How many can i have

[MNfishy]

I have been setting up a 55 US gallon mbuna tank. I get lava rock wholesale so i have made rock caves in each corner and a little thing in the middle. I have 2 penquine bio-wheel 330's and a 200 watt heater. My tap water comes from a well so it is totaly untouched (no chlorine) it has a PH of about 8.1-8.2 and im getting a couple live Anubias and java fern, and java moss if i can find anywhere that sells it in the US. I have a neighbor that breeds african cichlids and he can sell them to me cheap. So now i need to know how many i can get, i would like to stay in the ratio 1M/3F, and i am going to get different kinds and im getting them at about the size of 1", so fairly young, and i need to know about how many i can get.

 

[yhbae]

Which species are you interested in? If you are going with relatively peaceful species, you could go with 3 groups of the ratio mentioned already by yourself. You could get 6 or 7 juvs and thin them out as you identify their gender.

 

[freshmike]

Really need to know what species you are looking at before decisions can be made. All shapes, sizes and temperment my friend.

 

[MNfishy]

ok well right now i have 3 obalt Blue Cichlids 1m/2f, and the guy i get them from has them all in the same tank and said they get along fine, and i think later im getting electric yellows and some others, but i got it covered, thanks anyways

 

[cluster]

i set up a 55G myself today additon to my 2- 29G so far it will have 4 yellow labs in it that are currently in my 29G

not sure whatelse with it yet

 

[MNfishy]

oh cool, BTW if you have 3 cichlids (cobalt blue ones) how much do you feed them. When i feed them, afterwards they hover around the top, does that mean they want more, should i give it to them?

 

[cluster]

all i have to do is walk by my tank and the yallow labs and ram will come to the top thinking they getting fed - they get enough 3 decent feedings daily

 

[semper fi]

herbivores should always appear hungry, ie begging for food. they do not have the same digestive system as humans. they have no stomach and food is broken down in a very long intestinal tract. they also do not store fat as a reserve.

 

[freshmike]

herbivores should always appear hungry, ie begging for food. they do not have the same digestive system as humans. they have no stomach and food is broken down in a very long intestinal tract. they also do not store fat as a reserve.

Interesting.....

 

[jkun17]

The best person to ask would probably be the breeder him or herself. He or she would know best what you should be on the look-out for.

 

[freshmike]

Not necessarily....many breeders are the worst people to ask.....they end up being a lot like stores, just sell, sell, sell.