Please Help Me To Setup My Tank New Tank

[australia]

hello, i have a new 160litre/4 foot tank that i am going to use to breed fish in, such as electric yellow cichlids, and some other mbuna fish species, what sort of filter should i use? im thinking about a canister filter....? and also how many pairs of electric yellows could i breed in that size of a tank?

 

[DevUK]

One thing to make sure of is that you're not going to suck up any fry into the filter. You'll need to protect the inlet somehow. A pair of tights cut up and tie-wrapped over the inlet should help

 

[dthoffsett]

Are you wanting to use this tank for the adults to live and spawn? Will you have separate tanks for holding females and fry, or are you going to let them spit in the tank? Are you planning on selling the resulting fry? If so, I'd pick a species that isn't very common, and that you have guaranteed homes for, such as supplying an LFS, etc.

To get the most fry out of them, you'll want to keep the adults and fry separate, ideally you'll want at least 3 tanks, the spawning tank (the 40gal), a tank for holding females 10 gallons or more, and at least one fry grow out tank, preferably 20 gallons or more. In the holding tank and fry grow out tank(s), sponge filters would be best, in the adult spawning tank a cannister filter will be fine.

 

[australia]

Are you wanting to use this tank for the adults to live and spawn? Will you have separate tanks for holding females and fry, or are you going to let them spit in the tank? Are you planning on selling the resulting fry? If so, I'd pick a species that isn't very common, and that you have guaranteed homes for, such as supplying an LFS, etc.

To get the most fry out of them, you'll want to keep the adults and fry separate, ideally you'll want at least 3 tanks, the spawning tank (the 40gal), a tank for holding females 10 gallons or more, and at least one fry grow out tank, preferably 20 gallons or more. In the holding tank and fry grow out tank(s), sponge filters would be best, in the adult spawning tank a cannister filter will be fine.

okay , yes i want to use the tank for adults to spawn, and yes i will have seperate tanks for females and fry , but now you have got me thinking on what sort of fish i should get as i want to supply mt LFS, any ideas? my lfs doesnt realy have mutch stock...

 

[dthoffsett]

I'd talk to your LFS and see what they are interested in, and what they have requests for. I know here in my part of the US, l.caeruleus are a dime a dozen, as well as m.estherae, m.callainos, p.acei, m.auratus, m.lombardoi, and p.crabro. P.demasoni are extremely hard to find, and can sell for $20 a fish or more. So it's all a matter of supply and demand.