# Dwarf Cichlids for a 10 gal?



## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

Okay - so I have an extra 10 gallon.

I am wondering if you guys had good experiences with dwarf cichlids for such a small tank?

I prob will go for some shell dwellers.

Also - I currently have a horse-faced loach, he is not very happy as there is not enough sand for him to dig into. I wonder if you would recommend keeping him in the future tank (id suspect that the water can be somewhat hard for the cichlids)

Plant's wont be the biggest priority but I prob put somehting easy in there, prob something that can tolerate the hardness.

Thanks, as usual.


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## rrcoolj (Jun 29, 2009)

Shellies sound good. Or maybe a pair of rams or appistos. I think the loach will be fine but if your going with shellies and your using hard water acclimate slowly. Java fern or anubias would be nice for plants thier supper easy to take care of.


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

Do you think we can have a "common ground" hardness for both the shellies and the loach? And I take that I should keep 1 pair of shellies that loach only?


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## llamas (Jun 29, 2009)

IF you go with appistos or rams, they like sand and soft/low PH water. I think the loach likes that...not sure though.


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## StripesAndFins (Dec 31, 2008)

shellies sound good. i do not know about the loach, but dont they get big, like 9". i would do a trio, because i heard thatthey do better like that, but not sure. good luck!


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## SouthernBelle23 (Mar 24, 2009)

You could do shellies or a pair of rams in a 10g. Or maybe a pair or trio of Apisto Caucatuoides. Other Apistos would do better in a larger tank so they won't kill each other. 

I wouldn't keep the loach. If you have any breeding going on, it will eat fry. Plus, they get pretty big. Loaches Online says 8" max. Even 5-6 inches is too big for a 10g IMO. Give the guy up and hope he goes to a much larger tank. 

The number of shell dwellers depends on what type you get. I suggest Multis (N. multifasciatus) or Brevis (N. brevis) for a 10g. Multis are colony formers and harem breeders so they don't form pairs. I would start with 5-6 and then once you can sex them, keep 1 male and 2-3 females. They'll breed and they don't eat their fry, so they'll keep multiplying.  For Brevis, I'd just keep a pair and maybe some dither fish like Danios. I don't think a 10g is big enough for 2 pair. They will breed too, but if they feel like their space is getting cramped, they'll eat the juvies.

I definitely wouldn't keep the loach with Shellies....but either way I suggest getting rid of him/her.


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## rrcoolj (Jun 29, 2009)

Well depending on the species of shellie you could do more than just one pair. AS for the loach, im not familiar with that type as long as they get too big and again you acclimate slowly he should be fine in for the most part any type of water. Plus you don't have to make the water too hard like 8.7 or anything like that. If the loach is a smaller species than I agree they should be kept in groups of atleast 3.


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## SouthernBelle23 (Mar 24, 2009)

Many shellie species are aggressive if you don't give them enough territory. Brevis are pretty docile shellies, there are many that a pair wouldn't last in a 10g because the male and female would kill each other from lack of space. Other shellies get too large for a 10g. Brevis are pretty common and good for a 10g, though a pair is all I'd keep in there. Get 4-5 unsexed fish, keep a pair. 

The loach gets 8"....too big.


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## rrcoolj (Jun 29, 2009)

SHellies aren't too bad as long as you give them shells and lots of them. Brevis are too big and should be kept as pairs and so shouls occelatus but Neolamprologus multifasciatus are very small and less aggressive than other shellies. Multiple pairs can coexist in a small tank even a ten gallon. males get 1.5-2inches and females get .75-1inch in length.


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## SouthernBelle23 (Mar 24, 2009)

Yes I know. Multis don't form pairs though, so you can't have multiple pairs. Males will fight and in a 10g, you could have issues with that. That is why I suggested a male and several females. I have Multis and any juvenile males get bossed around by my dominant male. And in a 29g that results in some torn fins...in a 10g it would be more than that I'm sure.


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## rrcoolj (Jun 29, 2009)

WOw I've never heard of multis being so aggressive. I've seen people keep generations of mulits in ten gallon tanks pretty easily. But there's no substitution for experience which in this case I don't have.


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