Help, Advise & Recommendations

[kylextaylor]

Hello!

I've just brought a new tank and would like some help & advise really

I'll start by saying what I have currently have and perhaps someone can help

Fluval Roma 200 litre fish tank with twin T8 lighting
Fluval 205 filter
Heater (not sure of the wattage)
4 live plants
1 large bog wood

Fish:
1x red tailed shark
2 x black Molly's
1 x pleco
3 x tiger barbs

Later on I'm picking up 12 x Malawi Cichlids fry only 8 weeks old.

So based on what I have are people able to give Help, Advise & make any Recommendations.

Thanks in advanced

 

[fluttermoth]

First of all, is your tank cycled and how hard or soft is your local water?

Malawis are really recommended for specialist set ups; depending on species they can be very aggressive

 

[kylextaylor]

First of all, is your tank cycled and how hard or soft is your local water?

Malawis are really recommended for specialist set ups; depending on species they can be very aggressive

Hi,

Yes the tank is cycled - brought it 2nd Hand so the filter and stones etc were all from a running tank. Also the filter has biomax media in it.
Local water is quite soft not sure of the exact units but i can test again and let you know.

 

[fluttermoth]

Malawis really do need hard, alkaline water to do well, so you if your water is soft, you might need to look at using some kind of 'Malawi salt' that bumps up the hardness/pH.

 

[Dazzler666]

If that's the case for Malawies I know that tiger barbs prefer slightly acidic water (PH of between 6.5 to 7.5) to flourish so may present bit of a problem. Also I've read tiger barbs can/are generally aggressive in groups less than six, so if your other fish are possibly aggressive too you may encounter major problems.
I'm picking 8 tiger barbs up tomorrow hence I've been reading up on them, just hope they don't wipe my tank of tetras out!!
Also, has the tank been continuously running when you bought it? If its been left standing the bacteria can die pretty quickly so far as im aware. Just a thought as wouldn't want you too add your fish thinking tank is mature only to be frought with problems or worse, find your fish dying before your very eyes as what happened to me .
Hope you get it sorted.

 

[kylextaylor]

When i brought the tank it was up and running and had been for 6 months. When i got it home i did clean the filer and the media (now i know this wasn't a good idea).

I've just tested the water and here are the following results:

PH: 7.5

AM: 0.1 mg/l

Nitrite: 0.0mg/l

Nitrate: 60mg/l

I've put the 12 malawi cichlids fry in the tank and all seems ok - 1 of the black mollys keeps following them around and is doing this strange thing were she swims up to the group and then go's vertically upwards almost in a sort of submissive state? - anyone know what this means? Also the RTS was a bit territorial at first but all seems to have settled down nicely - I will post some photo's soon

 

[Dazzler666]

Defo not good washing the media!! Pretty much starting afresh so far as I'm aware. Your readings seem ok though Nitrate is pretty high but it will be as there isn't sufficient bacteria to break it down. My nitrate is below 5. Suggest you do a min 20% water change ASAP and monitor closely. You may have to do daily water changes whilst the bacteria colonise. Just wouldn't want you to lose any fish!!
I'm sure some very knowledgable people on here will advise you as I'm only a novice myself. May also be worthwhile reading the numerous threads on this site for more info as it is on here, it's just finding it!!
Good luck & hope it all works out! ☺.

 

[kylextaylor]

Here is my Tank (bare i know!)

Here are the Fry getting ready to be released

Here's the Fry in the Tank

 

[The Taffy Apple]

Defo not good washing the media!! Pretty much starting afresh so far as I'm aware. Your readings seem ok though Nitrate is pretty high but it will be as there isn't sufficient bacteria to break it down. My nitrate is below 5. Suggest you do a min 20% water change ASAP and monitor closely. You may have to do daily water changes whilst the bacteria colonise. Just wouldn't want you to lose any fish!!
I'm sure some very knowledgable people on here will advise you as I'm only a novice myself. May also be worthwhile reading the numerous threads on this site for more info as it is on here, it's just finding it!!
Good luck & hope it all works out! ☺.

There isn't any bacteria that break down our NitrAtes..only water changes and/or heavy planting will reduce it down to the level of what it probably is in our tap water. I think you maybe confusing it with NitrItes..
Either way, kylextaylor, your NitrAtes are not at a dangerous level.. but don't let there be any traces of Ammonia in there.

Terry.

 

[Curiosity101]

I really don't like the sound of that stocking as the fish mature...

Do you know what type of malawis they are?

 

[Lufbramatt]

Malawi cichlids needs lots and lots of piled up rocks to hide in and escape from aggression. Wouldn't put them in with anything apart from other Malawi cichlids and rift lake synodontis catfish, as when they grow bigger they will make mincemeat of their tankmates. Ideally need a pH of around 8 (but wouldn't do anything to change your pH as its more likely to do harm than good) and high hardness levels. They also need to be kept on a sand substrate really as they love to dig holes and can injure themselves on gravel. Need to be fed a spirulina based diet as they have very long intestines which can become blocked if fed on "normal" protein rich fish food.

They need excellent water conditions (ie low nitrates) which must be controlled with regular water changes.

Not an ideal beginners fish and defo not community fish!

 

[kylextaylor]

I really don't like the sound of that stocking as the fish mature...

Do you know what type of malawis they are?

The person I got them off didn't know

Malawi cichlids needs lots and lots of piled up rocks to hide in and escape from aggression. Wouldn't put them in with anything apart from other Malawi cichlids and rift lake synodontis catfish, as when they grow bigger they will make mincemeat of their tankmates. Ideally need a pH of around 8 (but wouldn't do anything to change your pH as its more likely to do harm than good) and high hardness levels. They also need to be kept on a sand substrate really as they love to dig holes and can injure themselves on gravel. Need to be fed a spirulina based diet as they have very long intestines which can become blocked if fed on "normal" protein rich fish food.

They need excellent water conditions (ie low nitrates) which must be controlled with regular water changes.

Not an ideal beginners fish and defo not community fish!

Im not planning to get anymore fish as when the malawis grow the will get quite big - hopefully the fish I have at the moment will be ok?

 

[Curiosity101]

I don't want this to come across badly. But that's like me going to the shop and saying 'I want a cichlid'... Eg. I could come home with a baby oscar or a bolivian ram... two massively different fish with massively different personalities and care requirements.

Really not a smart idea buying fish when you don't know what they are. Especially based on the fact that most malawis aren't even slightly suitable for a community tank and really do need the conditions that lufbramatt listed.

Im not planning to get anymore fish as when the malawis grow the will get quite big - hopefully the fish I have at the moment will be ok?

The shark and barbs might hold their own for a little while. But I wouldn't bet on it and it certainly wouldn't be a happy tank.

Luffbramatt isn't saying that it's 'recommended' you keep malawis the way he said. That just IS the way they are kept so that they stay happy. The lakes that they're from are very densley populated with fish, there is strong competition for food and territory (hence they've grown to be very territorial and agressive).

Edit to add: You should pop over to the African / Old World Cichlids section of the board and see how people keep their malawis. Or you could have a quick search on youtube, would give you some ideas as to how they're meant to be kept.

 

[samorkel]

You definitely need to take the other fish back if your heart is set on Malawi's and build up some piled rocks at the back of the tank like this

 

[kylextaylor]

Some of my family have tropicals so if need be I can give the fish to them