[white_roses90991]

My sister and I were at the pet store the other day, looking at some fish, for her. She has a 30 Gallon long tank. She lives in the country, so she has well water.
She has wonderful substrate, driftwood, and rocks. (It use to be my tank, before I moved in with my boyfriend, who already had multiple tanks)
Since i gave her the tank, she has only been able to keep guppies alive. The manager at the pet store suggested it might be her country water and cichlids would be a good match for her tank.
I had a cichlid when I was younger, but I was only 10 years old. He was a gift, from my father for easter, so I knew very little about the fish I held in my 55 G tank, with a monster pleco (more than 16 inches long), an albino cat, and a few other.
Would they really work in her tank? He suggested 4 african cichlids, is that too many? Is there a special one she should get?
Has anyone had this problem before?

 

[white_roses90991]

P.s. I'm bewildered about why her water is always cloudy. She can clean it and the next morning it be filty/brown ish. I'm convinced it is the substrate that is showing through, but could it be something else?

 

[Gfish]

I wouldn't put any rift lake cichlids in a 30gal except for Shellies. There's just not enough room to allow for thier high levels of activity.

Fish deaths are usually caused by environmental factors. What are the water parameters/test results? In regards to the dirty water it could be a number of things from an uncycled tank through to the substrate not being washed properly. What kind of substrate is in the tank?

 

[dave in Iliamna]

You said the tank was yours previously, does that include the drift wood and substrate? My initial reaction is that the brownish water could be tannins from the drift wood.

 

[WhiteGloveAquatics]

try some kribs. they are considered dwarf african cichlids and in a 30g should be fine a few pairs actually.

 

[white_roses90991]

Yea, everything in the tank was mine. I had just layed fresh substrate and the drift wood was my boyfriends before it was mine. (The tank was his, i traded it for my 55) A few of the fish were mine before as well, seeing as when I moved in with my boyfriend we didn't have space for any more fish.
I have no idea what her water is like, I don't get over there very often.
Kribs would be good for her I think. I was curious about smaller ones, seeing as her tank is so small.

 

[WhiteGloveAquatics]

well water isnt always bad sometimes its better then municipal tap, my sisters well is damn near RO quality while my tap is in the 9.0+ range and filled with city chemicals to make people happier.

do a through test on hers again and see where you are at then go from there. Kribs are awesome little fish.