# Yellow Lab Tank Companions



## AfricanLove (Jan 2, 2012)

*Labs with Eels*​
Labs7100.00%Labs and Eels00.00%


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## AfricanLove (Jan 2, 2012)

Hi,
I have 10 yellow labs in a 20 gallon tank. I know it is a bit over stocked but once i figure out who is a constant breeder and the dominate male I will be removing a few of them. I'm planing on keeping around 6 of them. I will be adding a Loach and a Plecostomus but I really wanted to add something cool like an Eel. I've read a little on them and it sounds like I would not be able to. If I can could someone please tell me what I would have to do for it, and if I could not put a Eel with my Labs any cool suggestions? :-? If I had to get rid of the Loach or Plecostomus to get an Eel I will. Any advice is helpful this is my third forum hopefulley the winner.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

You need a tank bigger than a 20G, even for yellow labs. I've read mostly about eels that eat the fish eventually (maybe years later) since they are predators.


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## AfricanLove (Jan 2, 2012)

I got this tank from one of my friends who breed Labs for a while and he gave me a couple extras incase some died but he said it would be fine.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Long-term, the tank is not suitable for these fish.


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## aquariam (Feb 11, 2010)

Fogelhund said:


> Long-term, the tank is not suitable for these fish.


+1

Also I don't believe in keeping plecos or loaches with africans. There are more compatible synodontis catfish which are just as fun to watch and better choices IMO.


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## marvo (Nov 24, 2010)

aquariam said:


> Fogelhund said:
> 
> 
> > Long-term, the tank is not suitable for these fish.
> ...


 yupper


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## tim_s (Nov 27, 2011)

The general rule with non-cichlids is 1 inch of fish per gallon.

You have 4" X 10 = 40 Gallons, then you have to add in the fact that cichlids need more space for territory.

I would be looking to buy a new tank for the current stock.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

tim_s said:


> The general rule with non-cichlids is 1 inch of fish per gallon.


I would not apply the one-inch rule to all non-cichlids...only to skinny one-inch fish like tetras. Any fuller-bodied fish would not work with the rule...think about goldfish which require 30 gallons per fish.


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## tim_s (Nov 27, 2011)

DJRansome said:


> tim_s said:
> 
> 
> > The general rule with non-cichlids is 1 inch of fish per gallon.
> ...


Hi DJRansome,

Of-course, there is not a rule for all fish but I think my point still managed to come through that the fish "Yellow Labs" will not work within the tank "AfricanLove" currently owns.


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## AfricanLove (Jan 2, 2012)

So would 6 Labs be ok for a while do to the fact I can't afford a bigger tank I new from the beginning that the tank was too small sooo just keep a minimum amount of Labs or none at all


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## DIAMOND_CICHLIDS (Sep 22, 2011)

in my opinion a 20 gallons is way too small to keep african cichlids other than shellies.... Have you thought about another specie of fish?


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## tim_s (Nov 27, 2011)

AfricanLove said:


> So would 6 Labs be ok for a while do to the fact I can't afford a bigger tank I new from the beginning that the tank was too small sooo just keep a minimum amount of Labs or none at all


20 Gallons is not a good tank for Labs they do get pretty big.


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## AfricanLove (Jan 2, 2012)

Wow this isn't good, as I was actually excited about keeping Cichlids.


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## tim_s (Nov 27, 2011)

AfricanLove said:


> Wow this isn't good, as I was actually excited about keeping Cichlids.


I think you still can be - just not with Yellow Labs.

You can:

A. look at smaller species.
B. Upgrade the tank slightly.


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## AfricanLove (Jan 2, 2012)

So if you can't tell I'm very new to cichlids what kinda would you recommend for my setup?


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## tim_s (Nov 27, 2011)

Hi,

I have an awesome answer for this question - click this link: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/c ... er_20g.php


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

tim_s said:


> Hi,
> 
> I have an awesome answer for this question - click this link: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/c ... er_20g.php


Some of the Tang cookie cutters are a little too ambitious but there are definitely Tangs that could be stocked in a 20G.


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## kodyboy (Dec 9, 2007)

Shell dwellers do great in that size tank!


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## jordaaan905 (Jan 3, 2012)

definitely to small poor fish i have about 6 or 7 juvenile cichlids in a 150 gallon tank the tank cost me about 500 total it was used but definitely a good deal


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## tim_s (Nov 27, 2011)

kodyboy said:


> Shell dwellers do great in that size tank!


^^ Absolutely

:thumb:


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## AfricanLove (Jan 2, 2012)

jordaaan905 said:


> definitely to small poor fish i have about 6 or 7 juvenile cichlids in a 150 gallon tank the tank cost me about 500 total it was used but definitely a good deal


 You can defiantly put more then that in a 150 gallon I mean even if you apply the 1 Inch 1 Gallon rule. 7*6= 42 so yea. Just putting that out there.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

AfricanLove said:


> jordaaan905 said:
> 
> 
> > definitely to small poor fish i have about 6 or 7 juvenile cichlids in a 150 gallon tank the tank cost me about 500 total it was used but definitely a good deal
> ...


That rule of thumb doesn't apply at all to African Cichlids, or much of anything beyond small tetra fish.

But yes, they can have many more fish than that in a tank this size.


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