# Can a Tall tank work?



## flyingfishgirl (Oct 14, 2011)

Hi everybody,

I'm new to the forum, but I've dreamed of having a cichlid tank for years now. I'm currently redoing my 44gal tall corner stand tank (used to be an angel tank), and I was wondering if (with the right rock work) it could be a suitable habitat for some socolofi, and some labs. Any suggestions? :-?


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## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

What is the width and length of your tank?

Depending on your answer I'll probably say get you about 12-15 P. saulosi juvies and put them in there. In a year you might have to thin down the group some (if too many males) but if you wanted an african cichlid this is about the only species I would choose for tanks that dont have a large footprint.


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## davidinsarasota1 (Sep 11, 2011)

I have Socolofi and Yellow Labs in a 55, which is 4', and I can definitely see why longer tanks are recommended. They rarely rise above the halfway point even though the rocks are stacked at least that high, but love to swim end to end in a group.

If I were you, I would go with Angels again, since you are familiar with them, and they like to drift up and down in the water column.


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## flyingfishgirl (Oct 14, 2011)

GaFishMan1181,

The tank is 2ft x 2ft, I'm concerned that the footprint is too small for cichlids. I know that they are teratorial, and I'm not sure if they will thrive in a vertical tank, even if I build the rocks up the back sides.

davidinsarasota1,

Thanks for the insight I might stick with my angels, guess I'll just keep saving for my dream tank. Someday I will have cichlids (yes I know angels are cichlids (but not really)).

P.S. Does anyone know how to change the substrate in an active tank?


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## &lt;=U=L=T=R=A=&gt; (Apr 21, 2010)

I myself had a corner tank at one time and the cichlids don't like going to the top ,they like long in lengthwise tanks.
expect many fights as there always seen each other all the time 
since there is little space for territories.


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## flyingfishgirl (Oct 14, 2011)

Thanks I'll definetly wait until I can get a 'long' before I start a cichlid community.


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## chinds78 (Jun 22, 2011)

You might be able to do yellow labs and acei since both of these are less aggressive species and the acei stay more towards the upper third of the water table. Perhaps maybe start with 8 of each and weed all but one male of each species in the future. I dunno, just thought. I, myself, would be tempted to try this, but I like to live on the edge.


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## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

I've tried saulosi in a variety of settings and feel pretty confident in saying saulosi would still work in your tank. They only get 4" and that took mine nearly 3 years to reach. The females are a little over 3 inches.

Your tank's footprint is only a tad smaller then a standard 55g in square inches. Ideally you would want a longer tank (36" +) but with saulosi and aquascaped right you should be good to go.

I would aim for 1m 6f in your tank.


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## &lt;=U=L=T=R=A=&gt; (Apr 21, 2010)

Is this what your 44 gallon looks like? or is it the rounded ones?

This is how mine looked like...
And I got rid of it for the reason I mention before.

The foot print between the standard 55 gal (rectangle)and the 44 corner (half a circle more or less) is a huge difference.

They also have 40 gallon long and 33 gallon long same foot print as the 55 gallon standard exept not as tall.

I have a 40 gallon long ( and its not the 40 gallon breeder one) which is the one I replaced the corner tank with.


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## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

Hmmm...i might have to take back the square inches thing if yours does have sides like that. I was thinking it was a square 2 x 2.


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## chinds78 (Jun 22, 2011)

I've never understood the appeal of these tall tanks. Seems like they would be hard to keep clean and they certianly don't make veyr good cichlid tanks. I guess some find them ascetically pleasing. I'd rahter have a long tank any day.


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## flyingfishgirl (Oct 14, 2011)

Yep. That picture is my tank exactly. I'm deffinatly going to stick with angels. Thanks everyone so much for your advice on this. I guess it was just wishful thinking. But if I'm sticking with angels do you think I might be able to get 3 or 4 rams for the lower levels, with caves in the corners of course?


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## DFishFox (Sep 27, 2011)

If this tank wasn't given to me, I wouldn't have bought it.








Though in my stubborn refusal to ditch some of my favorite Tangs; I thought if I could make a column or rocks within the column... My Tangs would treat it like Squirrels chasing each other around a tree trunk. So far it works like that at a minimal level. But I'm not satisfied with the way the comfort level appears; it's almost like the transcriptus and Cynus have no choice but to hang out up front. I like to see them but not while they are stuck there. 
Might just sell the fish then setup to buy another setup or at best a colony of same species like only Cylindricus or Leleupi may work better. :?

Moral of the Story: Tall tanks suck, no offense


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## bluenosebully6 (Oct 24, 2011)

I have the same exact tank and have encountered a problem with filtration. I chanhged out the old hob filter the tank came with which was insufficient for a fluval 203 and the water is still getting cloudy with a yellowish greenish tint. I did a 85% water change during the switchover because the water was soooooooo bad ammonia n nitrates through the roof n oh very low. Now the water quality is 100% perfect ph 7.8 ammonia and nitrite 0 kh is 5 temp 79 degrees.....but still having the same problem. I have zeocarb biomax and foam in the cannister any ideas on what it could be????? Not overfeeding I use tetra cichlid pellets and only what they eat in a minute nothing drops....


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