How many dwarfs can I have in a well fit-out 55g tank?

[daddySEAL]

??
(already have a few Rams, and hopefully a few Apistogramma viejita, in awhile)

About how many of these small fish SA cichlids can I keep in my 55g tank, please?

 

[ed seeley]

Personally I don't stock more than 1 pair per 18" of tank length and if possible give them more room than that. I'm about to put 7 A.eremnopyge in a 3ft tank (36"x18"x18", 180 litres) but only confident putting that many in as it will be very heavily planted with lots of hardscape too and I have had two males living in a two foot tank for a while and they've been ok.

 

[daddySEAL]

Thanks, ed seeley

"Pairs" (male and female) are hard to find thru US stores. They are afraid you'll breed them and their business will suffer....Shoot!

So all mine are males. My tank is Also very heavily planted with lots of hardscaping and cover too (as yours).

My tank is 48"long x 16" wide x 22" tall (55 gallons/US...sorry, I'm not good on metric conversions.

So, if you could please give me an idea a how many rams and Apistogramma viejita, etc.(or other dwarfs) I could have, in it please?
(are the water chemistry, temp. ect. similar for those dwarfs, please?)

 

[ed seeley]

Thanks, ed seeley

"Pairs" (male and female) are hard to find thru US stores. They are afraid you'll breed them and their business will suffer....Shoot!

So all mine are males. My tank is Also very heavily planted with lots of hardscaping and cover too (as yours).

My tank is 48"long x 16" wide x 22" tall (55 gallons/US...sorry, I'm not good on metric conversions.

So, if you could please give me an idea a how many rams and Apistogramma viejita, etc.(or other dwarfs) I could have, in it please?
(are the water chemistry, temp. ect. similar for those dwarfs, please?)

In a a four foot tank I'd start with a pair/trio/small group of viejitas to go with your rams and see how that goes. You could get some pairs from the specialist suppliers who advertise on here rather than relying on a LFS.

I thought 55US gallons was around 180 litres but I would have thought a tank of those dimensions would hold about 58 UK (Imperial) gallons or 264 litres! That's about 70 US gallons I believe.

 

[daddySEAL]

I'll have to measure the tank when I get home....I'm having trouble finding a free US/metric converstion website. One I found said 55 US gallons was 108 liters(another conversion website shows 55 US liquid gallons as being 208 liters...?!!). Which is correct? Do you know of a good free metric conversion website?)

It "may be" a 70 gallon tank...I'll check later.


Thank You....I'll looking into getting a trio of group of viejitas(with female) at the "specialty shop" on this site.
After I get those viejitas, what would you suggest as "dither fish", please?

 

[DH247]

Pencil fish or microrasboras are fantastic. If you want a bit more schooling behaviour I would suggest the rasboras. Although it is great fun to watch the male pencil's duke it out over territory and females. As of right now I have a group of Annostomus Trifasciatus with a pair of Apisto Trifasciata and their fry. No one has gone missing! Good luck with your tank!

 

[Mike Wise]

3.84 L/US Gal. 1 US Gal = 4 qts; 1 Imperial (UK) Gallon = 5 qts; US & Imp qts are the same volume

55 X 3.84 = ~ 211 L but a 55 gal tank doesn't actually hold 55 gals.

55 gal tank - 48x13x20" = 12,480 cu. in./231 cu in./US gal. = 54 gal. X 3.84 L/gal = 207.5 L

 

[daddySEAL]

Thanks, Mike

So, I guess the conversion website that said it is 208 liters was the most correct.

 

[Apistomaster]

You need to define your goals before you decide how many Dwarf Cichlids you want to keep in your tank. If you want to just house pairs without trying to breed and raise the fry in a community, then three or four species would be plenty if they are pairs or trios. If you wish to breed Dwarf Cichlids then just a pair or trio would be appropriate. The breeders will usually provide care for about a month then spawn again but the extra space will give the fry an excellent start in life compared to trying to breed them in a ten gallon tank.

 

[daddySEAL]

Goals, Apistomaster ?
To have a Very Colorful 55g tank of a bunch active healthy fish to watch(Colorful Rams, other dwarfs, dither fish and a few others that are nonaggresive to swim (small school?) above in upper tank area. Period.

If I think about breeding, I'll get a small set of tanks for breeding and separating the fry.

Mike, I Finally remembered to measure the "55g" tanks this morning before going to work. They are both 48" long, 12" deep/wide and 22" tall (only 20" usable, though)