Custom tank for Africans

[goalorientation]

I'm going to look into building a custom tank for all my african cichlid tanks in that case. This would entail finding a glass cutter, and a good directional sight of exactly what binding material to use. Any suggestions for what I should aim for gallon-wise? I'm thinking about making it a pure custom 40g cube with canister filtration with a modest amount of sand for gravel. Just planning though so any input would be cool.

Thanks
LS

 

[Fishyfanatic]

It would probably be cheaper just to purchase a tank unless you plan on going huge. For Africans I'd aim for at least 75 gal. 55 is the bare minimum. When you start really getting into Africans, you'll want to keep even more of them. I don't know anyone who wished they had a smaller tank. We started with a 55 gal for our Africans and not even 4 months later we upgraded to a 150 because we just couldn't keep as many as we wanted in a tank of that size.

Africans are fascinating fish that require plenty of swimming space. I would avoid a cube since they are so aggressive. They like to dart around the tank. It is better to have a longer tank so they can swim "freely".

 

[goalorientation]

I like smaller tanks actually its a lot more touch. My 29g looks better than my 50g in my oppinion and the betta is just king of the world... PWC's rule.

 

[Zagz]

I would agree that 75 gals would be good. I prefer larger tanks for cichlids as they can be aggressive and get rather large. Not to mention they are messy fish.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

It has nothing to do with pwcs. It has to do with the fact that the Africans are aggressive fish and will become too cramped if they are in a smaller tank. Even if you put a single yellow lab in a 5 gal tank, it is too cramped. It does not provide an adequate amount of swimming space.

 

[goalorientation]

75 is too big I already have 2 29's and a 50g. Gonna be settin up a reef soon also.

 

[Menagerie]

I like smaller tanks actually its a lot more touch.

Then stick with smaller, peaceful fish.

 

[DeFeKt]

lol.

nuff said

 

[goalorientation]

Be nice to the newbie! I already got kicked off one forum

 

[Zagz]

No one is not being nice. Just telling it like it is.

Keeping cichlids in less than 55 gals is not good. Smaller tanks with smaller peaceful species can be great, I have several smaller tanks with community fish.

 

[DeFeKt]

this thread might help a bit more to.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=79291&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

 

[goalorientation]

DeFeKt that sounds like a recipe for disaster. "I decided on African Cichlids......I really liked the colors they come in". Need I say more?
Also, not to be overly mean, but it doesn't seem like the person who posted the particular link above did much research if any at all, other than strolling to a LFS store one day and picking out the brightest thing in aquatics.
Very good information though thanks for the link Matt.

No one is not being nice. Just telling it like it is.

Pardon me for I'm overly sensitive. Need to listen more to the messege rather than shooting the messenger.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

The point of the thread was another individuals experience with trying to keep Africans in a tank under 55 gal. It just simply doesn't work. Sorry if you took offense.

*edit* Misspelled a few words.

 

[Menagerie]

Let me back up my smaller fish comment. I have had many tanks over the past few years and you could find a cichlid, or many cichlids in each tank, which ranged from 10 gal to 80 gal. There are some Lake Tanganyikan shell dwellers that max out at 1 1/2 - 2 inches and can be kept in a 10 gal tank. Bigger shell dwells can live in 20 longs or 30 gal tanks provided there is enough shells and cover for them to hide. Just looking at Lake Tanganyikan cichlids, you can find many that will do well in a 50 gal tank. The Malawi cichlids tend to be bigger and have different dominance behaviors which make them unsuitable for 30 gal tanks. Looking at river or New World cichlids, you will find the rams, kribs and apistos, which are all colorful, have varying levels of "meanness" and can live happily in a 30 gal.

 

[JRagg]

I remember having read a while back that overstocking was the key to success with africans. Picking 2 or 3 species in a tank with plenty of rock (stacking it up) and having enough of them so that the aggression is spread around.

Has this theory changed? I had a friend that kept Malawi africans in a 46 bowfront with tons of rock built up for hiding places.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

The theory has not changed but you still must have a tank size adequate for Africans. You can live in a bathroom with 4 people for the rest of your life but you'd be happier living in a 4 bedroom house. Same principle. There is a minimum tank size requirement before adding any Africans.

 

[DeFeKt]

DeFeKt that sounds like a recipe for disaster. "I decided on African Cichlids......I really liked the colors they come in". Need I say more?

Aaah theres the thread I was looking for...
you wrote...

i've got a mix of fish from Indonesia, Africa, South America (BP) [i think its african mix], China, and Germany.

Need I say more?

No one is not being nice. Just telling it like it is.

I was being not nice

Previous posts indicate you may be young and have a habit of steering away from peoples quality advice to try it for yourself.. Where that is no-ones responsibilty but your own, the real suffering lies within your fish which are living creatures like you or I.
Don't worry, I'm similar, but my priority lies in taking the greatest care to ensure there is no possibilty of a "backfire" amongst any fish I introduce or have living in my community.
They are usually surveillanced most of the night (with the help of a few cold alcoholic beverages)and the following days of the weekend keeping a close eye on them, trial feeding begins within a 2 hour period and 9 times out of 10 is successful.
I understand my somewhat hypocritical attitude, but the correct fish needs to be in a correct environment for it to be comfortable and thrive.
Apologies if it sounded harsh perhaps a misunderstanding occured.

~Matt

 

[BreederSmart]

If your guna make a tank, don't waste time with a small one like a $100 40. Go for huge like they already said. Just buy a 40gal. cube from Petsmart.