Starting An African Cichlid Tank

[picothepleco]

Hi, I have a 46 gallon bowfront and I was thinking of trying my luck at an african cichlid tank. My only experiance has been with South American community fish. I would love some advice on how to set it up. Right now my tank is empty and waiting to be cleaned up and then I will start the cycling process. Thanks

 

[DerpPH]

Keep the pH 8-8.3 if you want malawi cichlids. You can try tanganyikan which can go in higher alkaline. Make sure to build a rock wall and also be sure that water is flowing all the way around the rock wall. Make sure you never put females of the same genus(eg. Aulonocara) with males of the same genus since they can and will kill each other. I suggest male mbunas. Tropheus and haps. If you want peacocks then try your luck. Just keep my advice you will be fine. Btw they need sand as a substrate.

 

[picothepleco]

okay great. what kind of sand and where can I get it cheaply. I really like those yellow cichlids but I was also thinking of kribs. Would it be possible to have a community of cichlids and other african species of fish.

 

[DerpPH]

It would but you just have to make sure they are compatible. None can fit in each others mouths. Synodontis would do well with medium sized cichlids. Kribs would do well but with synodontis esp. large species they would just be eaten. I dont know where to get sand but white fine coraline san would do great! Im in the Philippines so I dont know where to get in your area. I just get it from my LFS.

 

[picothepleco]

I've been reading online that the minimum tank size is 50 gallons. Mine is a 46 gallon bowfront. Do you think that will be an okay size. I'll do some research on the synodontis. Thanks for your help

 

[DerpPH]

you can keep smaller Mbunas like the yellow lab in those tank sizes. synodontis should do ok as long as they are small and dont have very big mouths. the cichlids should not be small enough to fit in their mouths.

 

[picothepleco]

Awesome! the yellow labs are what I am interested in. Thanks for you're help.

 

[DerpPH]

Sure thing! I wouldnt want you to end up like me. My cichlids decimated my extremely tideous aquascaped tank.

 

[bullit]

What is the tank footprint?

 

[picothepleco]

bullit, are you asking what the measurements of my tank are?
 
 

Sure thing! I wouldnt want you to end up like me. My cichlids decimated my extremely tideous aquascaped tank.

What did they do to it? Did you have live plants? I plan on having life plants.

 

[bullit]

Yeah.

 

[picothepleco]

36 x 16 1/2 x 21

 

[DerpPH]

Had java moss, crypts hairgrass and sagitarria

 

[bullit]

Only small be mbuna would be suitable for your size tank. Have you had a look at P salousi. cheers

 

[picothepleco]

Only small be mbuna would be suitable for your size tank. Have you had a look at P salousi. cheers

Thanks, I will do some research on that particular type of fish