3 Questions On My First Post!

[tmreynolds]

Firstly Hi,

I owned a couple of tanks a few years ago including various cichlids, but now I've got my own place I've just bought a 46 gallon (180 UK litres) tank. I have 3 questions below

I plan to introduce maybe 4-6 African cichlids in this tank.

I have only just started looking at the options but thought I'd get some opinions on here, from the experts ;-)

I would like a fairly easy to maintain, peaceful tank. But nice and colourful (for the missus)?

I also want to introduce a small shoal of small dither fish, around 8, to get the bio cycle going for a few weeks prior to the cichlids. They should only be small about 1 inch max, but want them to be african aswell and look nice, any ideas?

Also, do you think I should get a bottom dweller or 2? A loach or catfish maybe?

 

[Camazotz]

if you want a peaceful tank, there's probably not much point getting cichlids..

 

[Ginge]

You can make these tanks peacefull as for yellow labs you can keep 5 or 6 of these in a group or strech to 10 fish and get 5 yellow labs and 5 of another species. Plecs such as brisslenose are known to do well in african tanks. As for some 1inch african fish to cycle with i cant help you there.

 

[tmreynolds]

Sorry I forgot to add I think I want Tanganyikan's.

And by peaceful I mean, will co-habit happily without constantly trying to kill each other. Obviously a bit of aggression is expected with these fish.

 

[freddyk]

For a tanganyikan setup you might want to try something like:
3-4 juvenile Altolamprologus Calvus or Compressiceps (eventually would end up with just a pair, but they're extraordinarily slow growers)
A pair of Julidochromis Ornatus or Regani
One pair of shelldweller like Ocelatus or Brevis

For shoaling dither fish just go with something fast that stays to the top of the water. You'll probably have to look at fish from west Africa or other tropical areas because Tanganyika doesn't have much to offer in this respect - cyprichromis would be a great addition but this tank is really too small for them. If you'd like a catfish it will need to be able to take some abuse - Tanganyikan native Synodontis Petricola is a nice one.

 

[j.c]

For a tanganyikan setup you might want to try something like:
3-4 juvenile Altolamprologus Calvus or Compressiceps (eventually would end up with just a pair, but they're extraordinarily slow growers)
A pair of Julidochromis Ornatus or Regani
One pair of shelldweller like Ocelatus or Brevis

For shoaling dither fish just go with something fast that stays to the top of the water. You'll probably have to look at fish from west Africa or other tropical areas because Tanganyika doesn't have much to offer in this respect - cyprichromis would be a great addition but this tank is really too small for them. If you'd like a catfish it will need to be able to take some abuse - Tanganyikan native Synodontis Petricola is a nice one.

maybe some of the duboisi there quite nice theres one that i dont know to much about but what about the lemon cichlid?

 

[Ethos]

3-4 juvenile Altolamprologus Calvus or Compressiceps (eventually would end up with just a pair, but they're extraordinarily slow growers)
A pair of Julidochromis Ornatus or Regani

I have a single C. Calvus(Which is in need of a new home poor guy, all alone) and he's beautiful. Fantastic coloring.
But I do agree, then are very, very slow growers. Very slow.
I've had him for about 4 months, and he hasn't grown a centimeter.

 

[tmreynolds]

Thanks for your comments.

I have decided upon the following selection of fish, I would appreciate any comments

3 Julidochromis regani (Kipili)

3 'Lamprologus' brevis

3 Altolamprologus calvus (Kabemba)

2 Synodonits petricola

 

[tmreynolds]

Or maybe

6 Paracyprichromis nigripinnis

3 Altolamprologus calvus (will eventually be a pair)

4 'Lamprologus' similis

2 Synodontis petricola

 

[freddyk]

Sounds like a worthwhile plan to me

 

[tmreynolds]

Or maybe

6 Paracyprichromis nigripinnis

3 Altolamprologus calvus (will eventually be a pair)

4 'Lamprologus' similis

2 Synodontis petricola

I have another question, what order would you introduce these fish? Should I add them all at the same or at different intervals to let the bio filtering adjust?

 

[tmreynolds]

Or maybe

6 Paracyprichromis nigripinnis

3 Altolamprologus calvus (will eventually be a pair)

4 'Lamprologus' similis

2 Synodontis petricola

I have chaned my mind about the calvus and am going to get 6 Cyprichromis leptosoma (Ikola) instead. They sound like fairly colourful and non aggressive tankmates.

Final line up for 180 litre tank

6 Cyprichromis leptosoma (Ikola)

6 Paracyprichromis nigripinnis

4 'Lamprologus' similis

2 Synodontis petricola

Does this seem a good combination? Won't be overstocked will it?

 

[mamafish68]

before you decide on all this whats your tap water PH??
buffers are a pain in the..
and a fluctuating ph is worse then a low one.

 

[tmreynolds]

before you decide on all this whats your tap water PH??
buffers are a pain in the..
and a fluctuating ph is worse then a low one.

My tap water is pH 7.8 as standard and we are in a hard water area. Plus I have coral sand as my substrate so that will naturally buffer slightly, so should be OK.