Is this a good choice?

[shockshockshad]

My computer only lets me start topics, not reply to them. It must be because i am not at home- i am on vacation. So i have a simalar post, on in if i should get the tank (a 30 gallon).

I might do a rift lake setup. Is malawi the easiest? I have heard it has. my pH is 7.5. What cichlids would be good in a 30 gallon? How many? A stocking list of exact numbers and hardy types is appreciated.

EDIT: I might get a 75 gallon, and have 15 mbuna cichlids. My mom likes the colors, and she likes that you have a lot of different species. I listened to a talk show all on mbunas. This is what i learned:

you need a 75 gallon or more
15 fish in a 75 or 30 fish in a 150
penguins or emperor filters are best (but i want a canister)
use 400 watts of heating
feed cichlid flakes when little, pellets when big.

I have a question though. Are shome species hardier than others? These are the types i can get:
Auratus
Cobalt Blue Zebra
Red Zebra
Snow White Zebra
Lemon Yellow

And another question. There are 5 species, and i need 15. Do I get 3 of each? Or do some species like more than others?

[NickFish]

I might do a rift lake setup. Is malawi the easiest? I have heard it has. my pH is 7.5.

Malawi is probably the easiest as they are pretty hardy cichlids.
The pH should be between 7.8 and 8.5 Red empress are hardy and pretty easy to keep

[Coler]

30 is too small for mbuna. the 75 would be a superb tank and you could have a lot more than 15 - at least 30/35 and with enough filtration even some more.

of the species you name, the only one to keep an eye on would be the auratus. they are seriously aggressive when adult, and in fact although they can be quite pretty as juveniles, the males are ugly when grown. they lose almost all of that nice golden colouration.

is the lemon yellow an 'electric yellow' labidochromis caereulus or a neolamprologus leilupi ? the latter is in fact a tanganyikan, although as a matter of fact you can still keep them with mbuna. All of the other fish you name are 'harem' breeders, and should be stocked in a ratio of 1 male to 4 or 5 females. The 75 would be a lovely set up like that.

if you want a rift lake tank in the 30 do a tanganyikan shell dweller set up with maybe 1 calvus as a centrepiece fish.