Alright, ya’ll convinced me, cichlids is the way to go!!!!

33 posts • Page 1 of 4

Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


esparzar1
 
Posts: 164
Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2009 5:31 pm

Alright, ya’ll convinced me, cichlids is the way to go!!!!

by esparzar1

I’ve decided to make my 55 gallon a cichlid tank! I’ve been researching all day and night and have finally made up my mind. I know I’m going to have to take it nice and slow because I definitely don’t want to mess up anything. I need all the advice I can get. Like, what are good starter cichlids’? What get along the best? What I have in mind is a colorful, peaceful, cichlid tank (easier said then done :) I realize that there are several types of sub-species when it come to cichlids and I also don’t know the availability of these types of fish at the local stores, but this is what I’m considering so far:

Lake Tanganyika cichlids:

Blue Neon (Paracyprichromis nigripinnis)
Lemon cichlids(Neolamprologus leleupi)
Daffodill (Neolamprologus brichardi)
Five-Bar (Neolamprologus tretocephalu)

I also really like the Yellow Lab and some of the peacocks but, I don’t know if these types of cichlids will get along. Any help, thoughts, comments are appreciated.


josmoloco
 
Posts: 189
Joined: Thu Mar 20, 2008 11:21 pm

by josmoloco

I would not do tangs if I were you. To much aggresion when they breed means you can only keep 2-3 pairs. this would make a great mbuna tank. If you dont want anything too aggresive you could do
2m 6f yellow lab
2m 6f rustys
5 acei of which sex is less important alothough 1m 4f would be ideal


esparzar1
 
Posts: 164
Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2009 5:31 pm

by esparzar1

Maybe I'm reading bad info. but the tangs that I listed above are said to be good community fish and not very aggressive? I dunno, again, I need all the help I can get. What do you recommed for starter cichlids?


dizzcat
 
Posts: 648
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 2:30 am

by dizzcat

Lake Tanganyika cichlids are very beautiful, but sometimes hard to find. Call around to make sure you can find them before deciding on them. :-) Most lfs don't carry them and a lot of times people have to order them online. Also, if you get a pair of Neolamprologus brichardi and they pair up, they will take over the entire tank when they spawn, (this is from experience and what others have experienced). They also keep spawning and the older fry will take care of the new fry. They are best keep as a species only tank because of this.

Yellow Labs are Mbuna. They can get along with Peacocks, but they are about the only Mbuna who do. Mbuna are very active and tend to stress out Peacocks.

People that do an all male tank go with the peacocks because they don't need females to color up. Those are beautiful tanks!

Yellow Labs and/or Ps. Acei are a great Africans to start with. They are mildly aggressive and get along with most all Mbuna. If you go with Mbuna, look for fish that have the same basic temperaments. If you have a mild one like the Lab and get some, say Kenyi, Johannii, or Bubble Bees that are extremely aggressive, you will end up with some very beat up Labs. Its best to start with the least aggressive until you get some experience in keeping Africans.

Here is a link that shows a lot of the Mbuna's, their max size and temperment.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/c ... .php?cat=2

Here are the Peacocks:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/c ... .php?cat=3

The Tanginikans:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/i ... p?region=T

This is a good article on mixes for certain tank sizes, to give you an idea:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/c ... er_55g.php

Good articles on African Cichlids:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/i ... n_list.php

My best advice to you is read all you can about the groups you decide to go with. Try not to impulse buy, that way you wont get one and take it home to have it beat the crap out of all the others. Also, don't mix lakes. Each lake has a different pH and hardness level, and their diet requirements can be different too.

If you decide on Mbuna (they are the easiest to find in stores) the best way to set up is to add the least aggressive group first, like the Labs, so they can establish territories before adding a more aggressive group. Most all African cichlids are harem spawners so if you plan to breed (and they will whether you plan it or not LOL) the best mix is 1 male to 3-4 females. If you only get 1 male and 1 female she will end up harassed to death because males always want to spawn! A group of girls spreads out the aggression of the male.

My setup is 4 main groups of 1 male to 2-4 females. Then I have 2 males of a different kind as the odd fish. I always have at least 1 or 2 holding females (they hold the eggs in their mouth after spawning until the fry are done with the egg yokes) with this setup. Right now I have 4 holding. If you don't want the fry, they will release them into the main tank and the adults will eat them.


esparzar1
 
Posts: 164
Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2009 5:31 pm

by esparzar1

Thanks for the help from everyone. Still undecided about Tangs or Mbuna's (I will have to see what the local pet stores have)


dizzcat
 
Posts: 648
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 2:30 am

by dizzcat

I really liked the tangs when I first started up an African tank. The only ones I could find was the brichardi. They were wonderful at first, but I could not add anything to the tank. I started out with 6 tiny ones and two teamed up and almost killed the others. When I tried adding something else they attacked that! They never did spawn for me, probably because they were too young still. They grow very slow and take a few years to reach full size. I finally traded them in and went with a Mbuna tank.


josmoloco
 
Posts: 189
Joined: Thu Mar 20, 2008 11:21 pm

by josmoloco

You could also do like

20-25 soulosi with 1m 3f cobalt blues

or

20-25 demasoni with 1m 4fyellow labs


esparzar1
 
Posts: 164
Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2009 5:31 pm

by esparzar1

After calling the pets stores and looking around yesterday, they didn't have the best selection. Dizz you were right, all they had was Mbuna. Just gotta have some patience and choose wisely. Thanks again for all the help!


esparzar1
 
Posts: 164
Joined: Fri Jan 30, 2009 5:31 pm

by esparzar1

Alright, I took your adivce and used this handy/ dandy tool to come up with this mix

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/c ... er_55g.php

Electric yellow labs 1 male 3 females
Acei 1 male 3 females
Red Zebra 1 male 2 females
Peacocks (If I can find them) 2 males

I think this mix will work in a 55. Any thoughts?????


josmoloco
 
Posts: 189
Joined: Thu Mar 20, 2008 11:21 pm

by josmoloco

The cookie cutter formula is Ok. I would only do 1 male peacock though, preferably a blue one. I would also double the amount of labs to 2m 4f. And add two more female red zebras. There is always talk of red zebras readly hybridizing with labs, but I have not found that to be true whatsoever if you keep the propper m-f ratio of each species.

Alright, ya’ll convinced me, cichlids is the way to go!!!!

33 posts • Page 1 of 4

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