Thinking Cichlids - Tank Mates An Option ?

[Nick Sw]

Hi, I`m totally new to tropical fish and I`ve been busy researching about everything and have found great help on these forums, now I`ve started thinikng about what Fish I`d like in my potential tank and have been really impressed with some of the Cichlid tanks on here
2 of which are here

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=136203
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=117623

Although I`d like to keep some Cichlids I`m not totally keen on the idea of a Cichlids only tank , I`d maybe like a bit of variety and colour in the tank , what other fish could I keep which are compatible ?

My setup should be a Rena Panormama 100 (hopefully not bought it yet)
which measures
101cm in length 44.5cm depth and 47.5cm in Height .
or 39.4 inches Length 17.4 depth 18.5 Length.

Volume 210 Litres / 140 Utile Vol.
Volume 55.48 Gallons U.S 46.20 Gallons UK / Gallons U.S 36.99 Gallons U.K 30.80 Utile Vol.
My Water Board describe my water as moderately soft and from what I can gather has a mean PH of 7.85 (Not totally sure about the PH one)

Thanks Nick

 

[adambrum]

mixing cichlids with non cichlids is not a good idea even the more non aggressive species will terrorise tankmates also the water conditions for cichlids are different to most other tropicals , you maybe able to some of the dwarf cichlids from south africa . but you would need to check with someone who knows more about them.

 

[freddyk]

Cichlids are highly territorial and aggressive, and most are exceedingly strong for their size. They require careful planning and selection, and very careful mixing for long term success.

If this is your first venture into the world of aquaria I would suggest starting off with community fish and getting the hang of things first. If you really feel the urge to go with cichlids anyway, then africans aren't the place for you to be. Go to the new world section and you'll find more appropriate fish. A couple of species that can get along with some community fish are Rams, Keyholes, and Rainbows.

IF you do decide to go with cichlids then you'll need to be careful to choose tropical fish that can handle their aggression and won't compete with or threaten the cichlids, so plan ahead and don't impulse shop.

On thing I really recommend is not to worry about your water perameters. Worrying about them ends up complicating things and complication only leads to problems. Your water falls into the category of typical tap water and while there are plenty of people who like to play chemist, you'll find most fish keepers do well just using the water as it is.

 

[Nick Sw]

Ok thanks for the replys , I beginning to think I may be best with a community tank then as a starter and see how it goes like you say I could add a couple of Rams later if the conditions were right.

I`ve posted in the New World Section as well as suggested.

Thanks again Nick

 

[Nick Sw]

I`ve seen someone mention they have Kribs with Mollys, Neon Tetras, Rams, Loaches would something like this be ok ?

 

[denis coghlan]

Although I`d like to keep some Cichlids I`m not totally keen on the idea of a Cichlids only tank , I`d maybe like a bit of variety and colour in the tank.

If you are looking for variety and colour, in my opinion there is no other spcies that can match african cichlids "thats my opinion" for colour and variety. Within the mbuna type alone there are a vast array of colours and "maybe not so much the shape" but there is a wide variety of sizes. The part that takes the longest is researching which species are tank suitable for one another. I have just set up a new take and I spent nearly all of the three weeks, while my tanks was cycling trying to decide a stocking list. I think what I have chosen completly fills the criteria of have variety and colour in the tank.

I still have to put in the Afra's (cobue) but the male is stripped pink and brown with a yellow head


What ever you decide on good luck with it.

denis

 

[Nick Sw]

Denis thanks for the reply - Your Tank is amazing I`ve been following the thread and your the Fish and pictures have made me want to do something the same.

I`m not sure if it`s a bit beyond me though as I`m new to tropical Fish, I sort of need to decide really before I start with the tank as if I was going the Cichlid/malawi route then I`d need to place the stones in maybe with sand but if a community tank was the option then maybe a planted tank with gravel. I`m in no rush and I feel a lot wiser about Cichlids just reading on the forums here for a couple of hours.

It seems that the only options of tank mates are BN Plecs which look awful IMO, Synodontis multipunctatus Catfish which may be ok or Royal Plecs which sound like they grow too large. I`ll look into some more.

P.S. I`ve seen the video of the new fish it`s very good.

 

[brewyn]

hello there. dont want to step on anyones toes, but if its malawi cichlids that have got you into the idea of setting up a fish tank then you go for it, there not hard at all to keep, infact I think there so easy. as long as you follow the basic rule, plenty of rock, and some general knowledge on the cichlids you want to keep. people would cringe if they saw my setup, lots of aggressive and none aggressive fish, big fish, tiny fish, but it works for me.I keep on top of my water changes, I have plenty of filtration, over 400 gallons an hour, and most of all, I watch my fish and see what they are doing and how they are behaving. heres a list of the fish I have and most of them are in a 6x2x2, THEY ALL LIVE ALONG SIDE EACH OTHER FINE. I dont experience much aggression, if any at all, I dont have battered fish, and none of my fish are nervous of each other. dont be put off!


aulanocara marmala pearl
aulanocara baenshi
aulanocara kornelia
protomelus taeniolatus (boadzulu or red empress)
protomelus spilonotus mozambique
nimbochromis linnis
nimbochromis livingstoni
nimbochromis venustus
sciaenochromis fryer (electric blue)
copidachromis borleyia kadango red fin
copidachromis virgin ali`s
copadichromis borleyi gold fin t/b
placidochromis phenochilus w/c
dimidiochromis strigatus
cynotilapia afra red top



Pseudotropheus socolofi
pseudotropheus elongatus blue
pseudotropheus elongatus (red)
pseudotropheus acei
elongatus mpanga w/c
tropheops chilumba w/c
maylandia hajomalandi
maylandia zebra gold (mundola reef) f1
melanochromis chripokea
metriaclima zebra
labidochromis caeruleus



marble birchir


synodontis petrocola
synodontis zebra catfish brichardi
synodontis feather fin

 

[denis coghlan]

Brewyn I could not agree with you more. Nick if you want to set up a cichlid tank, go for it. I would be the first to put up my hand and admit to being a complete novice at this fish keeping lark. Before I set up my latest tank, I had two basic cold water tanks and they are only a year and a half up and running.

