Help Me Stock!

[c-dub]

Hey Guys,

Just converted my 240L Community tank into a Lake Malawi setup...
Here she is:

The question is, I have relatively high experience with Discus and Central Americans, and am not sure about how to go stocking this one.
Please offer suggestions!

I am liking the idea of some Electric Yellow's to start her off!

Pease provide example tank stockings and recommendations as I know the African guys can be aggressive!

THANK YOU!

 

[c-dub]

note: I have removed the horrible blue bubbled backing lol

 

[kiriyama]

Sorry I can't advise on stocking but I wanted to ask, where did you get those cool caves ?

 

[c-dub]

I'm actually from Australia and got them from a website, they're lava rocks.

Scroll down on this page and you will find them.

http/www.aquariumproducts.com.au/coral_sand.php?page=2&instid=8264

 

[gunman]

I did the same as you and converted a 210l community tank to a malawi tank. Fitst thing you should probably consider is which variety of malawi's you want, they can be groken down into 3 main groups, mbuna, haps and aulonacara. I went for mbuna, they are the rock dwellers. Aulonacara and haps are free swimmers. I researched a lot and it's best really to stick to one variety Tour tank looks quite tall, how wide is it? For Mbuna, floor space is more important than volume as the males will pick out territories.

The electric yellow you have mentioned are mbuna, I keep these with cobalt blues and the contrast is excellent. Also, for mbuna these 2 are less agressive. I also keep them with Hongi and yellow tailed acei.

Personally with your tank if you went for this setup I would add a couple more rocks, along the back from one end to the other. Here's a pic of my setup, note that I have changed a bit from then, better lighting and the background is plain black now:

 

[c-dub]

Thanks for the info! The tank is 98 x 70 x 47cm (8mm glass).

I might get a couple of terracotta pots from the hardware store to chop up and add to the sides, the lava rock is getting pricey!

 

[c-dub]

no more suggestions homies?

 

[Squidward]

no more suggestions homies?

The best is to go have a look at your LFS or local breeders, and see what they have. Then we can advise you as to what combination might work.

 

[c-dub]

Electric yellows and assorted peacocks i've seen so far, but there is a fish/aquarium store that import from overseas about an hour from here... that stock pretty much every kind of fish they're one of the biggest in australia!

 

[bullit]

when you buy peacocks, make sure they are not injected. Is there not any private breeders you could go to? also check malawi forums for stocking, or others members tank in the above sub-forum

 

[c-dub]

Problem is bullit, I'm from Australia unlike a lot of forum members. I guess I'll just have to have a crack at stocking this tank myself!

 

[c-dub]

I ended up just buying the following:

1 x pseudotropheus pindani

1 x pseudotropheus elongatus

1 x melanochromis maingano

1 x labidochromis electric yellow

 

[bullit]

Problem is bullit, I'm from Australia unlike a lot of forum members. I guess I'll just have to have a crack at stocking this tank myself!

I meant if you joined other forums youd see what other people were keeping. Cichlid forum is a good one. Im just not upto scratch on the malawis. You should be alright with the fish you have bought as youve got one of each so no females to fight over plus they dont look similar so should leave each other alone. What are you next plans?. More fish?
I think someone said add more rocks aswell. Is normal to have a wall at the back. As yours are in the middle it may be taken as terrotory for one fish. cheers

 

[c-dub]

^ Thanks for the reply!

Yeah they have all settled in fine and they are actually swimming around the tank together socialising which is great. They were all in the same tank at the LFS so I hoped they would get along fine. One of my friends works at the same place so he gave me some advise and recommended getting one of each species. I was thinking of going with a pseudotropheus based setup.

The following fish I plan to add as well when I can source them:

Pseudotropheus Salousi
Pseudotropheus Acei Msuli Point
Pseudotropheus Elongatus Gold Bar
Melanochromis Auratus
Melanochromis Johanni

 

[c-dub]

Rescape as suggested.


Also here is the link to my tank photo journal in Member's Aquarium and Fish Pictures...

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/345941-new-malawi-setup/