african cichlids---got 5 with pics (blurry pics)

Ok.. so lately i have been really seriously thinking about an african chichlid tank.... If you look a the fish i have now... what would i have to get rid of in order to have african cichlids? My [acronym:b5d396186d="power head or Measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions, depending on context"]PH[/acronym:b5d396186d] is always high (around 7. and i know my water is perfect for cichlids. I love my angelfish but with my water they seem to live about 6 months and then die. I really think they just aren't thriving in my hard alkaline water. I don't have room for another tank in my townhouse (until i buy a house, which won't be for another year at least) and I really want some COLOR in my aquarium.


Ok, i was just thinking over what i have and im thinking if i do convert to africans then I will only be able to keep my rainbow shark, My clown loaches, and my pleco.
Im thinking about buying a small 10 gallon setup for my Otos, cories, guppies and butterfly loach and then taking all the other fish back. (serpae tetras and angelfish) Does this sound like it will work?

[Fishyfanatic]

The Africans would need a tank dedicated to only Africans. There are a few fish that can be kept with them, but caution needs to be taken. Do you have any Cichlids in mind?

If you were really wanting to keep non-Africans in the same tank, go with a peaceful fish. Yellow Labs and Acei's are peaceful and generally do not bother anyone else. I've noticed that our Acei's school together. They tend to stay towards the top of the tank whereas the Labs tend to hang in the mid to lower section. Snow Whites are also peaceful and are a vibrant white coloration with red eyes.

well around here they have where you can get "assorted african cichlids" and they are small and cheap. Also I have seen a lot of cichlid tanks with plecos and clown loaches in them which is why i thought they would be ok in the tank.
I was just going to get the small oens out of the assorted tank and i was going to get large rocky structures to go into the tank with my plants kinda wedged in between because i know they like to dig em up.. [acronym:d89efc92f1="Laughing out loud"]LOL[/acronym:d89efc92f1]. Any good place to get some cheap rocks/caves?

Hey Back Ashley Nicole.

Any good place to get some cheap rocks/caves?

Have about 50 to 60 pounds of zebra rock from the Leesburg Pet Center sitting at my house after I broke my tank down. My assorted africans loved the stuff, but If you want it, its yours.

Originally Posted by lemonheadmech

Hey Back Ashley Nicole.

Have about 50 to 60 pounds of zebra rock from the Leesburg Pet Center sitting at my house after I broke my tank down. My assorted africans loved the stuff, but If you want it, its yours.

ha ha ha you use LPC too??? I don't go in there much anymore with the new Petco in Lady Lake but hey send me a PM to where you live and i will most definitely come pick it up. I live in Lady Lake

so ive been thinking and i don't mind starting over if nothing i have is compatible with africans.. but im really attached to Bob.. my common pleco and hes huge.. at least 8 inches... is there anyway i could keep him if nothing else?

[greenmaji]

I dont know what your phlosophy is on fish that will outgrow your tank but I think you know that Bob will be too big for your tank eventually.. [acronym:b4b645134e="In My Experience"]IME[/acronym:b4b645134e] they do not survive as long as they should in a tank thats too small.. I would estamate up to 5 years lost on life expectancy.. kinda grim when I think about it.

I figure your are refering to other peoples tanks when you've seen loaches and pleco's stocked with ARLC's.. I could go into what I've seen people stock into there tanks.. but I dont think you need to hear it.. :P

Think about it this way.. each rift lake has water peramiters that are FAR diffent then any other waterbody anywere in the world.. and there water peramiters are stable (they dont fluctuate like the amazon does).. to me.. it only makes perfect sense to only stock fish from one of the rift lakes in a tank (Im assuming you are intrested in lake Maliawi)..

also.. the assorted cichlid tanks are murder to try and deteriman which species are contained in them.. I would hesitate to select fish from one even if I had some good books to referance while peering into the tank
I would see if your [acronym:b4b645134e="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:b4b645134e] has a list of fish they can order for this assorted cichlid tank.. they might have a species list (my local [acronym:b4b645134e="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:b4b645134e] does).. this could help you figure out what they stock in the tank.. this could give you a place to start reaserching compatiblility.. sound good?

otherwise there are some high quality online business' that specialize in ARLC's.. this would be the ideal way to go.. most of them have a shop on top of an online presents.. you might want to find out if any of them are in FL.. I remember two of them one was in TX the other was in [acronym:b4b645134e="Calcium"]CA[/acronym:b4b645134e].. I positive I got some links from members in this forum to some of them.. my reaserch has gone far and wide since then and Ive lost my bookmarks in the past month otherwise I would post some of them..

side note.. there is some great reef keepers down there in FL and one of these days Im going to go visit the aquarium in St. Pete.. Ive run into one of the employees on another board.. the aquaculture business down there is exellent as well.. I would think there is alot of fish business down there.. I wouldnt be supprised at all if there were breeders of ARLC's near you.

good luck

thanks for the info, I know Bob will eventually outgrow the tank but he's doing excellent right now, I would never buy another common pleco but ive had him for 10 months now... got him before i knew how much he would grow.

As long as they are all african cichlids i was under the impression they could coexist? Im not going into alll that of ordering special.. etc. And they have the older ones in separate tanks but are expensive. They are like $1 apiece for the assorted african babies.

Also... about keeping other fish. I figure as long as they get along.. not kill or hurt each other.. then i will be ok. I understand that they come from different water parameters, but my clown loaches and pleco have adapted to my water, which is steadily hard and alkaline. Angelfish only last about 6 months before they die and i fear my water is causing their premature deaths and i figurd that cichlids would thrive. If all else fails my friend has a 55 that i can give the loaches to, but I figure i can watch and see if it works or not.

[greenmaji]

Originally Posted by greenmaji

I would see if your [acronym:5725d6d657="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:5725d6d657] has a list of fish they can order for this assorted cichlid tank.. they might have a species list (my local [acronym:5725d6d657="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:5725d6d657] does).. this could help you figure out what they stock in the tank.. this could give you a place to start reaserching compatiblility.. sound good?

If you want to order out of the assorted tank give this a try ok?

as far as all ARLC's being ok with the same water peramiters.. try looking up the composition of the rift lakes, look at the numbers and give it some thought.. there are a few minerals that are extreamly diffent and salinity is kinda high for one of them. that and lake Tang's rift is still volcanicly active Its water peramiters are WAY diffent then the others..
But.. no worries.. the vast majority of the fish in the "assorted" cichlid tanks are from lake Malawi.. though not all of lake Malawi's resedents should be housed together once they are adults.. even amoung mumba's there are some that are too agressive for others..
[acronym:5725d6d657="Hope this helps (or) Happy to help"]HTH[/acronym:5725d6d657]

[greenmaji]

have you checked out the cookie cutter for the 55 yet?
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/article...cutter_55g.php

browsed the library?
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/

are you registered and have you asked these questions at the cichlid-fourm?
link to the board..
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/