I think you hit the nail on the head when you wrote "I`m in no rush and I feel a lot wiser about Cichlids just reading on the forums here for a couple of hours". If you keep this sort of attitude keeping any sort of fish species will be no problem. I have learned everything I know about fishkeeping off the internet. And thats the good part, if you ever do have a problem all you have to do is ask a question? I think it would be safe to say that you are never going to have a problem that someone hasn't gone through before.

Setup a tank that you want to, after all this is not the cheapest of hobbies and there is no point paying lots of bucks for something when you really want something else.

denis

In addition I have just read a post recently where other people with malawi tanks have also kept.

upside-down catfish
chinese algea eaters
Synodontis Petricola
gold chinese alge eater
clown loaches

 

[brewyn]

tanks a lot, TANKS A LOT! nice for someone to agree with me for a change. I must say before I get a hammering from other readers that my happs are only in with my mbuna on a temporary basis, they will grow much larger than your average mbuna, they have different dietry requirements and also a different habitat from the rock dwellers. I have a lot of tanks and I am in the process of setting them up, once this is done I will be dividing my fish stocks up. here is a nice bit of information that I would recomend to anyone keeping malawi cichlids, it helped me to have a better understanding for my fish. it called happs VS mbuna and it will tell you the differences between the two types of malawi cichlids.

http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/haps_vs_mbuna.php

and with regards to colour,well heres a photo of some of my fish, sorry to those who have seen it already.

 

[Nick Sw]

Brewyn and Denis thanks for the replys the more I look at them the more I want to keep Cichlids they are amazing , I`ve had a look at some more today in a Local LFS they had some Feather-fin Catfish
Synodontis eupterus in with theres and they seemed fine which I`d be happy with.

Brewyn Nice Tank and Fish mate they are beautiful.

Denis - I`ve seen these on Rate My Fish Tank below they have Cichlids in with Clown Loaches and other fish I`ve got a feeling this is not to be recommended but just to show I`ve put the pictures and Fish list below.

Fish
2 x Sajica 1x m & 1xf 2 x Common Plecs 3 x Clown Loaches 1 x Firemouth 2 x Frontosa 3 x Convicts 1 x Stripped Talking Cat 2 x Corry's

6 x Frontosa's 5 x Dolphin Fish (Blue Moorii) 4 x Bala Sharks 4 x Clown Loaches 4 x Electric Yellows 1 x Golden Gourami

 

[brewyn]

hello nick, synadontis are an ideal fish to keep in with your cichlids, I have six of them, 3 feather fins, 1 brichardi, and 2 petricoli. should be getting another 6 petricoli tonight. you should have lots of fun but just remember, if you do decide on mbuna, PLENTY OF ROCKWORK mate. if you want to ask a question feel free to pm me, could always send you photos and help you look up info on the fish you like. did you read happs VS mbuna?

 

[Nick Sw]

Yeah great thanks that would be great I`ll have plenty of time when my tanks cycling to think about stock, I`m intending to have plenty of Rocks finding a good place to buy them might be a struggle haven`t seen a lot of decent ones so far I thought maybe Lava rock looked good I`ll have a look round and see whats available.

I`ve glanced over the Mbuna vs Haps thread I intend to read it fully later tonight.

Thanks again Nick

 

[brewyn]

hello nick. you could try some of your surrounding garden centres for rock. lava rock is very expensive and wont do anything to help your ph levels. fill a bucket with tap water, check its ph levels, if its low *below 7.5* then I would suggest you use tuffa rock. Im lucky as my ph levels are 8 straight out of the tap, so I have ocean and tuffa in one tank and lava rock in another. found it very difficult to get the lava rock, but it is stunning.

heres my 150 uk gallon tank.

heres my 50 gallon tank.

 

[denis coghlan]

Denis - I`ve seen these on Rate My Fish Tank below they have Cichlids in with Clown Loaches and other fish I`ve got a feeling this is not to be recommended but just to show I`ve put the pictures and Fish list below.

6 x Frontosa's 5 x Dolphin Fish (Blue Moorii) 4 x Bala Sharks 4 x Clown Loaches 4 x Electric Yellows 1 x Golden Gourami

I have to say that the second tanks looks like it is going to be wedged to the gills with fish in about a year.
That tank would want to be huge, I'm talking huge!!!!

Mature Fish size

Frontosa's = 35cm x 6 = 210cm
Dolphin Fish (Blue Moorii) = 25cm x 5 = 125cm
Bala Sharks = 30cm x 4 = 120cm
Clown Loaches = 30cm x 4 = 120cm
Electric Yellows = 12cm x 4 = 48cm
Golden Gourami = 15cm x 1= 15cm

Total 633 cm of fish (over six meters of fish)!!!! or 250 inches. Nick can you find out the volume of that tank. I'd just like to know out of interest.


I know people will say that only some fish will grow to that actual size but the truth of it is, they actually do grow to that size. I read on the begginer post when I started fish keeping that "when you orignally stock your tank, you should stock it with the final mature tank in mind.

you could try some of your surrounding garden centres for rock. lava rock is very expensive.

I agree with brewyn, LFS charge through the nose for rock. I have also found in my experience that the cheapest rock is free rock.


When you do start putting your tank together make sure that you do a small diary and post lots of pictures.

denis