Q: Can anyone help me with stocking my 155g aquarium with cichlids?
A: Tank capacity can also be misleading, so with cichlids we always ask for the dimensions of the tank you refer to.... the most important element is the footprint of the tank (or bottom area) with cichlids the bigger the bottom area the better.
Willie suggested 5-10 fish, but that will leave far to many possibilities in a tank that size. It is much better to pick a single fish you love and must have, then let us try to help you find compatible tankmates for it. Cichlids cover in excess of 4,000 species so its virtually impossible to make blanket statements. This is why we prefer to home in on a single pick to make suggestions for livestock.
Now I am guessing your 155g is one of two possible sizes.... The most likely is that it is approximately 48"x24"x29" However it could be a bow front or some other style tank and ,measure closer to 72"x18"x28" Or somewhere in between....knowing this is crucial for us to help you.
The first place to begin is to choose a continent and start looking at cichlid from that region. Its not the best to mix continents because their signaling and communication cues are very different and it can lead to fights and confusion making it harder for the novice cichlid keeper. There are really only 3 continents to really be concerned with since most of the Asian cichlids are not very common in the hobby
- Africa
- South America
- North/Central America
South Americans are mainly soft-water or black-water fish and requires a little more knowledge and care for the novice than the other two. Test your water straight from the tap and do a test for pH, KH (alkalinity/carbonate hardness), and GH (hardness) it is also good to get a baseline for nitrates while you are at it.
Africans and N/C American cichlids mainly need moderate to hard water which happens to be what the majority of us have from our tap. Obviously it is simpler to match the fish to your domestic water supply as it eliminates the need to learn some chemistry as you modify the tap water before performing your weekly water changes. - It's not all that hard, just one more thing for the novice to deal with and potentially mess up. So unless you really want something specific, I suggest matching the fish you choose to keep to the water you currently have available without having to adjust it too much.
Most people who like "big" fish tend to go American and the ones who prefer "smaller" fish gravitate towards the Africans though that is only a general stereotype....
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