# How many cichlids can I keep in a 45 gallon?



## dudemanguy (Feb 11, 2009)

Hey,

I am currently raising several juvenial mbuna in a 20 gallon. I want to purchase more fish, along with a 45 gallon aquarium, but am not sure how many I can keep in a tank that size.

Suggestions?


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## feedinfrenzy3 (Jan 20, 2009)

tank dimensions? and what type of mbuna?


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## dudemanguy (Feb 11, 2009)

I have decided to get a 55 gallon instead. The tank is: 48"L, 13"W, 20"H

I am planning on keeping: Labs (caeruleus & hongi) , Metriaclima estherae, and possibly some Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos. Now I know that the cyaneorhabdos is an aggressive fish, but in a tank that size would it be possible to keep them with the others?


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## feedinfrenzy3 (Jan 20, 2009)

With those being so aggressive, 3 species would be pushing it in that 55 gal. You could maybe do another lesser aggressive mbuna. depends on how many fish your wanting to put in also.


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## dudemanguy (Feb 11, 2009)

Well, I was planning on about 3 of each. So 12 fish total.


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## fmueller (Jan 11, 2004)

I'd say you can have more than 12 mbuna in a 55G. In fact more would be better to spread around aggression. However, I would second the recommendation to limit yourself to one or two species. That will also help with aggression control. If it's all about color, consider species like P. saulosi - with blue males and yellow females you have two colors covered with one species! Plus saulosi are smaller and less aggressive than most mbuna.









_I find this 400G single species tank with P. saulosi by CF member Ssssssspit_Fire absolutely stunning!_


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## dudemanguy (Feb 11, 2009)

Oh, ok! 2 for 1 in color with the P. saulosi! And they are very beautiful too!

Would I be able to keep Metriaclima estherae with them? Cause that would be my second choice of species.


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

That will give you almost all orange fish 1-2 male saulosi for the blue. I would not mix Met estherae with saulosi or labs as the possibility of crossbreeding is extremely high.

My favorite blue/yellow mix is Labs and Ps. demasoni. But as analternative (since dems can be rather expensive) would be labs and Ps. socolofi, or the Met estherae with the socolofi for orange and blue. With any mixing of nmbuna there is a chance of cross breeding, but with good gender ratios and dis-similar species it can be almost eliminated.


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## Mbunaaddict (Oct 28, 2010)

What type of plants are those? I have a 75g saulosi spec tank and would like to add some green to it. They have destroyed my life plants in the past :-? . All fish are still pretty young. Here is what im working with:


















subrate-PFS
rocks- smooth river rock (more to come)
filter- AC 110 and AC70
Heater- Marineland (not the stealth)
Powerhead- Maxijet 600 (set up in circulation mode
lighting- T5HO 4 bulb with 2 6400K, 1 10,000k, and i Actinic

Please give me some suggestions to make it look better!!


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