smallest cichlid?

[straitjacketstar]

how many of either of the two i posted pics of could i put in a 20g? how many if both were in there? could i put in any at all. im completely new to cichlids so i need some real advice! thanks!

As opposed to fake advice?
Neither of the two fish you posted is suited for a 20 gallon tank.
The bright yellow one (Labidochromis caeruleus) grows to 5" and is a highly active gregarious species.
The electric blue one (Sciaenochromis fryeri) grows to 8", is better off in a spacious open-water habitat.
Simply put, your 20 gallon tank is too small for any Malawian cichlid.

If you're looking for something colorful that your 20 gallon tank can accommodate as a permanent home then look for blue/gold/german rams (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi) and some tetras.

 

[puffcrusader696]

ok is that like the rainbow-ish one? how big do they get?

 

[Jory]

i agree with ruben, both of those fish will eventually outgrow a 20. your main problem is that you have that aragonite. you could try some other dwarf cichlids such as apistogramma or rams, but the aragonite you have would make the pH and mineral levels in your water far too high. since the pH and mineral levels are as high as they are this limits you to most african cichlids only. Because all the africans you seem to be interested in seem to be from lake Malawi, most of them are going to get too large or too territorial and your going to wind up with one dominant male left.
try sticking with cichlids from lake tanganyika. i think that you would probably find neolamprologus brichardi pretty attractive(they usually run around $10-15 around here) or another excellent choice would be neolamprologus leleupi(around $20-25).

 

[puffcrusader696]

ok then what substrate would be good for other cichlids that i could have?

 

[fishoverlivingspace]

I'd go with a small group of apistos or rams with a group of tetras and a small group of cory cats, maybe with a nice ornamental pleco(gold nugget, atabapo, inspector, or somethin).

Otherwise, with the substrate you're planning (or already have?), keep tanganyikans. Neo. meleagrise is an interesting one and stays extremely small... barely over an inch I believe. also, N. crassus is great, any kind of julies(julidichromis sp.), and a good portion of the Neolamprologus genus, aside from what I mentioned before. With fish of this size, you could actually fit quite a few fish (maybe 6-8 for a 20-high or 8-10 for a 20-long).

Tangs are my favorite. Good luck!

Any kind of inert sand with a piece of driftwood in the tank would be good for the cichlids and other fish I mentioned in the beginning. Try to include some plants as well, if possible.

 

[puffcrusader696]

is the driftwood for the ph? do alot of them need soft water? my parents want a tank with real color like vivid colors so im kinda stuck. maybe one that will outgrow it but grows really slow? idk something like that

 

[straitjacketstar]

is the driftwood for the ph? do alot of them need soft water? my parents want a tank with real color like vivid colors so im kinda stuck. maybe one that will outgrow it but grows really slow? idk something like that

If that's the route they really want then I suggest you stick with a nice generalized community type set-up.
Barbs, tetras, cories, maybe try looking at gouramis. There are a few hardy small cichlid species that would do well in most any type water (considering they're captive bred and raised). Bolivian rams for example, Laetacara dorsigera or L. curviceps for another.
Most important things to remember that cichlids in general are quite territorial and the number of species that can be confined in a 20 gallon tank as a colorful display (bustling with tankmates) for any decent length of time is limited.
Even the more colorful and hardy jewel and krib cichlids are rather intolerant of most any other tankmates while spawning.

 

[puffcrusader696]

alright ill stick to smaller ones and really try not too many tank mates!!

 

[fishoverlivingspace]

There's a real nice W. African cichlid that stays small, less than 3 1/2 inches or so, is pretty non-aggressive (even when spawning, as they are mouthbrooders and don't form a major pair bond). It's called Pseudocrenilabrus nicholsi, and it's been my favorite W. African cichlid to date. I've kept it with different tetras, cory cats, and celebese rainbowfish, and I'm sure there's many more fish that you could keep it with. This picture is extremely blurry, but even through the blurr, you can see his exceptionally blue lips, pink body, and speckled caudal area/fin. His dorsal fin is an extravagant red with black lining. He was one of the most beautiful fish I've ever owned, and if you can find them (they're a bit uncommon), jump at the opportunity. You can probably keep a group of about 5-6 in that tank, with females outnumbering males along with a small school of some other small fish, and all should be well.