# I have a 6'x2'x2' tank, what Cichlids can i keep?



## Scottish_Piranha_Fan (Apr 12, 2004)

I have a 6 'x 2 'x 2 ' set-up, at the moment it has 4 Red Bellied Piranha in it. I know this may sound strange, but the Piranha's (although pretty big now) are very boring and only active when eating (which is not boring!). I'm lucky enough to have 3 very good Local Fish Shops near me that stock a decent amount of Cichlids between them.
Anyway, I definitely want to keep Oscars, but is there any other species that you could recommend to keep with the Oscars? My tank is 150Uk Gallons Or 180Usa Gallons, so I'm hoping I could keep more than just Oscars in it?
I know there are other types of Cichlids, colourful ones like Mbuna Cichlids... but at the moment, I have other financial commitments, so I don't want to be spending allot of money on them. I'm thinking of swapping my Piranha's for a couple of Oscars to begin with.
Does anyone have any links that lead to information on setting a Cichlid tank up&#8230; also pictures of a very large Cichlid set-up would be very helpful, and would give me some ideas. At the moment, my tank has four very large (realistic looking) artificial plants in it. And a very large arch shaped piece of bog wood that my Piranha's like to hide under now and again.
Anyway, any help would be much appreciated, thanks for taking the time to read this


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## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

i have some nice links, and of my own 200 US gallon tank, for a change.
http://forums.waterwolves.com/index.php?showtopic=74393

and regarding keeping mbuna and large CA/SAs like oscars together:
http://forums.waterwolves.com/index.php?sh...ndpost&p=712005

If you want oscars and mbuna, that would work great. Redbelly piranhas are indeed boring to watch, there's no denying that. Cichlids, on the other hand, are extraordinarily fun to watch, especially mbuna since they are small and wage cute little battles with one another regularly.

I'd suggest 2 oscars and 6-10 mbuna specimens in your 180g.

As far as cichlid-setup info, you're already all set. Cichlids and piranhas have very similar filtration/decoration tastes. More cover/decoration, such as you might see in my tank, will give the mbuna more territory to battle one another over, and that will provide you with a more enjoyable tank to watch.


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## Scottish_Piranha_Fan (Apr 12, 2004)

Sounds like a good idea. What Mbuna species would you recommend? And what types of decor should I get, so that I can get the Mbuna to establish there own litte territories?


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## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

Cave-like structures work best. Clay pots, cinderblock bricks, wide pieces of PVC pipe, pieces of slate that lean on one another, large rocks, driftwood and things of those like come to mind.

Any mbuna species at all will work... yellow labs, scolofi, auratus, kenyi, johanni, crabro, estherae (zebra), etc etc etc... Whatever your LFSes sell.

As I mentioned in the other thread though, try to keep them all of the same sex, so as to prevent breeding. Breeding induces undesirable, hyper-aggressive behavior. I'd stick with all-males.


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## Scottish_Piranha_Fan (Apr 12, 2004)

Do the Mbuna species need any special water requirements? What about food, could they eat Hikari Gold Pellets? Or what do you feed yours on? Thanks for the info so far, your helping me make my mind up mate


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## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

theoretically, mbuna are supposed to have a more plant-oriented diet, but in practice they seem to be able to thrive on anything you'd feed an american cichlid. Hikari gold will do great. Special water requirements? No.


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## Scottish_Piranha_Fan (Apr 12, 2004)

Thanks allot, by the way... very nice set-up you have there... nice variety of Cichlids


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## kove32 (Oct 26, 2004)

Good luck! I once had one of these tanks and I loved it. Added a pictus catfish (I was a newbie) and everything got ick over night and I couldn't save them.

It happens and I'm over it. I currently have two 6-7" oscars in a 55 and I beleive they are male and female. I have not seen one act of aggression at all. I know this is "over stocked" but when the time comes, I will upgrade.


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