# 20 gallon long cichlid tank



## Darkskies (Mar 17, 2012)

Hi,

I wasn't sure if I were to ask this on the one thread titled 'Cichlids for 20 gallon high' whether it would be hijacking at this point. Basically, I have a 20 gallon long tank available and I'm looking for some easy cichlids(as in not sensitive) that display great parental care and could deal with a few danio/livebearer/tetra tankmates as well. My LFS has A. multispinosa available but someone told me Kribs are more interesting in terms of parental behavior. My LFS for some reason has not had kribs available for the past couple of months unfortunately. Do you guys think a tank with a pair of A. multispinosa and some tetras and mollies would be fairly interesting to observe? I'd like the tetras/mollies to act as fry control but would still like some fry to survive(just as long as I'm not overrun!).

In other words, do you think the parental care, defense, and overall personality of A. multispinosa would make for a captivating tank? Please let me know. Thanks!


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

As I said in the other similar post, I think a pair of A. multispinosa would make for a great smaller CA tank. I have kept and bred them and they are a great looking and interesting cichlid. I have no experience with Kribs so I can't really make a comparison..

Here's a couple of videos by Lee Nutall showing some of their behavior.


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## Brentt700 (Mar 14, 2013)

I have kept both fish and I think that they both, from experience, are interesting species and behave interestingly. The difference is would be between what shape would you prefer at this point as they are quite differently shaped fish as well as colored and marked. I liked both quite well, and noticed both could be a little aggressive in ways, though. I am keeping a Krib right now with a Marlieri and a bunch of Corydoras Cats. Kept my Multispinosa a few years before in the same size tank as yours.....a 20 gallon long. Was perfect for either.


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## Darkskies (Mar 17, 2012)

Thanks for the replies, guys!

Brentt700, what do the multispinosa do when the fry overpopulate the tank? Do they eat them to make ready for a new batch? Although I want to see parental behavior and grow some fry out for sale/giveaway/trade, I don't want to be completely overwhelmed and would feel guilty disposing of the fry myself..

I know it's been mostly answered already but in comparison to kribs do the multispinosa defend their brood competently? Is there a lot of interaction between the fry and the parents?


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## dstuer (Mar 27, 2013)

All substrate spawning cichlids have very similar behavior, but age and experience comes into play. 
There is very little difference the way a krib or multispinosa acts during spawning or protecting fry. 
A pair may or may not eat their first spawn.
Some pairs will eat fry, if tank mates pose a threat (they would rather eat their own fry, rather than let other fish eat them). 
In nature multispinosa spawn on flooded grass lands, and when the rains come, the fry that have not been eaten by birds, insects and other predators are naturally distributed. And in nature, a spawn where only 2 fry survive into adulthood, would be considered successful, and in reality desirable.


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