So Confused

[CamaroGurl]

I've got a 55 gal (US) that I'm going to be setting up.....1st I was going to put my fish in the 30 gal in there, 2nd I was going to do an African rock tank, 3rd I was going to put some convicts, 4th again back to putting the fish from 30 gal, and 5th I'm going back to the African rock tank. I've totally made up my mind last night. We went to one of our lsf and I was looking at all their tanks (they like to set them up for the fish as if they were in a tank at home). I fell in love with the rock tanks full of small little Africans. They had yellow ones, black ones with blue lines (two different kinds), dark yellow ones, and so many others that I can't remember them all. I fell in love with both of the yellow kind and both of the black with blue kind. So I'm now certain that's the direction I'm going. Plus I think a rock tank would give us a little change from the planted tanks. The other thing that really got me to chose this is the fact that there's really not many fish that I liked that would go well with my Cockatoos. I really don't want any more live bearers in my tanks at this time, but I maybe adding some of the platy babies just so they can survive long enough to get too big to be eaten in my boyfriend's tank, lol.

 

[dthoffsett]

So what are you confused about? It sounds like you've decided on keeping mbuna in your 55gal, correct? If so, I'd aim for 12 adults, 3 species of 1m/3f each (you can start out with more juveniles and just remove extra males as they become apparent). Before buying any, have a read of the links below, and write down the names of the fish you are interested in, we can help with compatability.

The mbuna aquarium
55gal stocking
Setting up a Malawi tank
"Mixed African Cichlids"

 

[CamaroGurl]

So what are you confused about? It sounds like you've decided on keeping mbuna in your 55gal, correct? If so, I'd aim for 12 adults, 3 species of 1m/3f each (you can start out with more juveniles and just remove extra males as they become apparent). Before buying any, have a read of the links below, and write down the names of the fish you are interested in, we can help with compatability.

The mbuna aquarium
55gal stocking
Setting up a Malawi tank
"Mixed African Cichlids"

Thank you for the links. I think I've decided on the Metraclima estherae, Pseudotropheus saulos, and the Labidochromis caeruleus. There are more questions I now have. The Lab is hard to sex, even as adults, though they are much more peacefull, could they be kept with more males in the tank? Also, the females are only 2-3" would they get beat up on by the other fish in the tank? And finally, if I decided on an all Lab tank is that ok?

 

[dthoffsett]

So what are you confused about? It sounds like you've decided on keeping mbuna in your 55gal, correct? If so, I'd aim for 12 adults, 3 species of 1m/3f each (you can start out with more juveniles and just remove extra males as they become apparent). Before buying any, have a read of the links below, and write down the names of the fish you are interested in, we can help with compatability.

The mbuna aquarium
55gal stocking
Setting up a Malawi tank
"Mixed African Cichlids"

Thank you for the links. I think I've decided on the Metraclima estherae, Pseudotropheus saulos, and the Labidochromis caeruleus. There are more questions I now have. The Lab is hard to sex, even as adults, though they are much more peacefull, could they be kept with more males in the tank? Also, the females are only 2-3" would they get beat up on by the other fish in the tank? And finally, if I decided on an all Lab tank is that ok?

Labs are one of the few speices that males will generally get along, so don't worry about trying to sex them. Oddly enough, labs are generally ignored by all but the most aggressive species, so I wouldn't worry about them being bullied. And I think a species tank of them would be lovely.

 

[CamaroGurl]

So what are you confused about? It sounds like you've decided on keeping mbuna in your 55gal, correct? If so, I'd aim for 12 adults, 3 species of 1m/3f each (you can start out with more juveniles and just remove extra males as they become apparent). Before buying any, have a read of the links below, and write down the names of the fish you are interested in, we can help with compatability.

The mbuna aquarium
55gal stocking
Setting up a Malawi tank
"Mixed African Cichlids"

Thank you for the links. I think I've decided on the Metraclima estherae, Pseudotropheus saulos, and the Labidochromis caeruleus. There are more questions I now have. The Lab is hard to sex, even as adults, though they are much more peacefull, could they be kept with more males in the tank? Also, the females are only 2-3" would they get beat up on by the other fish in the tank? And finally, if I decided on an all Lab tank is that ok?

Labs are one of the few speices that males will generally get along, so don't worry about trying to sex them. Oddly enough, labs are generally ignored by all but the most aggressive species, so I wouldn't worry about them being bullied. And I think a species tank of them would be lovely.

Cool, looks like that will be in the works very shortly. First, I gotta get Joe to get his TV out of my dinning room (broken, trying to get it fixed). Then setup my tank. First the rocks and substrait (does crushed corral ever go bad?), water, cylce, then fish.

 

[dthoffsett]

To my knowledge crushed coral doesn't go bad. It will eventually breakdown, but not for years. Looking forward to the setup. If you can take the time I'd suggest doing a journal.

 

[CamaroGurl]

To my knowledge crushed coral doesn't go bad. It will eventually breakdown, but not for years. Looking forward to the setup. If you can take the time I'd suggest doing a journal.

The reason I ask is because I'm thinking of putting a little crushed coral in the tank and my boyfriend has some that was left over from his salt water tank he use to have. I know it's at least 2 years old, but probably older than that. What do you mean by a journal? Is there a place on here to do that?

 

[dthoffsett]

The reason I ask is because I'm thinking of putting a little crushed coral in the tank and my boyfriend has some that was left over from his salt water tank he use to have. I know it's at least 2 years old, but probably older than that. What do you mean by a journal? Is there a place on here to do that?

The crushed coral will eventually break down after years IN the water, two years old is perfectly fine.

Have a look at some of the journals here and see if it's something you'd like to do.