# How many african cichlids can fit in a 10 gal?



## du3ce (Jan 26, 2013)

I would get a bigger tank imo


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## Kitsune_Gem (Apr 10, 2012)

You need a way bigger tank for your fish, over stocking wont help as your fish will out grown the tank.


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## nyxkitten (Jul 24, 2012)

Upgrade to a larger tank.

Kitsune_Gem is right. Overstocking a 10 gallon does not help


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## Indychus (Feb 21, 2013)

You can fit exactly 0 African cichlids in a 10 gallon. You need to get a bigger tank or rehome those fish.

Some of the smaller west African cichlids like Kribensis can be kept in 30-40 gallons, but most of the Malawi/Tanganyika fish need much more space. 75-300 gallons depending on the particular species. 

Many cichlid tanks can be overstocked as a means to reduce aggression, but that's generally only recommended for tanks over 100 gallons.

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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

The social dynamics of these fish will never stabilize in that small a tank. 
About the smallest I have ever heard of working for most of the Rift Lake fish is a 20 long, and that is just a colony of shell dwellers. 
For anything larger or more aggressive you need a MUCH larger tank, as suggested above. 

In that larger tank the fish you are having problems with may well claim and defend a territory that is larger than the 10 gallon tank. 

In that space an intruder would get chased off, and when the intruder went away, far enough away, the dominant fish will quit chasing. The intruder is not hanging around trying to challenge the dominant fish. 
If the tank is too small then the lower ranking fish cannot go away far enough. The dominant fish thinks the lower ranking fish is hanging around to continue challenging him. The dominant fish does not realize that the lower ranking fish cannot get farther away because of the tank size. All he understands is that this other fish is too close to his space. 

This problem is not solved by more fish. It can only be solved by giving each fish something more like a proper territory. This means a larger tank. 
Or else moving one or the other to another tank, in your house or take him to a store, or sell him. 

In the words of an old movie:
"This tank ain't big enough for the both of us"


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## jrh (Sep 9, 2007)

In a 10 gallon, you could have some shellies from Lake Tanganyika. You could have multies, similies, or brevis. Brevis especially have small territories.


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## jpappy789 (Jul 28, 2013)

jrh said:


> In a 10 gallon, you could have some shellies from Lake Tanganyika. You could have multies, similies, or brevis. Brevis especially have small territories.


This. 

Small setups can work for certain shelldwellers although you have to be very diligent in making sure territorials do not crossover if there's multiple males and/or removing fry if breeding occurs. It can become tight very quickly. 

Otherwise, you're asking for major trouble by trying just about any other African. Either upgrade or return the fish ASAP. Once they mature I suspect you'll be left with one...


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## jrh (Sep 9, 2007)

Yes. Even with multies and similies, dominant males will harass non-dominant males. However, the cool part, is all the fry are accepted and you end up with a colony of fish. Similies are reported to be more aggressive than multies, but I don't know for sure.

With brevis, once you have fry, I think you need to remove them. (I've never kept brevis)

For a multie tank, you want shells, shells, and more shells. You can't have too many.

Multies are also famous for rearranging the sand, but in a 10 gallon, I think I'd literally cover the bottom with shells, and you can go a few layers deep.


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## jpappy789 (Jul 28, 2013)

Sorry, should have clarified. Colonial species you can certainly keep some fry in the short-term but eventually you'd be overrun...I've found multis to be very prolific!


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## Ceri-rust (Feb 11, 2013)

NONE!!!! you need at leason 55 gal minimum!!!!


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## jrh (Sep 9, 2007)

They could easily have multies, smilies, or brevis. Apistos, kribs, and rams might work, though I don't know breeding behavior in those species. If a female lays a clutch of eggs, you might have to rehouse the male to keep her from killing him. 



Ceri-rust said:


> NONE!!!! you need at leason 55 gal minimum!!!!


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## James M (Jun 21, 2012)

Ceri-rust said:


> NONE!!!! you need at leason 55 gal minimum!!!!


Incorrect - very forceful for such misinformation.
There are plenty of smaller species that are suited to smaller tanks in the 20 gallon and up range. Shell dwellers come to mind, C. afra from Malawi, among others.


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## fishwater (May 31, 2012)

Unless you have the aforementioned "shell dwellers", then most likely you need a bigger tank (and even a 10 gal for these fish seems a bit on the small side but I digress). Some more information than just "How many African cichlids can fit in a 10 gal?" would help. Let us know your species and we can better answer that question...but odds are you will need a bigger tank.


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