Who Gives A Fish Forums

I totally feel you, choosing the right fish can be a real challenge. Seriouslyfish is an amazing resource, I've found it super helpful in the past when deciding on new additions for my tank.

I think a 180l tank might be a bit of a squeeze for average-sized Malawi cichlids, to be honest.

If your water's on the softer side, you might want to look into dwarf cichlids - they could be a good fit. On the other hand, if you're working with harder water, you could consider some shell dwellers ...

For maintaining good water quality in your overcrowded tank, I'd recommend aiming for 30-50% water changes every week, especially if you've got top-notch filtration. If your filtration is standard for the tank size, you'll likely need to do more frequent water changes. The frequency really depends ...

I'd like to suggest you take a look at Cyprichromis leptosoma, also known as the Sardine Cichlid. From my research, it seems like they'd be a great fit for what you're looking for. They're a species that's known to thrive in the upper levels of the tank, which would help make the most of your custom ...

I've been digging into African Cichlids for the last 3 months, getting ready to set up my own tank. I'm definitely no expert and have zero experience with cichlids, but the info is still fresh in my mind.

From what I've gathered, overcrowding can be a good thing, depending on the species you're ...

I'm curious to know, what's your water's pH and GH like?

You can definitely have live plants with smaller cichlids, but the bigger ones tend to be diggers and often end up uprooting them.


Thanks coltin, just what I was hoping to hear.

I'm glad I can consider a variety of fish species. Now ...

The pH of my water is 7.6, with a high range pH of 8.0. As for the hardness, I've got a GH of 18 degrees and a KH of 10 degrees.

Would this hardness level cause any issues with the types of cichlids I can keep, or would it be more about finding plants that can tolerate these water parameters?

Hi Everyone,

I've had a change of heart with my aquarium plans, thanks to some valuable advice from fellow forum members and, I must admit, my own lack of research. The main reason for this is the hardness of my water, and I don't want to limit myself to just livebearers.

My 240l Fluval Roma tank ...

Yes, the seller is correct, it's indeed a 200 litre tank. I've taken a closer look at the fish and I'm quite sure you've got Malawi Cichlids in there. They do require heated water, with a temperature range of 24-27c being ideal. When introducing a heater, it's best to gradually increase the ...