New Cichlid Tank

[PrettyFishies]

I'm curious to know ifI should even pursue adding cichlids to a tank with one columbian shark. He's pretty big - about 7-8 inches in a 29 gallon tank. He has a big mouth, so I'm worried about, but behavior wise, he's pretty passive.

 

[PrettyFishies]

New Cichlid Tank 29 Gal

I'm converting my 29 gal brackish tank to a cichlid tank. I'm trying to get a handle on what I'll need. So far I can think of the following:

Eco-Complete Cichlid Sand
Rocks
Cichlid Salt Mix

What am I missing?
How many fish can I expect to fit in the tank?
Do I need the Kent cichlid water conditioner?

Thanks in advance for the advice!

 

[JustOneMore20]

Umm....you already have a thread on this.

I answered your other one....what kind of cichlids are you wanting? That is a very broad term.

Skip Malawians, they get too large and aggressive. Tanganyikans will work. A pair of Julidochromis, some shelldwellers, and maybe a Calvus would work.

Eco Complete cichlid sand won't work for all cichlids, as some of them don't need the increased hardness...and some don't need salt.

I'm assuming you are leaning towards the Rift Lakes, but really the only choice you have is Lake Tanganyika, as the fish from the other lakes get too large.

 

[JustOneMore20]

I'd trade him in.....he'll outgrow that tank and he's brackish.

 

[PrettyFishies]

What about Labrochromis - Mbuna's?
"Labidochromis - These fish are small members of the Mbuna group from Lake Malawi. They are generally extremely peaceful omnivores. They are best kept in tanks 30 gallons and up, only because they can reach moderate sizes. However, smaller specimens can easily be housed in 20 gallon tanks." - www.cichlidrecipe.com

But if I went with the Tanganyikans. About how many of each and which species would be best to avoid issues?

What susbstrate woudl you reccomend and would Tanganyikans need salt?

 

[Zagz]

I merged the two threads together for you. I also moved them to cichlid discussion as they pertain to cichlids. Mbuna should be housed in a tank of no less than 55 gals. 29 gals is too small for anything but dwarf cichlids long term. Mbuna are an aggressive species and will have territorial issues in a 29 gal.

You could get shell dwellers, they are an interesting an pretty group of fish. Sand is best for cichlids. I use pool filter sand in my cichlid tanks.

 

[JustOneMore20]

I agree with Zags. While Labidochromis (like Yellow Labs) are only mildly aggressive, they can get 6-6 inches each and are still too aggressive for a 29g IMO. The ones I had in a 55 did a fair amount of chasing each other and 29g wouldn't be big enough.

Some smaller Mbuna, like Pseudotropheus saulosi could be kept in a 3ft tank, but that's because they stay pretty small and are mildly aggressive. That would be a species tank though and you'd be pretty limited on numbers. I wouldn't not keep even those in a 29g.

 

[PrettyFishies]

Thanks for the responses. Can you give me the specific dwarf species names that would be appropriate for the 29 gal tank?

 

[PrettyFishies]

I've decided to setup a 55 gallon tank after considerable research. I'd like some help in choosing the stock. So far I have decided on:

4 x Metriaclima estherae
4 x Pseudotropheus saulosi
4 x Labidochromis sp. "Hongi"

Will I have any problems with getting 1 male and 3 females for each species?
Can I add a pleco?
What do people do with the juvies when their fish breed?

 

[Zagz]

You should be ok with that combo, keep an eye out for aggression with the metriaclima. I had a few of these fish and they are gorgeous but could get aggressive at breeding time. You can add a pleco, keep in mind if you get a common pleco they get quite large.

What I do with my juvies is sell them. I have 3 15 gal tanks I use for grow outs. I sell them at the local aquarium society meetings.

 

[JustOneMore20]

M. estherae will be the hardest to sex IMO. I have read that males are a lighter orange than females, but that's probably not a sure way to sex them. And I agree about watching for aggression in them. They will be the dominant fish in the tank IMO.

 

[PrettyFishies]

Anyone have any ideas on where I can find cheap "river rocks" and slate? ALso, what would I use to glue rocks together to create an arch?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I used 100% Silicone to glue rock structures. I bite the bullet and just purchased it from the lfs because I knew it would be safe for aquarium usage but I'm sure someone will chime in with what kind of silicone you can buy from the hardware store that will be cheaper.

 

[PrettyFishies]

How many pounds of Pool Filter Sand will I need for a 55 gallon?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I used a 50 lb bag of pfs combined with three 5-lb bags of black Estes sand. PFS generally comes in 50 lb bags but you may be able to find it smaller.

 

[JustOneMore20]

For the rocks, look at landscaping places if you can find any open this time of year....or garden shops. Also, if you have any creeks or rivers nearby that you know aren't contaminated with something, you could collect rocks there and give them a good scrub and/or soak in bleach water before using them.

When I had my Mbuna tank set up, I used Slate that I found around my house. There is tons of it out here.....and I just gave them a scrub and soaked in dechlored water for awhile.