Questions Regarding Hardware And Stocking 150g

[merry78]

Hi all, long time no post.

So my 6 x 2 x 2 planted tank has been ripped down, and i am switching to Malawis.

Some details before i get to the questions:

Tapwater params:
• pH 7.8,
• KH hard as nails. Couldn't shift the pH with a bulldozer.

Hardware:
• Fluval FX5,
• jaeger 300W plus spare jaeger 300W. Live in warmish climate, so heaters arent on much anyway.
• Only have choice of T5HO lighting or MH lighting atm, may have to downgrade depending on fish preference and algae growth.
• Slow setup, fishless cycle, experienced community (ie friendly) fish keeper (never kept Africans before.)

Stocking:
• am limited to fish that i can get from this website, due to lack of local availability.

the africans available here

Personal preferences:
• not keen for fish that would hybridise,
• would prefer no breeding at all- I have just sold five tanks and have no desire to have to set up more again.
• not keen on 'assorteds'.
• Cannot select for males or females from website.
• All fish purchased here are juveniles.
• Can easily farm out/rehome unsuitable candidates as they mature.



Potential stocking list (as worked out after many confused and rambling hours comparing cookie-cutter stocking list to website availability…..)


Sc Fryeri Maleri Island Iceberg Electric Blue 4cm
Red Jacobfreibergi (Firebird) Peacock 5cm
Placidochromis Electra 7cm
Nimbochromis Venustus 4cm
Cyrtocara Moorii 5cm
Chilotilapia Rhoadesii 4cm
Otopharynx Tetraspilus 5cm

I have included the (sold as) sizes of the fish so you can see that they are juvies……

So, questions:
• Am I headed for disaster?
• Is the Venustus going to flog everything else to death?
• Should I get multiples of each species right away? If so, how many?
• Can you suggest a better stocking list from what is available to me? Please?

 

[dthoffsett]

I'm not that great with stocking larger tanks, but I'll help where I can.

Male venustus can get pretty aggressive, but having at least a trio of females for only one male should keep him from bothing anyone else. The moorii are also pretty aggressive, so again you'll want a 1m/3f group.

The Chilotilapia rhoadesii I'm not familiar with, from the information I found they seem to feed on snails much like a puffer, they also reach 13" and prefer to be in larger groups.

Red Jacobfreibergi (Firebird) Peacock, Placidochromis Electra and Otopharynx Tetraspilus are all smaller and more peaceful than your other species, and as such would not mix well.

As for fry you really don't have to worry much with the open water predators like N.venustus, they hunt fry in the wild and should have not problem keeping them under control in the tank. If you wanted you could get a few larger predatory catfish to clean up any fry the adults miss.

To help you narrow down a good list could you answer a couple of questions?

1. Are you wanting a peaceful, mildly aggressive or aggressive set up.

2. Are you wanting medium sized (5-7") or larger cichids (8"+).

3. How are you wanting to decorate your tank? For instance, open water predators need lots of swimming space while peacocks (any Aulonocara species) need rockwork for territories. All most all of the species are best kept on sand as they sift in it for leftover food (if there is any ).

4. I guess I should also ask what would be the maximum you would want to pay for each fish. Not to be personal, but some of those fish on that site are expensive. Boy am I glad I live in the US where cichlids are cheap.

-Dawn

 

[merry78]

To help you narrow down a good list could you answer a couple of questions?

1. Are you wanting a peaceful, mildly aggressive or aggressive set up.

2. Are you wanting medium sized (5-7") or larger cichids (8"+).

3. How are you wanting to decorate your tank? For instance, open water predators need lots of swimming space while peacocks (any Aulonocara species) need rockwork for territories. All most all of the species are best kept on sand as they sift in it for leftover food (if there is any ).

4. I guess I should also ask what would be the maximum you would want to pay for each fish. Not to be personal, but some of those fish on that site are expensive. Boy am I glad I live in the US where cichlids are cheap.

-Dawn

Hi Dawn, thanks for your help

To answer your questions, in no particular order:

Hardscape would be pool filter sand and
this rock
although i would build the hardscape around the needs of the fish in question.

I dont mind whether the setup is peaceful, mildly aggressive or aggressive, as long as all fish in the tank are happy, healthy, and coping well with their tank mates. As a aggressive cichlid noob i am wondering whether i might be wiser sticking to the lower end of the aggression spectrum. Having said that, i would like to think that i was an experienced and responsible fishkeeper who could make any stocking adjustments necessary if it came to that.

I am not fussed whether the fish are medium sized or large, although if all else were equal, medium sized would be cleaner and water quality would (i guess) be a big issue if there was stress from aggression in the tank.

About $50AUD for one fish would be my upper limit at this stage. Prices here are crazy if you want the convenience of buying online.

In an ideal world, i would love to do a mixed Aulonocara tank with a catfish or two, but am shy of mixing Aulonocaras unless i am sure no fry would survive. Is an all- male tank a possiblilty? I am assuming it would be a recipe for disaster....

What mix of fish would you do for this tank?

Thanks again for your help- it is much appreciated....

 

[dthoffsett]

An all-male peacock tank is perfectly possible, just be aware that sometimes males won't fully color up without a female present. As for other tank mates with them:

Peacocks can be housed with a variety of other Lake Malawi cichlids. Many of the gentle, medium-sized haplochromines make excellent tankmates. Various members of the genera Copadichromis, Cyrtocara, Placidochromis, Protomelas, Otopharynx, Nyassachromis, and Sciaenochromis are some of the popular fish which are often housed successfully with Peacocks.

Taken from: [URL="http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/peacocks.php"]http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/peacocks.php[/URL]

So, for a list of what would work in your tank:

Various peacocks (your choice of species)

Otopharynx tetraspilus 1m/3+f

Placidochromis electra mulitple males are fine together, but you'll want a couple of females for each

Cyrtocara moorii are mildly aggressive to tank mates, but have higher conspecific aggression so should be kept 1m/3+f, they are slow to develop but once they do they breed like crazy, so I'd keep that in mind if you want to go with them.

Sciaenochromis fryeri (Maleri Is.) another that should be kept 1m/3+f, they will happily snack on any fry.

Copadochromis borleyi Red Fin Kadanga mulitple males are fine together


As for actual numbers, like I said, I'm not that great with stocking larger tanks, you might try sending Ferris a PM, he doesn't post often anymore but he's usually on once a week or so. Or hopefully someone else can help.

 

[merry78]

fantastic

thanks so much for your help Dawn, I really appreciate it.

This tank is going to take a long time before it is set up, as i am moving in 6 months and might leave filling it till after i move- i am still recovering from the last time i moved house....but when I am ready to set it up i will post a journal.

If anyone else has advice or opinions i would love to hear it,

once again, thanks Dawn.

 

[dthoffsett]

fantastic

thanks so much for your help Dawn, I really appreciate it.

This tank is going to take a long time before it is set up, as i am moving in 6 months and might leave filling it till after i move- i am still recovering from the last time i moved house....but when I am ready to set it up i will post a journal.

If anyone else has advice or opinions i would love to hear it,

once again, thanks Dawn.

Glad to help. I understand about not wanting to set up your tank until you move, I'm moving hopefully next month and have been waiting over a year to set a new tank up. I'm about to lose my mind.