Are you thinking of getting into cichlids? Do you want to know what size tank to buy for your cichlids? It depends on the type of cichlid that you have. If you are looking to house an Oscar cichlid, you’d need a minimum of 55 gallons. While if you are looking to house small Multies cichlids then you can fit 4 Multi cichlids (Neolamprolgous multifasciatus) in a 10 gallon tank. Below you will find the minimum tank size for cichlids. You can also use our Cichlid Tank Size calculator to find out how many cichlids can fit in the tank.
Minimum Tank Size for Cichlids
Before you go out to buy a fish tank, I suggest you do some research on the minimum tank size. Most cichlids need to live in a group, so even if you can technically fit one cichlid in a 10 gallon tank, you don’t want to do that. Below you will find the minimum tank sizes for the most common cichlids.
| Type Of African Cichlid | Minimum Tank Size |
|---|---|
| Brevis Cichlid (Neolamprolgous brevis) | 10 Gallons |
| Brichardi Cichlid Neolamprolgous brichardi) | 50 Gallons |
| Frontosa Cichlid | 70 Gallons |
| Haps (Haplochromis) | 75 Gallons |
| Jewel Cichlid | 50 Gallons |
| Julidochromis Cichlid | 20 Gallons |
| Lemon Cichlid (Neolamprolgous leleupi) | 20 Gallons |
| Mbuna Cichlid | 60 Gallons |
| Mutlies Cichlid (Neolamprolgous multifasciatus) | 10 Gallons |
| Oscar Cichlid (Astronotus ocellatus) | 55 Gallons |
| Peacock Cichlid (Aulonocara) | 75 Gallons |
Brevis Cichlid Minimum Tanks Size
Brevis Cichlids are one of the smallest African cichlids. They will need a minimum of 10 gallon tank. You can house a pair of Brevis cichlid in a 10 gallon tank.
Brichardi Cichlid Minimum Tank Size
Brichardi Cichlid or Fairy Cichlid (Neolamprologus brichardi) can grow to 4 inches long. They are peaceful shoaler so must be kept in groups. You should ideally house a group of Brichardi cichlids in a minimum tank size of 50 gallons. In a 50 gallon tank, you can keep 5 Brichardi cichlids.
Frontosa Cichlid Minimum Tank Size
Frontosa Cichlids minimum tank size is 70 gallons. You can house one Frontosa Cichlid in a 70 gallon tank. They can grow rather large to 12-15 inches! I do suggest a much larger tank than a 70 gallon tank because you want more than one Frontosa cichlid in your tank.
Haps (Haplochromis) Minimum Tank Size
Haps cichlid (Haplochromis) minimum tank size is 75 gallons. You can house a pair of Haps cichlid (Haplochromis) in a 75 gallon tank.
Jewel Cichlid Minimum Tank Size
Jewel cichlids minimum tank size is 50 gallons. You can house a pair of Jewel cichlids in a 50 gallon tank.
Julidochromis Cichlid Minimum Tank size
Julidochromis Cichlid minimum tank size is 20 gallons. Growing up to 4 inches long, you can house three Julidochromis Cichlids in a 20 gallon tank.
Lemon Cichlid (Neolamprolgous leleupi) Minimum Tank Size
Lemon Cichlid (Neolamprolgous leleupi) minimum tank size is 20 gallons. They can grow to 3-4 inches long. You can keep a pair of Lemon Cichlid (Neolamprolgous leleupi) in a 20 gallon tank.
Mbuna Cichlid Minimum Tank Size
Mbuna Cichlid minimum tank size is 60 gallons. Mbunas are territorial rock dwellers, so you will need a rock arrangements in the tank to carve out territories. You can house 16 Mbuna cichlids in a 60 gallon tank.
Mutlies Cichlid (Neolamprolgous multifasciatus) Minimum Tank Size
Mutlies Cichlid (Neolamprolgous multifasciatus) minimum tank size is 10 gallons. You can house 4 Mutlies Cichlid (Neolamprolgous multifasciatus) in a 10 gallon tank. They are active, shell dwellers- very fun and fascinating to watch in a 10 gallon tank.
Oscar Cichlid (Astronotus ocellatus) Minimum Tank Size
Oscar Cichlid (Astronotus ocellatus) can grow rather large, the minimum tank size for Oscar cichlids is 50 gallons. You can keep only one Oscar cichlid per 50 gallon tank. Ideally, you have a much larger tank than 50 gallons.
Peacock Cichlid (Aulonocara) Minimum Tank Size
Peacock Ciclids or Aulonocara cichlids need a minimum tank size of 75 gallons. You can fit 11 Peacock cichlids in a 75 gallons.
Cichlid Fish Tank Calculator
Use our Cichlid Fish Tank Calculator below to compute how many cichlids fit in your tank. When you use the calculator below, note that this is the suggested quantity for a species specific tank. If you are mixing difference cichlids or mixing with other fish, you will have to make adjustments and reduce the number of cichlids. It’s better to get the biggest tank available. Use our table above for minimum tank size guidance.
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