens when there isnt enugh room in the tank they wont get to there full potential and since they don't have enugh room as they grow they make it by killing other fish. I personaly think cichlids are too expensive to do that to most are like $11.00 or so and some more rare or dificult to get are more than that I paid $20.00 EA for my frontosas and if another fish killed them I would be upset at the loss. I try to get what fits my aquarium but I make mistakes some times and some one dies as a result :( but I try to lern from my mistakes. when I had tropical fish they did the same thing but they were cheap and it didn't bother me as much.

My experience with Chiclids are that they will only grow to the size of the aquarium. It sounds weird but they will only grow to 5-6 inches in a 20 gallon tank. Problem I always had was there was one bruiser who ends up being the lone fish. After a while, he kills everything else off.

King of the hill sort of thing.
I've heard that fish "growing to the size of the aquarium" is an urban myth. Not true. Fish can indeed outgrow a tank. In fact, I have a pleco well on his way to outgrowing his current tank.

yeah it happens when there isnt enugh room in the tank they wont get to there full potential and since they don't have enugh room as they grow they make it by killing other fish. I personaly think cichlids are too expensive to do that to most are like $11.00 or so and some more rare or dificult to get are more than that I paid $20.00 EA for my frontosas and if another fish killed them I would be upset at the loss. I try to get what fits my aquarium but I make mistakes some times and some one dies as a result :( but I try to lern from my mistakes. when I had tropical fish they did the same thing but they were cheap and it didn't bother me as much.
I still have some of those grown up babies if you want some :whistle: :lmao:

I still have some of those grown up babies if you want some :whistle: :lmao:

What are they I might want them :)

What are they I might want them :)
Cichlids, I am not sure if they are african or so. american, dad was a pretty blue striped and mom was orange, juveniles are a light orange with neon blue dorsal fin, sorry I can't really tell you more. :howdy:

PM sent