My next project an african tank

[Sky042]

So once I'm done my 54 loach tank and 125 new world large cichlid tank I want to do a african tank.

I'm going to do it in a 55G
I'm planning on a standard sized 55 with twin emperor 400's on it.

I'm looking at substrates and looking at the carib-sea African mix
Is this good.

The wifee wants Yellow labs to be the primary focus and inhabitants of the tank.

What would be a good number of them that could co-habitat.

Also what woul dbe my best bet on sutiable tankmates?

I can't remember the fish I saw but they looked just like the yellow labs but were a vibrant blue.

Just getting my research done.

I'm going back and forth I'm wanting this african tank she wants a 12G nano cube though I really am not interested in salt so I'm going to forge forward on thie 55G idea.

Thanks for the help in advance.

 

[vantgE]

you could get about 20 fish with good filtration(which it seems you have, *cough*getaquaclears*cough*) and rockwork as many of them as you want labs. The pinned mbuna article is a good place to start labidochromis caeruleus are mbuna, but being relatively mild you will have some leaway with peacocks or haps if you'd like that

For other mbuna with labs starters (starters)

pseudotropheus acie
pseudotropheus souliosio(sp)
Iodotropheus sperengae
the above are in the fish index

but caeruleus work well with most africans just avoid other labidochromis and therefore hybrids and agresion

EDIT-> see sylvias post for correct spelling

 

[Sky042]

you could get about 20 fish with good filtration(which it seems you have, *cough*getaquaclears*cough*) and rockwork as many of them as you want labs. The pinned mbuna article is a good place to start labidochromis caeruleus are mbuna, but being relatively mild you will have some leaway with peacocks or haps if you'd like that

For other mbuna with labs starters (starters)

pseudotropheus acie
pseudotropheus souliosio(sp)
Iodotropheus sperengae
the above are in the fish index

but caeruleus work well with most africans just avoid other labidochromis and therefore hybrids and agresion

Thanks for the info.
I'm going to stick with the emperors though.
I already have a 280 and a good stock of filter cartridges. and I like the bio wheels. So to keep things simple in my house I'll keep to the marineland for HOB filters just as I'm working on making all my cannisters cascade I already have 3 of 4 cannisters being cascade.

 

[Sky042]

I think Michele will be very happy hearing that she can have that many labs if she wanted.
Now to clear a space for a new 55.

I think the dining room will become a fishroom.
Since I just added a 125 to it. What the hell why not a 55 to go along.

That'll make a 46G bow, 54 corner bow, a 125G and a 55G all visible from the couch.

 

[vantgE]

I think the dining room will become a fishroom.
Since I just added a 125 to it. What the hell why not a 55 to go along.

Why not another 125?

 

[freshmike]

freibergi those are what you are talking about.

 

[Sky042]

I think the dining room will become a fishroom.
Since I just added a 125 to it. What the hell why not a 55 to go along.

Why not another 125?

Not dropping another $1k
Plus the wall I'd want to use doesn't have room for another 72" tank.
A 48" tank would be perfect.

Plus the guy I bought my 125 from sells 125's with hood and lamps for $99

 

[Sky042]

If was went cannister how many GPH should I look for to filter a 55 for Malawi's?
Specifically a tank centered around Yellow labs.

 

[vantgE]

cannisters are hard to tell from only gph what brand or models are you looking at?
Basically I think something rated for double your tank size is about right but a little either way works

 

[Sky042]

cannisters are hard to tell from only gph what brand or models are you looking at?
Basically I think something rated for double your tank size is about right but a little either way works

I'm sticking with Penn Plax Cascade's if I got Cannister route. I'm working on converting all of them over to cascade.

Was thinking about a cascade 1000 pumps 265GPH.

I have a cascade 700 on my 54 Corner that keeps it CRYSTAL and twin cascade 1200's on my 125G.

 

[vantgE]

I think that would be fine, but cannister although they are great you may have trouble with dead spots within the rocks, a powerhead may help out alot, but is not needed

 

[Sky042]

I think that would be fine, but cannister although they are great you may have trouble with dead spots within the rocks, a powerhead may help out alot, but is not needed

The cascade line comes with spray bars.

But I also have a few powerheads laying around that aren't being used I could toss in there if I find I have dead spots.

Also is the substrate a good choice?

Could I mix perhaps 20 lbs of that substrate with another sort of darker sand?

 

[vantgE]

I'm not sure about the substrate it is likely not necesary, I have a special african cichlid substrate like a fine gravel. It is mixed in with my sand (mostly sand-playsand) it looks fine but is a pain to clean, actually I pretty much don't even bother vacumeing it because of this. It may just be the sand (my only sand tank), but to get any crap up I have to put the syphon almost in the substrate. You should be fine with out any buffer, do you know your ph? and if you want to use something the gravel should work fine in your cannister, I have some in my fluval 403, buy a fluval bag filter bag,

The cichlids will also prefer the sand.

 

[sylvia]

For other mbuna with labs starters (starters)

pseudotropheus acie
pseudotropheus souliosio(sp)
Iodotropheus sperengae
the above are in the fish index

p. acei
p saulosi
i. sprengerae

(in case you want to look them up on google or something and don't know the spelling though if their in the index you'll find them anyway)

I also like p. socolofi

The above, as well as labs, are my favourite mbuna

 

[Mike&Diana]

I am actually in the process of setting up an african tank myself. After countless hours of research I have settled on some of the fish already mentioned. Unfortunately, one store does not have all three. I have to stop at THREE different stores. Anyhow, here they are:

Labidochromis Caeruleus (common name yellow lab; also one of the most popular cichlids available)

Pseudotropheus Acei (they are yellow with blue tails.. or blue with yellow tails.. I forget)

Pseudotropheus Saulosi (I believe males are blue and females are yellow)

With my smaller tank (40G) these fish should work well together. They don't get much larger than 4-5 inches and are some of the more tame Malawi species. The Saulosi can be easily confused with some Kenyi and Socolofi which I have heard are not recomended because of their size and or aggression for tanks smaller than 55G. I also used a sand substrate and purchased a sizable amount of Texas Holey Rock (limestone) to help raise the PH a bit. They also prefer the holes to swim through and claim territory. Good luck!

Mike