Starting A New Tank In The New Year

[phoenix2081]

As it states in the new year I will be starting a new tank and will be having cichlids for the first time. I have decided to ease myself into it and go with an American cichlid tank over a malawian tank.

I will be doing a fishless cycle and making my own caves, areas and plant scaping.

My questiongs are as follows:

I have read that you can use any slate for the tank (as long as it is obviously cleaned prior) but people talk of using lava rock. I have searched for aquatic rock but getting no hits for aquatic lava rock. Is it any normal lava rock from say B&Q?
If so that is great as it looks amazing as I am having a white cave area based around a skull to one side and planning a lava rock other side.

How much do cichlids eat plants? I plan on using live plants as I do in my other tank. I have java moss growing on bogwood at a crazy rate and hope to use it in the cichlid tank along with some sort of carpet plant and then java ferns. Not sure on what other plants at,.

Stocking wise it is a 190 Litre corner tank and I am thinking about starting with electric blue rams maybe about 6-8 of them ( http/www.tropicalfishbypost.co.uk/electric-blue-ram.html ). What else could go with it? I enjoy catfish and the smaller plecs ( http/www.tropicalfishbypost.co.uk/albino-bristlenose-pleco.html ).

I was thinking about maybe a pair of firemouth cichlids and a pair of parrot fish?

Maybe some loaches for the bottom of the tank? then finish with some surface plants?

What do you think??? I have been keeping fish for a year and a half but this is the first time I venture into cichlids.

Any help, tips, advice appreciated. I just want colourful cichlids and the aquascaping to go with it to make it a real show tank.

Mitch

 

[star4]

Slate is ok yes, lava rock will raise you ph in large quantities so I wouldnt really use it for american cichlids.

Larger cichlids do eat plants, most of the dwarf cichlids you can keep with plants, java fern & moss are fine.

Electric blue rams, these are delicate fish and do not do well in newly established tanks, they need more mature tanks, a newly cycled tank although safe for fish is not mature, which rams need.

Firemouth pair or parrot fish would be too large for a 190l tank and far too aggressive to be kept with rams, rams also do better in higher temperatures.

Loaches or cory cats ideal for the bottom.

Other suggestions for you. Rainbow cichlids, peaceful and colourful, max size around 4", Keyhole, dull as juvenile fish but full of character, pretty hardy to so ok for a newly cycled tank. Apistogramma there are many species of apisto's I would recomend Ap. cacatouides (dwarf cockatoo cichlid),Laetacara curviceps are another small cichlid colourful and peaceful, or the cousin the red breasted acara (Laetacara dorsigera)

Hope this helps

 

[phoenix2081]

I will be using media from my other tank in the new one when setting up. Just FYI it will not be cycled from fresh new media.

 

[phoenix2081]

Also can you mix differant types of rams then like german and electric blue or electric blue and golden?

 

[scotty]

i think 6 to 8 rams are too much,a pair of rams and a pair of apistos would be nice,but make sure there is plenty of plants,bogwood and caves so they can each have their own territory and breaks the line of sight from each other.

 

[GShorty1981]

Rams are so frustrating to keep if you are new, go for Bolivians or some other gentle Cichlids like Angels, Rainbows or Keyholes, stick to 1 pair and have lots of dithers.

 

[phoenix2081]

how about this then. loaches for the bottom of tank.

I will fishless cycle with existing media and ornaments and live plants just to help.

I will hold off from rams loaches and cockatoo cichlid but I will get a school of cocktail blue eye rainbow fish.
allow them to live happily for about 6 months and introduce cockatoo. wait until the year Mark and get loaches then get German blue ram. That should be adequate timings.

They sound like a good combination? Thanks for all the help as there is so much contradicting help on the internet and nothing beats first hand experience.

Mitch

 

[phoenix2081]

got some rocks to start building my first cave for the cichlid tank in the new year. excited with this project.