New To Cichlids - Advice Required

[andrewcoxon]

hi guys,

im currently setting up a new tank (130 Litres) and im thinking of stocking it with a range of cichlids. iv'e never kept them before so i would like some advice on which ones will live happily together in a tank of this size? the more colourful & interesting the better!

thanks in advance,

Clint

 

[Ginge]

One thing to start with is to find the fish that are available. Don't search through all the websites and pick the fish you like go to your fish stores see what you can get and pick from that and find out about them on here. No point starting hobby if you cant get the colour that you are looking for.

Then start to find out what extra things you need like rock ect.

And 130 L is that around 35 gallons. You would have around a maximum of 8-10 fish in there providing you stock it well.

 

[SamUK]

also depending on your tap water its good to have some crushed coral or something else to raise the Ph in your tank cos cichlids like a ph of about 8.



i used both crushed coral as my substrate and then limestone for my rock scaping which will both help in that dept.

 

[Ferris]

With a tank that size, i would stick with the least aggressive Mbuna species like Yellow labs, Pseudotropheus Acei and Iodotropheus Sperengerae. Pick 2 of these species and go for 4 fish from each species, preferrably 1 male and 3 females and you should have a settled tank. Anything more aggressive would be a big risk in a 130 litre setup.

 

[Ginge]

With a tank that size, i would stick with the least aggressive Mbuna species like Yellow labs, Pseudotropheus Acei and Iodotropheus Sperengerae. Pick 2 of these species and go for 4 fish from each species, preferrably 1 male and 3 females and you should have a settled tank. Anything more aggressive would be a big risk in a 130 litre setup.

There you go a proper knowledgeable advice from ferris. I'm learing.

 

[andrewcoxon]

thanks for all your help so far guys, more is welcome

can i ask what type of fish that is in your avatar ferris? it looks great!

 

[Ginge]

Its called the demasoni and im sorry to say i dout very very very much wether you will be able to keep them. They are one of the most agressive fish out there. You would need atleast like 55gallons and even then you can only really keep them in ones or tones. Ferris only had one in his tank which is IMO quite agresivly stocked.

 

[mamafish68]

clint,
please DO NOT just go to your lfs and pick out a fish like mentioned above. It's really ill advised to do so, and Bad advice!!!
Say you see a pretty blue and white stripped fish and its labeled frontosa, you buy it and bring it home and put it in your tank only to come to find out it grows to 10+ inches.

I'm leaving now but will be back later with some really good informational links for you to go thru.

 

[Ginge]

Oh sorry if you misunderstood me i mean pick the fish you like and find out about them on here.
There you go it makes sense now everyone else understood me.

 

[paulioo]

I think Ferris gets asked that question about his avatar at least once a day

Paul

 

[Ginge]

Well thats his fault for taking such a great photo of an equaly great fish.

 

[Ferris]

Ferris only had one in his tank which is IMO quite agresivly stocked.

You're not kidding....thats the way i like it though!

I think Ferris gets asked that question about his avatar at least once a day

Ginge, Mamafish - no arguing please!

 

[mamafish68]

The links I promised, I highly recomend these:

http/www.cichlid-forum.com/index.php
http/www.cichlidpress.com/
http/www.finsout.com./
http/www.aquaticcommunity.com/universal-viewid97.html
http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/lake_malawi_setup.php
http/cichlids.com/

 

[andrewcoxon]

thank you all