New Malawi Tank

[MojoDex]

ok since my fish room went belly up im now getting a new 6x2x2 (being delivered either this weekend or next) and i thought since i love my cichlids i currently have why not have a nice big malawi tank! im not new to cichlids i know all about the water parameters etc. but i am new to malawis i know its recommended to over stock them and thats half of the draw if im honest

ill be filtering the tank with ether an eheim 2180 or 2080 which ever i can pick up for the best price but either way plenty of filtration.

now the fish this is where i actually need help, i know i cant just chuck anything in so i want a rough idea of what i can have and how many. i think im right in saying malawi cichlids should be kept in groups of 5 with 1 male to 4 females if possible please tell me if im wrong.

i will most likley be buying the fish from topical fish 4 u, maybe the odd few from an lfs it all depends really so any help anyone can offer is greatly appreciated

http/www.tropicalfish4u.co.uk/acatalog/M...n_Cichlids.html

 

[dthoffsett]

Such a lovely sized tank to work with. Really what you need to decide is if you want to go with mbuna (rock dwelling, average around 5-inches, though a couple can get larger), or peacocks/haps (can get up to 2 feet). You also need to decide if you want to go with larger groups of a few fish, or small groups of a lot of fish. Why don't you list out those that catch your fancy, and we can help narrow it down.

 

[MojoDex]

i think mbuna are the winning choice simply because i would like a nice active colourful tank and as you say they are smaller, so by my workings i could have more. i think id like groups of 5 or 6 but im negotiable on that, i really want as many different species as possible as much colour as that tank can cram in

 

[MojoDex]

i do have to say after having a look around i honestly like all the malawi cichlids ive seen only one that really stands out above the others IMO and thats the Giraffe Cichlid or Nimbochromis venustus but thats not to say the other arnt truly stunning fish because they are

but as far as i can tell the giraffe isnt an mbuna is it?

EDIT: somthing i should add i also want to keep a group of synodontis in the tank as well preferably the malawi species if i can find it if not ill keep cuckoos a group of 5 say

 

[MojoDex]

ok ive had a really good look around and ive decided i like haps and peacocks better than mbuna so i think ill go with that ive also got a list so maybe someone can point me the right direction with this now heres what i would like to have

Deep Water Hap, Placidochromis electra
Red Kadango, Copadichromis borleyi
Blue Dolphin Cichlid, Cyrtocara moorii
Giraffe Cichlid, Nimbochromis venustus
Blue Ahli Cichlid, Sciaenochromis ahli
Livingstones Cichlid, Haplochromis livingstoni
African Peacock Marble, Aulonocara Nyassae
Freiberg's Peacock, Aulonocara jacobfreibergi

there what i like, but how many of those species can i keep in my tank? also how many of each? some may not be compatible at all but thats why im here isnt it . i kind of have my heart set on giraffe cichlids now though there the one id really like and if i can get away with it id love livingstones cichlids to

 

[dthoffsett]

I'm not good with haps at all. But, I'm sure a couple of the hap keepers can help you with stocking.
Here's a couple of good links to profiles to help you a little though.
http/www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/category.php?cat=1
http/www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/category.php?cat=3
http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/peacocks.php
http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/haps_vs_mbuna.php

 

[MojoDex]

thanks for the links the last one is very interesting reading. if im reading it right though would be right o sa that haps shouldnt really be kept in groups? i get the feeling overcrowding is for mbuna and not haps?

 

[MojoDex]

anyone?

 

[Ferris]

Haps definitely don't need to be over-crowded, they are mostly open water predators that need lots of room. The best way to keep Haps IMO is single specimins of various different species in a 5x2x2 tank (or similar).

 

[mark7616]

Also a tank of male haps and peacocks is stunning as females are drab and dont have colour.

 

[MojoDex]

ok dont like the sound of haps now.

i want alot of fish so were back onto mbuna and i wont change my mind again promise so these r what i like, so what wont mix with what? and how many of each could i have?

Kenyi Cichlid, Pseudotropheus lombardoi
Red Zebra Cichlid, Pseudotropheus zebra
Red Top Ice Blue Cichlid, Pseudotropheus greshakei
Bumble Bee Cichlid, Pseudotropheus crabro
Rusty cichlid, Iodotropheus sprengerae
Elongatus Cichlid, Pseudotropheus Elongatus
Electric Yellow Cichlid, Labidochromis caeruleus
Electric Blue Johanni, Melanochromis johannii

 

[dthoffsett]

I don't see why you couldn't have 5-6 of all of those you listed, plus some synos and a couple fo bn plecos. Your tank is large enough to keep aggression down, and with plenty of rocks I don't think that would even be an issue. To assure success I would try to make sure you only have 1 male of all but the i.sprengerae and l.caeruleus. It will definately be a colorful and active tank. Can't wait to see pics.

The only concern I would have is that johanniis and elongatus look somewhat similar, though I realize their stripes go different directions. Ferris or Mark can probably verify if that would be a problem.

I believe the actual name for red zebra is metriaclima estherae, is this the species you are looking at?
http/www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1730

 

[MojoDex]

I don't see why you couldn't have 5-6 of all of those you listed, plus some synos and a couple fo bn plecos. Your tank is large enough to keep aggression down, and with plenty of rocks I don't think that would even be an issue. To assure success I would try to make sure you only have 1 male of all but the i.sprengerae and l.caeruleus. It will definately be a colorful and active tank. Can't wait to see pics.

The only concern I would have is that johanniis and elongatus look somewhat similar, though I realize their stripes go different directions. Ferris or Mark can probably verify if that would be a problem.

I believe the actual name for red zebra is metriaclima estherae, is this the species you are looking at?
http/www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1730

yes thats the one my mistake i dunno where i got my latin name from lol! im well pleased with that 6 of each sounds like a plan 2 me

would a royal plec be ok in that tank its eating all the plants in my other tank which wont be a problem in a malawi tank will it

 

[MojoDex]

one more thing would this be a good staple diet with frozen spinach thrown in as well?

 

[dthoffsett]

The royal plec should be fine.

Don't know about the food, can you list the ingredients. My rule of thumb is if there is a fish (fish meal, salmon, halibut, etc.) as one of the first three ingredients, I don't use it. A good place to look is in the saltwater fish area, food for herbivourous marine fish can work for africans as well.