HairyTornado™
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- Jan 12, 2008
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Heya'll!!! I'm wanting to start an African cichlid tank, but really don't know where to go/start. I've kept SA cichlids for a good while now, so I figured it was time to give Africans a second chance. Its been many, many years since I had any African cichlids in my tanks, and since that time has past, I've pretty much forgotten all there is to know about them.
I've set up a 55gal tank for them. It has some rock work in it, as well as sand for substrate at about 3/4" thick. pH is around 7.8 or so, haven't tested it in a long time. Hardness is moderately hard or so, again, haven't tested it in a while. It has a Filstar XP I, and an XP III on it. Thinking of possibly adding another XP I just for the heck of it. The heater is 300watts, which keeps the temp at 80 degrees.
The tank currently has no fish in it, but I just recently refurbished it, and removed the fish. Its been an established tank for almost a year now, but only about a week as an 'African' tank.
As far as TYPES of fish I am wanting to keep in there, I'm not entirely clear about that part. I think I want to go with Lake Malawi, possibly with the Peacocks? This tank is going to be in the bedroom, across from our bed so we can watch it when we're in bed. Want it to have beautiful, flashy, active fish, but nothing horribly aggressive. I'm pretty sure I want to stay away from the Mbuna though for sure. Don't really like their aggression, not their 'blunt' looking faces. I really know nothing about these fish though, so seriously, help me out here.
If I do go with Peacocks or Haplochromis (sp?) how do I keep them in the tank? I mean, can I have several species in the same tank? Or do I just have to have males? I do want them to breed for me, but don't just want to single out a single species. Any suggestions? Thanks!!
I've set up a 55gal tank for them. It has some rock work in it, as well as sand for substrate at about 3/4" thick. pH is around 7.8 or so, haven't tested it in a long time. Hardness is moderately hard or so, again, haven't tested it in a while. It has a Filstar XP I, and an XP III on it. Thinking of possibly adding another XP I just for the heck of it. The heater is 300watts, which keeps the temp at 80 degrees.
The tank currently has no fish in it, but I just recently refurbished it, and removed the fish. Its been an established tank for almost a year now, but only about a week as an 'African' tank.
As far as TYPES of fish I am wanting to keep in there, I'm not entirely clear about that part. I think I want to go with Lake Malawi, possibly with the Peacocks? This tank is going to be in the bedroom, across from our bed so we can watch it when we're in bed. Want it to have beautiful, flashy, active fish, but nothing horribly aggressive. I'm pretty sure I want to stay away from the Mbuna though for sure. Don't really like their aggression, not their 'blunt' looking faces. I really know nothing about these fish though, so seriously, help me out here.
If I do go with Peacocks or Haplochromis (sp?) how do I keep them in the tank? I mean, can I have several species in the same tank? Or do I just have to have males? I do want them to breed for me, but don't just want to single out a single species. Any suggestions? Thanks!!
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