Going to sound silly but...

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KateWantsAngels

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Jun 19, 2012
Messages
63
Location
New York
After seeing all these picture of all the beautiful cichlids people are posting it has made me really want to start cichlids tank. I was thinking about leaving my angels in the 30 gal now and using my 55 is this a suitable size? If so which do you all suggest. I want to have a full game plan set up before I tell my boyfriend I intend on keeping both tanks. I have some time to research and learn since I need to get my 55 painted, cycled etc.
 
The first question is are you thinking African (old world) cichlids or south/central American (new world) cichlids
 
KateWantsAngels said:
No idea...guess I should figure that out.

Have a browse through the forums find a fish you absolutely love and then base your decision from that

Ps angel fish are a south American cichlid I have some myself in with some Bolivian rams as well as longfin danios and some phantom tetras
 
Okie so I really like the electric yellow and the acei

Both are Lake Malawi mbuna. Mbuna tend to be very aggressive, the two species you like are less aggressive than most.

A 55 will be fine. In order to curb aggression, mbuna are overstocked to prevent any one fish from becomin' too dominant and to spread the attention of dominant fish around so that no one individual receives too much negative attention. This will require heavier than normal filtration and more frequent water changes. I usually stock around 15 mbuna in a 55, but have stocked anywhere from 12 to 20. I would recommend tryin' to establish an all-male tank and I don't recommend mixin' mbuna with any other type of cichlid. On the flip side of that, mbuna do come in a wide range of colors and patterns to make up for limitations.

Some species I keep with the fish you like are Pseudotropheus perspicax "Ndumbi red top", Labeotropheus fuelleborni, and rusty cichlids. I would avoid any Melanochromis species, and the hyper-aggressive Maylandia species such as the kenyi.

WYite
 
Yellow tail acei, from what I've read and feel free to correct, don't depend so much on the m:f ratio because they are less aggressive of the Mbuna.
 
If you like mbuna you can usually keep them with Syno cats or BN Plecos. Good luck, can't wait to see this when it's finished. :)
 
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