Cichlid Tank

[FrankSlapperinni]

well, I'm planning to on getting a 75 gallon tank that I am getting to useto house african cichlids, and I was wondering if anyone has any good suggestions on fish and maintanance. my water has a very high pH, around 7.8 to 8.2, so I don't think that too much water adjustment is needed. I've always wated to have frontosa's, but would this be a bad idea for a first tank? let me know what you think.

 

[semper fi]

frontosa's are great fish to have. cichlidmaster is the one to answer any questions about fronts. you would need to keep them with three females with every male. they are larger fish and would need imo a larger tank so every female has her own hiding spot.

with an 85 gallon i would go with mbuna. you can have more fish in the tank. mbuna's aggression level is lessened when the tank is overstocked. will not get as big as the fronts. still need to have the three to one ratio. would need a rocky scape for them as the females will like to hide from the males in the caves. mbuna means rockfish.

semper fi

 

[FrankSlapperinni]

are there any good beginner mbunas (how do you say that?)?
would it be better to start off with South american cichlids or try to stay with the idea of getting africans?
one final question, how big does a tank need to be to house 3 or 4 frontosa's?

 

[FrankSlapperinni]

Sorry about the double post, but I was doing a little reasearch, and I read that cichlid like these specialy desined 3-d backrounds, and I was wondering if this was true. also, where would be a good place to buy one on-ine?
Is this a good mbuna, the Pseudotropheus demasoni ?

I doubt it is, but I was just trying to be hopeful...

 

[smb]

Sorry about the double post, but I was doing a little reasearch, and I read that cichlid like these specialy desined 3-d backrounds, and I was wondering if this was true. also, where would be a good place to buy one on-ine?
Is this a good mbuna, the Pseudotropheus demasoni ?

I doubt it is, but I was just trying to be hopeful...

Ps. demasoni are a great fish and the most beautiful Mbuna, imo. If you want to get Mbunas they would be fine to keep. Most Mbuna get to about 4-5". You could get quite a few of them in a 75g.

Cyphotilapia frontosa males get to around 15-16" and the females around 10".

 

[FrankSlapperinni]

how many Pseudotropheus demasoni could I put in a 75 gallon tank? or a 55 (I don't know if my parents will let me buy the 75)?

edit: the thing I wank in my tank is not a few big fish, but a bunch of smaller fish. I don't know if this is possable for cichlids though. is a Pseudotropheus demasoni the same thing as a Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid ?

 

[semper fi]

they are in the same family but a different variation. you need to watch with psuedotropheus, they will cross breed. i would go for the mbunas if you want alot of fish. as for the 3d backgrounds it just gives them caves and nooks to hide in. have to atch withthe smaller fish though. thought that i lost one of my haps. seems that when she was smaller she got behind the 3d background and lived there. did find her alive. they have small holes for the water to circulate through. you could have alot of demasoni in a 75. i would go for a mbuna mix.

semper fi

 

[smb]

the thing I wank in my tank is not a few big fish, but a bunch of smaller fish. I don't know if this is possable for cichlids though.

It sure is. With Mbunas. You could probably put 15 to 20 Mbunas in a 75g. I know quite a few people, and read on the internet, about others that stock heavier, but I don't like to.

is a Pseudotropheus demasoni the same thing as a Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid ?

No, that usually means either Maylandia callainos or Pseudotropheus zebra. Ps.zebra is more common so you might mean that.

I wouldn't get a whole tank of Pseudotropheus demasoni tho. Get a male and 3 females at most and get a bunch of different colored fish. Blues, yellows, purples etc. That's what makes Mbunas so dang beautiful.

 

[FrankSlapperinni]

So Mbuna's can be mixed with other species of mbuna and not fight. could anyone give a few stocking sugestions, ex. 3 zebra 2 damasoni ect? also, could mbuna's go in a 55, becase I don't know if my parents will let me get a 75.

 

[semper fi]

mbuna's van go in a 55. keeping the 3 females to every male ratio, you could have demasoni, cobalt blue, red zebras, electric blue johanni, kennyi, any of the mbuna family. auratus and chippokae are very aggressive. if you do put them in the mix, make sure that they are juvies together. seem to get along better.

mbuna only get to an average of about 8" for males. also can be overstocked. here is a link to a good reference.
http/www.malawicichlidhomepage.com/index.html


semper fi

 

[FrankSlapperinni]

damasani's are supposed to get to only 3", wouldn't big 8" mbuna's eat them?

 

[semper fi]

not with enough hiding places for each different fish. make sure that you give them lots of different places for different sized fish. also mbuna are fast little fish. make sure that anything you put in is stable. otherwise could get toppled from being run into or dug under.

semper fi

 

[FrankSlapperinni]

woops,scratch this post.

 

[FrankSlapperinni]

are there any good bottom feeders that are good in an africhlid tank besides Synodontis?
I'm sure now that I can get the 75. so how does this setup sound?
10 pseudotropheus demasoni (3 males 7 females)
... and thats it )
I can't find any others, som e suggestions would be greatly apreciated.

EDIT: woah woah woah, wait. I just read on this website that damisoni are $25 for 1 inch fry, is this true?

 

[smb]

are there any good bottom feeders that are good in an africhlid tank besides Synodontis?
I'm sure now that I can get the 75. so how does this setup sound?
10 pseudotropheus demasoni (3 males 7 females)
... and thats it )
I can't find any others, som e suggestions would be greatly apreciated.

EDIT: woah woah woah, wait. I just read on this website that damisoni are $25 for 1 inch fry, is this true?

$25 might be correct. Although that does seem a bit high, it all depends on where you live and availability. I know here at my lfs they have some in and they are $12.

Personally, I haven't ever kept anything with Africans other than Synodontus. I'm afraid that they would get harrassed too much. Maybe others have had good experiences they can share with you tho.

If you want to full tank of demasoni's then it's up to your own preference but I would think it would get boring after a while if it were your show tank. Having 3 males in a 75g might get hectic so if you do decide to try it, make sure you keep an eye out when they start breeding.

You can buy fish online and have a better selection than at most lfs's. Have you given that a thought?