Keeping a 26-gallon cichlid tank

[raynida]

I'm thinking of getting a new 26 gallon fluval bow front, I was gonna go bigger but being a student, I just can't swing it, plus my parents would freak. So instead of the 45 gallon, I'm gonna get the 26 with a stand and invest in some nice plants and a sweet log.
I'm leaning towards stocking with cichlids, maybe something else too, but I'm not sure yet. I'd love some advice on how many and what kind of cichlids I should get.
My water's pH is a bit high here, around 7.8 or so. Any thoughts on how I should proceed?

[sharpfin12]

Rift cichlids would actually thrive in your water conditions, the pH is spot on. If you're looking at lake malawi cichlids, the tank might be a bit too small for most of them, but you'd be fine with some of the smaller tanganyikan cichlids. I'm thinking brevis, brichardi, or leleupi would work well, and multifasciatus or caudopunctata could be good options too.