Tank is Cycled!! What Amount of Cichlids can I add??
17 posts • Page 1 of 2
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beachywoman - Posts: 40
- Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2009 8:31 pm
Tank is Cycled!! What Amount of Cichlids can I add??
My tank is cycled !!! whoo hoo! Now my question is how many Cichlids can I now add to my 72 gallon tank? I know I need to add slowly but I want to make sure that I keep the necessary amounts of ammonia from the fish waste circulating to keep the good bacteria alive.
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kelbri - Posts: 118
- Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2008 9:24 pm
I found this site to be a great help with the numbers. They have what they call "Cookie Cutter Setups" that help with the number and type of Cichlids for different sizes of tanks. I haven't set up a Cichlid tank yet, just doing my research.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/q ... e_list.php
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/q ... e_list.php
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beachywoman - Posts: 40
- Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2009 8:31 pm
It has been about 3 weeks or longer. My nitrates are down to almost zero and the ammonia level is in the safe zone.
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kelbri - Posts: 118
- Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2008 9:24 pm
I am with jweb, you need to make SURE that it is cycled. If you've been doing your research, then I'm sure you understand it, but I thought I had done my research, and jumped the gun. My fish lived (until ich destroyed my tank months later), but they weren't overly healthy looking for the first couple of weeks.
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beachywoman - Posts: 40
- Joined: Sun Jan 11, 2009 8:31 pm
I purchased 2 African Cichlids last night and put them in. They do not seem stressed in any way. Actually I wasn't expecting them to even eat but I fed them just a little and they ate very well. I hope I am not jumping the gun!! Maybe I should just try to keep the 2 for now.
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kelbri - Posts: 118
- Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2008 9:24 pm
3 weeks is a decent amount of time, but you may not be totally done cycling yet. As for adding more fish, I would definitly hold off putting any more in for at least 1 week, if not 2. Let your tank get used to their bioload, then you could add a couple more. Slow but surely. Someone please correct me if I am wrong, as it has happened once or twice before :)
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dizzcat - Posts: 648
- Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 2:30 am
I am with you A1. If you are going with African Cichlids you need a LOT of rocks to make a LOT of caves. Without them, like your picture, you are going to have some serious aggression going on, and soon, no matter which ones you put in there.
So I say your next step needs to be, get yourself some rocks for the tank :)
So I say your next step needs to be, get yourself some rocks for the tank :)