Thinking About Getting Cichlids

[Macko1968]

I've got my eye on a 190 litre, 100cm long tank on ebay at the minute & thinking about what to do with it. I'm currently running a couple of tanks, 1 community & 1 tiger barbs but a friend has cichlid set up that has really impressed me.

Is a 100cm big enough for a cichlid set-up & what fish would you recommend? I have med-hard water (18 deg) and a Ph @ 7.6 - 7.8.

thanks

Mick

 

[doresy]

40 odd views and not one reply You'd think nobody here keeps cichlids and that can type

As you placed your post here I'm thinking that you are contemplating Malawi's or maybe the rarer Tanganyikan's rather than dwarf Apistogramma's (New World)

You are knocking on the door of too small really but I can talk as I started my Tanganyikan's in a 125lt Rio

Malawi's, being the more aggressive need to be over stocked slightly to repress their need to acquire a territory. The idea being that it is so difficult to stake out a territory with so many passers by so they only make a half hearted attempt.
In this case a smaller tank will require very frequent water changes. If proceeding may I suggest (without bias ) a Tanganikan set up (after research of course) or possibly (again, without bias) go to a four footer. Either way, plenty of rocks is very important.

 

[ZebraDanioFan]

yea your tank is too small...if your gonna get a 4 footer i would say get a 75 gallon instead of a 55...more versatile as far switching from different species from different lakes among cichlids if u decided to change ur mind because of varying adult cichlid sizes

you are going to have to raise your pH level...treating you water with baking soda and epsom salt will raise the pH but you need to test how much of each will make ur pH stable in the higher range with ur tap water
using crushed coral as your gravel works too

 

[kiriyama]

Hi, Tanganyikan tank would be nice , some ocean rock , coral sand , few shells , I only have 80cm / 95tr tank and still got away with it, you have a bigger choice, check out PARACYPRICHROMIS NIGRIPINNIS or CYPRICHROMIS LEPTOSOMA, I am certainly no expert so the other guys will be able to tell you if these fish are ok in your tank size , you could have some small shellies and a couple of julis , plenty of scope, ........

 

[Realtree]

To give you another idea.
It is possible to go the mbuna route if you overstock with juveniles / fry
Using a large quantity of rockwork (personally think ocean rock best for this)
VERY IMPORTANT - over filtrate the tank (8-10 times tank volume per hour) Using 2 x filters if necessary
With this set up you will get all the enjoyment of watching your fishes grow ,colour up and mature. Aggression issues will be greatly reduced. When the time comes you will have to thin out the numbers of fish in the tank but you will by then know what genders mixes you want and which fish you want to rehome.
I can say this from my own experience as it is exactly what I have done in my 180L first malawi set up.
BUT BE WARNED I am always dreamingf of that bigger tank !!!!

 

[AdAndrews]

If i had this tank it would be yellow labs and p.demensoni going in, less of the latter.

 

[broessle]

as said up there you should go with a tang tank, but if demasoni would do good in there too, just be sure to get at least 12 of them

 

[broessle]

yea your tank is too small...if your gonna get a 4 footer i would say get a 75 gallon instead of a 55...more versatile as far switching from different species from different lakes among cichlids if u decided to change ur mind because of varying adult cichlid sizes

you are going to have to raise your pH level...treating you water with baking soda and epsom salt will raise the pH but you need to test how much of each will make ur pH stable in the higher range with ur tap water
using crushed coral as your gravel works too

although i agree with choosing a 75 gal over a 55 gal I strongly disagree with adding baking soda or epsom salt. Stability is super important and even maybe more important than your pH. I know in my area the pH out the tap is somewhere around 7.5 or 7.6. If the fish does not come from the wild chances are its been in water with similar conditions and they get along fine in it. Its when your pH begins to take upward spikes and then fall as it would when adding baking soda. I reccomend you just test your water out the tap and then by adding a lot of rocks you will be okay. remember stability is key. also the crushed coral is good too because as the coral breaks down in raises the pH as well, but not necessary.

 

[grottosandfins]

Personally, if this is your first cichlid tank, you can't go wrong with kribs. They're easy spawners, fairly inexpensive and pretty easy to find (in CT at least).