Who Gives A Fish Forums

So I had my heart set on tetras for my 29-gallon tank, but then I got to the pet store and everything changed. I ended up bringing home two kenyi, two red zebras (I'm pretty sure that's what they are), and one auratus - fingers crossed I got the name right.

I've got plenty of space for them to claim their own territories, but I'm still a bit concerned about overcrowding when they mature. Even though they're a smaller species, I've heard they can be quite active.

Right now, all of them look like females, but I'm guessing they're still juveniles. I'm just hoping I haven't set myself up for disaster down the line.

You've just listed some of the most aggressive cichlids out there. I strongly advise against keeping any of those in a 29-gallon tank. The Kenyi will outgrow their space, the Auratus need room to swim and make sharp turns, and the Red Zebras can be quite territorial and aggressive without ample space. I've done some research on fish-keeping websites, and most recommend at least 55 gallons for these species, with some requiring even more. It seems you might be heading for trouble down the line.

A school of small tetras would have been an excellent choice, paired with a smaller centerpiece cichlid like apistos or kribensis - that would have been a much better fit for your tank.

I was under the impression that red zebras needed at least 50 gallons on their own, if not more. You nailed it about them being smaller species though, the males should top out at around 5 inches, I think.

With Cichlids, you need to overstock, but make sure you over filtrate to balance it out. I'm talking at least 4.5x the tank's volume in water turnover per hour if you're stocking at 1.5x the tank's capacity. My own 55G setup, for example, uses a Fluval FX6 and a 305, which gives me over 4000L/pH filtration - that's a 16x turnover.

Now, I'm not saying this will work for your specific fish, but you do need to overstock with species that fit your tank. Dwarf mbuna are a good choice - they're smaller, so you can get away with more of them. Just don't go for the larger species, or you'll end up with problems.

Also, you need to keep your pH steady - ideally around 8. If it's not stable, you'll need to get something to buffer it. I've heard Tuffa rock is a popular choice, but personally, I use marine-grade coflake gravel. It keeps my pH at a perfect 8, and my Cichlids love it.

Make sure you've got plenty of hiding places in the tank, too - use rocks to disperse aggression and create shelters for nervous fish. Even the big ones will hide sometimes. And don't forget to get specialist Cichlid food - they colour up best with that stuff. I use a mix of TetraMin Pro flakes and Hikari mini pellets for now, but I'll be switching to New Life Spectrum foods once they're bigger.

If you're on a budget, you can even make your own food - just Google it for more info. One last tip: if you've got a bully in the tank, try rescaping the rocks. It makes the fish forget where they claimed their territory, and they'll calm down eventually. If it's still a problem, you might need to rehome the aggressive one.

I'd trust frapadiddle, he knows his cichlids. Just remember, don't overcrowd your tank, but a bit of overstocking is okay, gives them some room to swim.

So I lost my big long response, but I'm feeling a bit better about things now.

I checked the water last night and everything looked good, except the pH was at 7.8. I'll have to recheck it today.

The fish seem okay for now, but the kenyi are definitely the bullies in the tank. The auratus keeps to herself, and the zebras just run away from the kenyi.

I've got the Hikari cichlid mini pellets, but I have to crush them up for the fish to eat. They seem to prefer the flakes for now, so I'll just stick with those for the time being.

I've got to agree with the others, these cichlids aren't ideal for a 29-gallon tank - 55 gallons is the minimum. I've never kept cichlids before, but I might consider it in the future when I set up my 90-gallon tank that's currently in storage.

Paradiddle made a good point, but I also want to add that floriken's advice about overstocking with smaller species is worth considering. Sticking with dwarf mbuna might be a better option for smaller tanks. I also liked floriken's tip about reducing aggression in a single fish by rescaping the rocks - it's a simple yet effective solution.

If you're determined to keep them, a month or two in the 29 gallon might work, but after that, you'll need to upgrade to at least a 55 gallon tank. These fish are ridiculously aggressive, and I'm not kidding when I say they consider murder a sport. I keep Mbuna myself, but in a much larger tank, and I can tell you that overstocking is key once you've got the space. All the fish you've listed will grow to 5-6 inches, and from your feeding methods, I'm guessing they're still pretty small, so it's unlikely you'll be able to tell male from female just yet. The thing is, they all look pretty much the same when they're young, male and female alike. The kenyi and auratus will start showing their colors when they're older, and with the Zebra, venting is the best way to tell, but again, that's when they're bigger. How big are they now, anyway? Are you planning on keeping them long-term?

We've got a blue kenyi that's only 1.5 inches, and it's already fearless - it'll square off against our full-grown 4.5-inch convict and eventually chase it off. The convict's not exactly the toughest guy, but it's still impressive to see the kenyi stand its ground.

Yeah, the kenyi are definitely the trouble makers in this tank. The bigger one is about 2 inches, and it's already showing its dominant side.