Advice On Stocking Change To African Cichlids

[shepherd88]

Well in the new year im thinking of getting rid of my tank scape and current stock back to the local fish shop and starting an african cichlid tank....

I have a 180litre tank .....first is this sufficient enough for them....also how are they in comparison to standard tropical fish regarding care and waste and things...

Are they more active to watch as they sure are more colourful...
Also will i have to remove my plants and just add rock??

Just any help please thanks ....jake

 

[deftuch]

Well in the new year im thinking of getting rid of my tank scape and current stock back to the local fish shop and starting an african cichlid tank....

I have a 180litre tank .....first is this sufficient enough for them....also how are they in comparison to standard tropical fish regarding care and waste and things...

Are they more active to watch as they sure are more colourful...
Also will i have to remove my plants and just add rock??

Just any help please thanks ....jake

180 litres is smal if your gunna have haps or peacocks as they can get pretty largre. i have mbunas in my 180 litre tank. its not really about the litres though. its more about the lenght. if you have a very tall tank thats only 2 foot wide like a collum tank then thats not good enough. malawis will eat most plants, but anubias and java fern can do well. mbuna need rocks to hide in and feel safe. haps and peacocks are more open swimming and require less rockwork

 

[shepherd88]

My tank is about 3ft long

 

[deftuch]

will be fine for mbunas. esecially dwarf mbunas. you could stock haps and peacocks if you buy them young, they will get to 5 inches, maybe more. if you imagine 20 maybe 30 5 inch fish in a few years time, it will be crowded! that bit of bogwood will most probably have to go im afriad, its huge and will lower the ph which is undesired. those types of plants will most definately get eaten. here is a link to a guy called bolly on youtube. his videos on mbunbas and malawis in general are excellent and youy will learn alot :


http/www.youtube.com/user/bolly12345

 

[xXKratosXx]

Black sand with white texas holy rock with a Demosani colony would look fab in that tank. Just an idea

 

[shepherd88]

Thanks guys yes the bogwood is going and im changing the substrate for sand so may look into black...
Are cichlids better all round fish then?

 

[xXKratosXx]

I currently have a mbuna setup and they are pretty active and social, expecially at feeding time. All 27 of mine are at the glass waiting for the food to fall. As long as they have plenty of hiding places they will feel comfortable in the open.

I would not say cichlids are better as everyone has their thing. Some people don't like them, others love them, but its really about what you are looking for in fish. A lot of people go with Mbuna as they are very colorful

 

[lee420]

i love my afro cichlid tank. i almost feel.like i neglect my other tank now that i have the cichlid one

i used aragonite sand to buffer the ph and have a pair of yellow labs, pair of aceis, pair of red zebras and a bristlenose pleco and they all get along perfectly and are very active

 

[deftuch]

i love my afro cichlid tank. i almost feel.like i neglect my other tank now that i have the cichlid one

i used aragonite sand to buffer the ph and have a pair of yellow labs, pair of aceis, pair of red zebras and a bristlenose pleco and they all get along perfectly and are very active

i have one giant cuckoo catfish 2 bristles 7 yell labs and 3 salousi. they all get along fine too. i also have 2 kuhli loaches. i thought they were dead. i may add more soon if i dont get a chance to catch em