# Aquarium for Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlids



## brittanyschmidt (Oct 19, 2015)

I took my son to the pet store yesterday and he fell in love with the cobalt blue zebra cichlids. So I want to set up an aquarium in his room for him. Would a 20 gallon long tank be sufficient for one or two of them? Are they hardy and easy to take care of? Should I get graval or sand substrate? Any other suggestions for setting up the aquarium? Thanks!


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## tanker3 (May 18, 2015)

1) No a 20gal is too small, even for one. You will need at least 36" tank for one, and a 48" for 2 or more.
2) They are very hard, but mean.
3) Either sand or gravel, or even bare bottom is Ok for a Zebra.


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## klimarov (May 12, 2015)

any thing below 30g is no recommended for cichlids, unless you buy dwarf cichlids. Even 30g is bare minimum for few fish.

Blue zebras can't go into anything below 30g. If you put only a single fish, it will get depressed and will most likely die.

Blue zebras are hardy fish, however they are very aggressive. Mbunas (blue zebra is one) are aggressive in general, but some mbuna species like zebras are very aggressive.

Let's say you go with 20g tank and get only 2 blue zebras in there. one of them will kill the other once once they get to adulthood. If you get adults, within a week one will die.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

If I wanted a child to have a good understanding of providing a healthy environment for fish, and this fish was essential, I'd go with a 48x12 rectangular aquarium (55G), stock more of this species as others have stated (at least 5....I'd buy 8 unsexed juveniles to have a good chance of getting enough females), and I'd also add other species to overcrowd the tank a bit to help manage aggression.


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## brittanyschmidt (Oct 19, 2015)

Unfortunately, I don't think his bedroom is even big enough for a 55 gallon tank. Would a 30 gallon work if we only got 2? I thought you couldn't put other species with cichlids because they're aggressive?


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## brittanyschmidt (Oct 19, 2015)

klimarov said:


> any thing below 30g is no recommended for cichlids, unless you buy dwarf cichlids. Even 30g is bare minimum for few fish.
> 
> Blue zebras can't go into anything below 30g. If you put only a single fish, it will get depressed and will most likely die.
> 
> ...


How long does it take them to reach adulthood? Would a 20 gallon work temporarily if we upgraded later on?


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## tanker3 (May 18, 2015)

brittanyschmidt said:


> Unfortunately, I don't think his bedroom is even big enough for a 55 gallon tank. Would a 30 gallon work if we only got 2? I thought you couldn't put other species with cichlids because they're aggressive?


As stated above. 2 will become one, the stronger will kill the weaker.

"you couldn't put other species with cichlids because they're aggressive", this is correct, you cannot put other species with it.


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## brittanyschmidt (Oct 19, 2015)

tanker3 said:


> brittanyschmidt said:
> 
> 
> > Unfortunately, I don't think his bedroom is even big enough for a 55 gallon tank. Would a 30 gallon work if we only got 2? I thought you couldn't put other species with cichlids because they're aggressive?
> ...


So even a 30 gallon isn't big enough? Are there other types of fish that do better in smaller tanks that have vibrant coloring like cichlids?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

A cichlid like the cobalt blue zebra reaches maturity in about six months. If you want something blue for a smaller aquarium I would choose a betta...you could even keep a betta in a 5G aquarium.

Other brightly colored fish include platies, swordtails, barbs, etc.

There are many cichlids that work in a 20G but maybe nothing your son will think is as colorful as the cobalt. Take a look in the Cichlid-forum Library in the 20G cookie cutter tanks if you want to explore other cichlid options.


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## james1983 (Dec 23, 2007)

Try live bearers like platies. Theyre cheap, peaceful, colorful, and your son can have fun looking in the tank to find fry. There's even blue variations of platy. I have a 3 yr old that likes helping with my tanks and this is going to be my approach for his first tank.


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

If he likes blue fish, there is Apistogramma sp. "Steel Blue", a dwarf cichlid of unknown origin. Both males and females have a blue color, except when caring for fry, and then the female turns yellow and black. I have a pair in a planted 20 high with a large sponge filter and currently the female is guarding a batch of tiny fry. These fish probably do best in soft low pH water. At least that is what I have them in. I have a few celestial danios in with them as company that gives an all clear message to the dwarf cichlids. Aquarists call these companions dither fish.

Blue platies are a hardy livebearer that will do great in almost any city water and most well water, even very hard high pH water. They would be fine in a 29.


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## brittanyschmidt (Oct 19, 2015)

Mcdaphnia said:


> If he likes blue fish, there is Apistogramma sp. "Steel Blue", a dwarf cichlid of unknown origin. Both males and females have a blue color, except when caring for fry, and then the female turns yellow and black. I have a pair in a planted 20 high with a large sponge filter and currently the female is guarding a batch of tiny fry. These fish probably do best in soft low pH water. At least that is what I have them in. I have a few celestial danios in with them as company that gives an all clear message to the dwarf cichlids. Aquarists call these companions dither fish.
> 
> Blue platies are a hardy livebearer that will do great in almost any city water and most well water, even very hard high pH water. They would be fine in a 29.


We have hard water and don't have a water softener which is why I was going to go the cichlid route. I think I'm going to wait until I can afford to get him at least a 40 gallon so he can get cichlids.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The footprint is more important than the gallons. I have a 38G tank that is 36x12 and options are limited. I have other tanks that are 33G but 48x12 for more options.

Also consider buying used...lots of tanks available at $1 / gallon.


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## brittanyschmidt (Oct 19, 2015)

DJRansome said:


> The footprint is more important than the gallons. I have a 38G tank that is 36x12 and options are limited. I have other tanks that are 33G but 48x12 for more options.
> 
> Also consider buying used...lots of tanks available at $1 / gallon.


I'm looking at getting a 40 gallon that's 36" long by 18" wide... Would that work?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I would not put a Metriaclima callainos (cobalt blue zebra) in anything smaller than 48x12 with the length being the critical dimension. There are some other mbuna that could work in 36x18 but options are limited.


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## brittanyschmidt (Oct 19, 2015)

DJRansome said:


> I would not put a Metriaclima callainos (cobalt blue zebra) in anything smaller than 48x12 with the length being the critical dimension. There are some other mbuna that could work in 36x18 but options are limited.


What others would work? I don't know all of the technical names yet and the pet stores all call them different things so I'm having a very difficult time distinguishing between the different types. I apologize for the all the questions. I'm just trying to learn as much as I can and do this right for the sake of the fish.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Look in the cookie cutter tanks in the Cichlid-forum Library for a 36" tank (go by length, not gallons). I don't think they have a cookie cutter for 36" for Malawi.

The species tank for Pseudotropheus saulosi I mentioned in the other post has been made to work in a 36" tank.

You can also look in the Profiles to match up the scientific names with the common names. The problem with common names is you don't know for sure what the fish is because many species can be called the same name. Look for an LFS that labels the fish with the scientific names.


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## brittanyschmidt (Oct 19, 2015)

DJRansome said:


> Look in the cookie cutter tanks in the Cichlid-forum Library for a 36" tank (go by length, not gallons). I don't think they have a cookie cutter for 36" for Malawi.
> 
> The species tank for Pseudotropheus saulosi I mentioned in the other post has been made to work in a 36" tank.
> 
> You can also look in the Profiles to match up the scientific names with the common names. The problem with common names is you don't know for sure what the fish is because many species can be called the same name. Look for an LFS that labels the fish with the scientific names.


I will take a look. Thank you for all of your help!


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