Did I Do The Right Things?

[shrimply]

Okay so I didn't get much help with how to look after cichlids so I thought i would make sure every thing is fine. We took as much water as is possible in a large car with two 4ft by 2ft items and packaged up the fish in double food bags before putting them in cool bags. When I got home i added warmed water along with some bicarbonate of soda. We have not yet filled the tank right full so the change into different water isn't a big shock. My pH is now 8 as is my KH. All cichlids seem fine. The tank has lots of rock and coral sand. The temp is about 26. So now the questions.

Should I add bicarbonate of soda to all water i put into the aquarium or will the rocks and sand be enough to keep everything right?

What should I feed my Synodontis? algea tablets ?

How much will the fish eat?

Is there anything I have forgotten?

Is it alright to post some pics of my fish, particularly the Synodontis, to get Id?

 

[Marshall]

Please do post some pictures of the catfish, i'm sure i can help ident them. They will readily accept whatever you feed your cichlids. I see no need to make any exception for them.

 

[shrimply]

Okay thanks. Can you answer any of my other questions? I am still worried I am doing things wrong. What should I be feeding them they seem to prefer aquarian flakes to cichlid pellets. Any way here is the catfish along with some other pics. I have a feeling he isn't really suited to the tank but you will know better than me. Does my set-up look alright. Sorry for the bad quality pics.

 

[Ginge]

I'm sorry i cant help much. But nice fish and tank i like the stand and hood? DIY? How big is that tank and fish in it.

 

[shrimply]

I bought the tank second hand and It looks professionally made and is very strong(and heavy). It came with matching hood which is also well made although a bit of yacht varnish and something (forget the name) to touch up the rusty hinges on the inside wouldn't go amiss. We can't decide if it was made for the tank or just happened to fit. however it looks like it is a complete piece of kit apart from the trim which is deffinatly a DIY job to hide the polestyrene sheet and a repair (it has two bottoms ).

Fish although not supposed to be a permenet feature are very nice the longest is probably the yellow one at about 4/5 inchs the smallest (not including a baby) are about 2 inches. The tank is 60 gallon, 4ft by 18" by 18".

 

[julibob]

Could pic 4 be a female or sub dominant male SCIANOCHROMIS FRYERI? I have added a pic of mine.

sorry the pic is so big, I couldnt seem to resize it

and could pic 5 be a Pim Pictus? Added a photo of that as well.

Hope this helps.

Julia

 

[Ginge]

Do you know what thay yellow fish is it looks like a yellow lab.

 

[shrimply]

Do you know what thay yellow fish is it looks like a yellow lab.

No idea

Juilibob I was told it was a Sciaenochromis ahli. There are two sex unknown but apparently if there is a male and a female and they decide to mate the male will go metallic blue.

Your second picture is deffinatly wrong though I am afraid, mine is much more full bodied without the huge whiskers.

 

[Ferris]

The yellow fish is a male Estherae.

 

[shrimply]

Are you sure? Not that I am saying you are wrong just that is not listed as one of the fish I am supposed to have. Maybe it comes under another name.

Here is what is supposed to be in my tank. I would be very grateful if you could put the names to the faces. I will try to get some better shots of my catfish too.

Pseudotropheus greshakei x 1 large male 1 x large female numerous young
Pseudotropheus minutus 1 x male
Pseudotropheus barlowi 1 x male

Aulonocara baenschi 1 x male 1 x female,possibly some fry
Sciaenochromis ahli 2 x ???
Placidochromis electra 1 x male 2 x female
Gephyrochromis moorii 1 x male 1 x female.


1xSynodontis (species unknown)

 

[Ferris]

If you have a Minutus, you are very lucky, they are very rare and you normally only see wild caught specimins. They look almost identical to the more common Pseudotropheus Elongatus but you should be able to tell when full grown.

The yellow fish could well be a Barlowi, again they are less common and don't immediately spring to mind but they are ceratinly not as rare as the Minutus. They are wonderful fish and if it is a Barlowi, i'm certainly jealous as i've never seen them in any of my local LFS.

You've certainly got a male Greshakei (bottom pic)

 

[shrimply]

Okay thanks that is a pair down.

Still having difficulty with the others though. Have you got any tips for telling apart a Barlowia and a Estherae and the same for the Mintutus and Pseudotrophrus Elongatus. I find it hard to belive that any of them are rare but you never know.

 

[Ferris]

Minutus marking are much more distinct than Elongatus, almost like a male Saulosi or Demasoni. Gotta say your pic looks like an Elongatus but they are also great fish so no problem there. If you do a search on google images, i think you'll see what i mean.

The Barlowi and Estherae is more difficult. Male Estherae fins can turn blue as they mature although this is less common now with most examples being tank bred. Barlowi are naturally the yellowy-orange with blue fins so your fish could well be a Barlowi, either way its a cracking looking fish and maybe there's a specialist LFS up there in gala.

The pale brown fish in your pics are very hard to id, they are almost certainly female Aulonacara and/or Ahli but the females of these species look very similar.

 

[shrimply]

I bought them second hand. I am afraid Gala's shop although you get good advice doesn't have a lot of different stock. They all came( as far as I know from Ultimate Discount Aquatics in Cupar) Google search wasn't much help. My mum and me both think it looks like a barlowi but my dad is adimant it is a Estherae.

As for the mintus I think it must be an Elongatus but we will see. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Ferris]

By the way your catfish (which is one of the Synodontis species, possibly Eupterus but hard to tell from the pic) will be fine with Mbuna. I have 2 Eupterus in my Mbuna tank and they can more than look after themselves, so no problem there.

Would probably appreciate a friend or 2 though. If you can get a better pic and get a positive id, i'd reccomend getting another 1 or even 2 at a similar size if possible. Pretty much all syno's prefer the company of their own kind and he/she would be much happier and more active.