keeping african cichlids in a 48x15x12 tank

[tetraTim]

I've always been a huge fan of those amazing mbuna tank setups I see on here. Getting another tank over the weekend, and it's the same size as the one mentioned earlier. Wondering what kind of fish would thrive in it, and if it's spacious enough to replicate some of the incredible setups I've seen shared on this forum.

[kalevi]

You got any ideas on fish or looked at specific ones yet? Plus, are you leaning towards Tanganyika, Malawi or Victoria for your stock? Although the tank's dimensions aren't ideal height-wise and depth-wise, that 4ft length is a good starting point for Africans. I had a similar tank when I started with Malawis and while the depth was a bit limiting for rockscaping, it still looked nice with my 10-15 fish in there. They did outgrow it quickly, but I was new to the hobby back then, so it seemed fine at the time. I reckon going the Tanganyika route might be better for your tank, given its 140L capacity - I think there are more Tang species that can thrive in smaller setups.

[ridera]

~140l is a decent size, I'd say a smaller scale Tanganyikan setup could work quite well in that. For Malawi setups though, I think you're looking at ~240l upwards to do them justice.

[zenrow]

Yeah, a bit biased, I admit, but I think you'd be onto a winner with a Tanganyikan setup in that tank, I've got two myself, both with a footprint of 48"x15" and they're doing great.

[sorcia]

Tanganyikans all the way, no question.