converting 55g us to african need clarifacation

[qjim206]

all LFS's have africans but they are in tanks labeled "assorted" was told tanks labeled like that are all inbred is this generaly true?
Do all africans grow goughly to the same size?
was told that i could put "20 adult africans in 55 gallon long" tank? correct?
all LFS's african tanks have crushed coral large and small as substrate is this ok?Can you have to much coral? would like to do the same if ok!
also in one of the lfs tanks there is a fish kinda rusty colored with a long jaw, and on its lower lip has a lump? its not diseased it is normal. was told there are cichlids that have big lips and it is related to one of these stranes can anyone id?

 

[Ferris]

Hi,

African tanks labeled assorted are bad becuase you don't know what you are buying. Good LFS label Mbuna and other African's individually by their species, I would never buy from a tank labeled assorted africans.

If it is Mbuna that you are interested in, 20 in a 55gal is an absolute maximum, it is generally better to overcrowd Mbuna tanks but i think 20 is a little excessive, 15 or 16 is better. If you are looking at Haps or Peacocks, the number needs to be less due to their much larger size.

For substrate, crushed coral is OK and helps with the tank ph but you can also use sand or smaller gravel sizes, personal choice really.

You need to do your research carefully with African's, due to their aggression, there are a lot of compatibility problems. Your best bet is to find some fish you like and post their names here and you'll get some good advice.

Hope this helps

 

[qjim206]

The problem i have is i would like to buy localy but i havent the fogiest idea the different psecies of african as there are like 5-6 hundred i dont know how anybody does it i have never seen a LFS african tank labeled by species? how adought cost- 1 to 1 1/2 inch africans in those tanks are sold for 29.99-39.99 is that the going rate?

 

[freddyk]

'Africans' really only means they're from Africa, but it's a big continant with some big lakes. Africans range from two inch herbivores to over foot long carnivores, and naturally their needs are as diverse as their sizes.

This is why assorted tanks are a bad idea. Hybrids are sometimes found in them, but worse, you don't know what you're getting. Some can become lethally aggressive to their tankmates, and mixing some species can result in disaster. On the plus side, assorted tanks are usually marked fairly cheap, and there's often a steal amongst them - one you already know about.

You have two major lakes to choose from, and a massive selection of unique fish.
Here's a good start for you. Mbuna and haps from lake Malawi are more popular, and generally easier to find - it's these that probably take up most of those assorted tanks.

 

[loafybones]

Sometimes the fish in assorted tanks are hybrids but this is not always the case. If you know what you're looking for you can get some good buys from them.

We have 26 fish in our 55 gal and they are all really happy and breeding. You do need to make sure your filtration is good though because Mbunas are really messy! Get a gravel vac if you can, we bought one a couple of weeks ago and it's great!!

You can never have too much coral, it's good to have because it will buffer up your Ph and hardness and looks really nice too. Sand is also better than gravel because the fish like to dig, but you need to make sure you get smooth / rounded sand otherwise it could get stuck in the fish's gills and make them ill or die.

If you need an ID on a fish, may I suggest www.bigskycichlids.com this is good for identifying fish as it has thumbnails and you can spot them by how they look rather than the name.

I'd say you need to broaden your search if your LFS is asking ~$30.00 for mixed or assorted fish $30 is about £15 and over here you can get some really lovely fish for that price including wild caught ones and some rare too, the mixed ones usually cost about £3 each. I would say the LFS is asking way too much.

If you are unsure on anything, just ask. Everyone here is really helpful and there's always someone who will know whatever you are asking! Good luck!!

 

[G_Sharky]

I work in an LFS and our assorted tanks are not hybrids...we only make assorted tank to make room for new stock....If we have no room we would move all the extra cichlid that we didn't sell to the asst. tank, that way we could sell it and we'll have room for new fish and the asst. tank is also for the africans that are being brought back or traded in...And in terms of your set up, crush corals is a good substrate cause it will help increase the ph and harden the water which is really good for africans...however it's pretty expensive compare to just buying gravel...If your going into a gravel or the cheap path I would suggest getting a dark substrate and avoid getting white or bright coloured gravel....Lighting isn't really a factor as cichlids would colour up better if your light isn't too bright...I personally used 2 bulbs one is a daylight bulb, and the other is actinic...check my sig....

 

[Talleyrand]

Crushed coral shouldnt cost more than about $1/lb, 15 pounds should cover your 55. The coral will eventually leech out all of the useful minerals and will cease to be a buffer. You will need to change part of the coral once a year, more often if you do more frequent water changes.
There are three LFS and several mega stores in my area.
Except for more expensive or desirable fishes, Electric Yellows, Red tops, and Mbamba's, all the african cichlid fish available for sale are in mixed tanks. "Rift Lake Cichlids", "Asst Malawi", "Misc Mbuna" etc. Every store seems to have the same 5-10 most common species.

$30 for rift lake cichlids is insane unless they are highly prized species.
At the LFS I frequent the Misc. Mbuna tank is 3 for $10. Even Petsmart is only $5 a piece.
I have been very pleased with my Mbuna tank and have had few problems. My main problem now is that I cannot add any new fish. My tank now contains 8 fully grown Mbuna and they dont seem to take to new tankmates. The last two attempts to add a juvenile fish ended badly.
My other tanks are now full of fish who would ill appreciate the addtion of a two inch cichlid also. I would suggest adding all the fish within the first couple of months to prevent my problem.

 

[Ferris]

My main problem now is that I cannot add any new fish. My tank now contains 8 fully grown Mbuna and they dont seem to take to new tankmates. The last two attempts to add a juvenile fish ended badly.

Hi Tallyrand, I had similar problems with my Mbuna tank, try adding new fish really small (approx 1 inch), I know it seems scary adding a fish that small to full grown Mbuna but I have had 100% success doing it this way. I've added several fish this way (two at a time) and all are doing fine. They are not perceived as a threat.

Hope this helps