now what

[Mstrildy22]

ok all my fish died for no apperent reason so should i toss the gravel and everything else and start freash with new and i am planning to get just kenyi this time is that wise or will anything live happily with them in a 40 gal tank ?? do tel please i love chiclids and enjoy rasing then just not much experance

 

[freddyk]

Kenyi, or more accurately known as Lombardoi, are extremely aggressive mbuna, and in a 40 gallon tank not many species can keep up with them. While a lombardoi species tank could work I would personally only keep them in something larger (75 gallons +). There are many nice and less aggressive species that you may find more suitable.
If you are really set on keeping them, make sure you provide as many hiding spots as you can, and you will want to overstock the tank to distribute the aggression. When overstocking the tank, make sure the filtration and water changes can keep up with the stocking levels.

As far as the gravel goes, it would seem like a waste to just toss it. Unless you wanted to replace it anyway, I would be inclined to rinse it under hot water and use it.

Good luck

 

[semper fi]

you never want to rinse used gravel in hot water. you will kill and wash out all the established bacteria. this will cause you to recycle the tank, depending on what else you can salvage with bacteria in it.

kennyi could work. as recommended, overstocking will lower aggression. dither fish are also a good choice to help releive some of the aggression from the females.

 

[Mstrildy22]

ok then would you tell me of some of the other less aggr4essive fish to look at and check out before i decide what to put in my tank i would really like that as i am new to chiclids

 

[freddyk]

As far as less aggressive fish, common ones such as Labidochromis Caeruleus (electric yellows), and Pseudotropheus like Zebras will be less aggressive (though still aggressive). Pseudotropheus Saulosi are a nice one, with similar coloring to the Lombardoi, except the males are blue and the females yellow, and they're much less aggressive.

Semper, the reason why I recommend rinsing the gravel is because there were problems in the old tank, so it sounds like this aquarist does not want to just re-use the gravel, just in case. As long as there is a power filter running it should have enough to give it a good jumpstart anyway.