Setting Up My Tank For Fairy Cichlids

[Ragtagcurtis]

Hey,

So I've decided to keep a fairy Cichlid species only tank. As many of you may be aware I have a Roma 125L (33 US gallon) tank.

So this thread will hopefully be used for you great guys to tell me how to best set up my tank for them. At the moment it is cycling and has a sand substrate. The filter being used is a Eheim 2213 external although I do have a 2217 I could change to if more filtration will be required. My tap water PH is 7.6 so I'm guessing I could do with getting this up a little?

I'm planning on getting 5 juveniles and as they grow/if needed removing a number of them if to aggressive. I'm hoping a pair will form so I can watch the generations grow and mature in one tank.

Any advice welcome.

Thanks

 

[kiriyama]

I wouldn't worry to much about pH, it's fine at that but saying that you could add some bicarbonate of soda with each water change, soon brings it up a bit, more, ocean rock or tuffa rock will also bring it up. Adding crushed coral gravel or crushed oyster shell in a media bag, added to a filter chamber will slowly bring it up. More important having stable pH than fluctuating....
Rockwork - you could make a pile either side or all along the back of the tank, arrange it in such a way that there is plenty of small caves for hiding and bredding, I'm not sure if they like digging or not, so hopefully someone else can advise on this.
pH , what I usually do is I have a jerry can that holds about 30odd litres, I add seachem prime, aqauarium salt, bicarbonate of soda, fill with water, shake well and leave for a day or two at room temp, then put it in at water change, I have pH7 from the tap, goes to 7.4 after ocean rock, a bit higher because of the cichlid sand, slowly been going up after the jerry can method, have it at over 8 now I'm happy with that......
Food wise , a staple cichlid flake, zooplankton and similiar, I wouldn't see any harm in a pinch of spirulina, always ood roughage , aids digestion etc....
Good luck, let us know how you get on

 

[minnnt]

I have never seen mine digging or paying any attention to the substrate. A breeding group of 5 should be fine imo, they're pretty good at being nice to each other. lol.

Rocks rocks and more rocks. That will make it more like a home from home for them.

Good luck!

I wouldn't worry to much about pH, it's fine at that but saying that you could add some bicarbonate of soda with each water change, soon brings it up a bit, more, ocean rock or tuffa rock will also bring it up. Adding crushed coral gravel or crushed oyster shell in a media bag, added to a filter chamber will slowly bring it up. More important having stable pH than fluctuating....
Rockwork - you could make a pile either side or all along the back of the tank, arrange it in such a way that there is plenty of small caves for hiding and bredding, I'm not sure if they like digging or not, so hopefully someone else can advise on this.
pH , what I usually do is I have a jerry can that holds about 30odd litres, I add seachem prime, aqauarium salt, bicarbonate of soda, fill with water, shake well and leave for a day or two at room temp, then put it in at water change, I have pH7 from the tap, goes to 7.4 after ocean rock, a bit higher because of the cichlid sand, slowly been going up after the jerry can method, have it at over 8 now I'm happy with that......
Food wise , a staple cichlid flake, zooplankton and similiar, I wouldn't see any harm in a pinch of spirulina, always ood roughage , aids digestion etc....
Good luck, let us know how you get on

Brilliant advice btw!!

 

[Ragtagcurtis]

Thanks guys for all the advice. Do you think it would be possible to have a small plec in with them? Mostly to try and help keep the tank clean?

 

[minnnt]

Thanks guys for all the advice. Do you think it would be possible to have a small plec in with them? Mostly to try and help keep the tank clean?

I have two bristlenoses in with mine which are probably fully grown. I have read on this site though that some plecs/catfish can eat the eggs of fish, so bare that in mind if they breed. Wait for some sound advice from others though mate, as it has already been pointed out that i am usually wrong.

 

[Ragtagcurtis]

Thanks guys for all the advice. Do you think it would be possible to have a small plec in with them? Mostly to try and help keep the tank clean?

I have two bristlenoses in with mine which are probably fully grown. I have read on this site though that some plecs/catfish can eat the eggs of fish, so bare that in mind if they breed. Wait for some sound advice from others though mate, as it has already been pointed out that i am usually wrong.

Well I've found you a great help

But yh I want to get as much advice as possible. Also if anyone knows a good LFS that stocks these in the Midlands (I'm in Birmingham) that would be great.

 

[minnnt]

My LFS in Nottinghamshire have them mate... £5.95 each, 2 for £10 or they have some XL fully grown ones for £7.95. Wharf Aquatics in Pinxton, check their website out for more details.

Sounds like i work there... or on comission at least.

http/www.wharfaquatics.co.uk/

 

[Ragtagcurtis]

My LFS in Nottinghamshire have them mate... £5.95 each, 2 for £10 or they have some XL fully grown ones for £7.95. Wharf Aquatics in Pinxton, check their website out for more details.

Sounds like i work there... or on comission at least.

http/www.wharfaquatics.co.uk/

Abit far but if they are the nearest I'll have to put in the travel time.

 

[minnnt]

Worth it mate, trust me.

 

[minnnt]

Just a thought, you could add a group of checkered barbs and/or a group of zebra loach (Botia Striata) if you wanted something else in the tank with them.

 

[bullit]

Id ring around the shops in birmingham. You should be able to find them there. Id also have a look on Aquarist classified.

 

[Ragtagcurtis]

Id ring around the shops in birmingham. You should be able to find them there. Id also have a look on Aquarist classified.

Hey I've managed to find a few stockists and went to have a look today. At Maidenhead Aquatics they were only fry and were so small. I asked to see the parents but was told they had been sold. This didn't impress me much as I believed the fry would need there parents? They were literally less than 1cm.

The guy in the shop also said I should be ok to keep a pair of Rams with them aswell... is this right? wasn't to sure on this advice?

 

[minnnt]

I think the babies would be ok on their own but not exactly brilliant practice if there was no need to remove them. Are you buying them young or are you thinking of getting them more or less ready to breed? Also if you could find two different suppliers then that would be better for getting stock to try and spread the gene pool.