Stocking Ideas!

[Livewire]

Hello everyone, I'm am starting a new 40 gallon tank and I want to enter the wonderful world of cichlids!

So far I have some rainbow rock I also have one carved into a large cave, I have a lava rock cave and I have a giant flat rainbow rock. My plans for this week is to hit up Home Depot and pick up some play sand.
I was considering live plants like java fern and anubias, I'm not to sure on wether cichlids eat them or not.


So anyways, my ideas for te tank is I want some blue cichlids and yellow, and maybe some orange ones, personally I don't like the fish with bumps on their heads. Although I'm not too positive if you can get fish fom different lakes, I was told they fight if you do that.

 

[manxjason]

Hi mate, Java fern and Anubias will be fine, but note that anubias tends to require dimmed lighting so position them accordingly otherwise black hair/spots will grow on their leafs

Fish wise, it depends really. If you go for Haps, they will appreciate open water. In a 40 gallon, you'll also have to take into account their size. Perhaps best to go towards a mbuna set up as they're smaller and appreciate rockwork.

In terms of mbuna, try and create a cave/hole for each fish if possible as they're very much in and out of them and do not appreciate sharing in terms of territory.

Yellow labs would be a good starting point. Remember the male/female ratio. Pick your fish carefully, and post a list of species your interested in to double-check compatibility/numbers.

 

[Livewire]

Hi mate, Java fern and Anubias will be fine, but note that anubias tends to require dimmed lighting so position them accordingly otherwise black hair/spots will grow on their leafs

Fish wise, it depends really. If you go for Haps, they will appreciate open water. In a 40 gallon, you'll also have to take into account their size. Perhaps best to go towards a mbuna set up as they're smaller and appreciate rockwork.

In terms of mbuna, try and create a cave/hole for each fish if possible as they're very much in and out of them and do not appreciate sharing in terms of territory.

Yellow labs would be a good starting point. Remember the male/female ratio. Pick your fish carefully, and post a list of species your interested in to double-check compatibility/numbers.

German rams seem cool, Although I'm nearly clueless on how venting works, do I pick the fish up by hand and put them under a light and look at them that way, or is it like really easy to notice?

 

[agk2000]

Ok man. First thing ur gunna have to do is pick a rift lake, or pick central or south americans. You cant really inter-mix them too much. Especially with the Africans

 

[max1e]

hi all.. hope its ok but thought i'd ask my question here with it being on the same topic

i was going to do my new set-up as a tropical planted tank, but i have now decided to go the cichlid route my question is
how many fish can i get in a 160x50x50cm tank?

and would this list be ok?

AULONOCARA JACOBFRIBERGI 1 male 2 female
COPIDACHROMIS BOADZULU 1 male 2 female
CYNOTILAPIA AFRA - WHITE TOP 1-2male 3-4 female 5 in total
HAPLOCHROMIS 44 1 male 2 female
LABIDOCHROMIS CAERULEUS 1-4male 3-6 female 10 in total
LABIDOCHROMIS HONGI RED TOP 1 male 2 female
i'm thinking of using just the one filter(eheim 2180 thermo) = wave makers for circulation(2x 6000lph)

i'm a complete newb with cichlids, but A we gota start somewhere .. i've been watching so many you-tube vids i think my eyes are going square too.. just addicted as they look so cool

please help