carey
Aquarium Advice Addict
For instance, I would love for my johannis to mate up but I dont have the right ratios for it to happen most likely. I've tossed around the idea of getting a tank just for them so they can make babies. 
New tank
- Thread starter Big-j
- Start date
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OP
OP
Big-j
Aquarium Advice FINatic
That's what I want to probably just have one maybe two species so they will mate
redfisher1139
Aquarium Advice Freak
My African tank has 1 each of a Kenyi, Arutus, Taiwan Reef, Redf Zebra, and Yellow Lab (all males). I know the Kenyi's are mouth brooders, but I'm not sure about the rest. The trick with Kenyi's is to try and get them just a little older, due to the fact that when they are young males and females are blue with dark vertical bars. As they get older, the males turn yellow with the dark vertical bars. A cool transition to observe, however, it could be very bad if you end up with the wrong ratio of male to female.
As for the dwarf cichlids, mine are my babies. The rams especially have a lot of personality (and color), and my apistos and kribs are paired up. They are all housed in an established community tank with tetras and cories. Check out this post to see some footage of them in action.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f19/yeah-i-figured-out-how-to-edit-videos-140436.html
As for the dwarf cichlids, mine are my babies. The rams especially have a lot of personality (and color), and my apistos and kribs are paired up. They are all housed in an established community tank with tetras and cories. Check out this post to see some footage of them in action.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f19/yeah-i-figured-out-how-to-edit-videos-140436.html
severum mama
Aquarium Advice Addict
SA dwarf cichlids such as apistogramma spp. typically make excellent tank mates for cories. Blue or Bolivian rams (Microgeophagus/Papillochromis ramirezi and altispinosa, respectively) are good choices too. Other SA dwarfs such as Nannacara anomala, Laetacara curviceps, Laetacara dorsigera, etc. would be good options as well. Some of the smaller SA cichlid species that are NOT dwarfs, but are also good tank mates for cories, would be rainbow cichlids (Herotilapia multispinosa), keyholes (Creithlacara maronii), angelfish, etc. Kribensis are African riverine cichlids (MUCH different than Rift Lake cichlids) and would also do well with cories.
If you want African Rift Lake cichlids then forget the cories, and pick a lake.
OP
OP
Big-j
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I'm willing to forget the corys and get only cichlids but I don't know enough to determine a species, I'll try to give my best guess at specifications, I'd like a fairly small, 4-6 inch fish that is moderately colorful and not too high maintenance that's also a mouthbrooder, if you have any idea of one that might work for me, I am a total newbie at tanks, please please help me pick one out, thanks so much for your help
carey
Aquarium Advice Addict
Also, how big of a tank are you wanting to get for the cichlids?
severum mama
Aquarium Advice Addict
Malawi Mbuna, if you are willing to go up to a 55 gallon or larger. In a 40 gallon, you *might* be able to get away with a species colony of one of the smaller Mbuna, like Pseudotropheus saulosi. It would have to be a species tank though. If you go with a 55+, you can keep a few different species of Mbuna together as long as you stock in appropriate sex ratios (1M/3-4F).
OP
OP
Big-j
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I'd like to get a 40-55g tank but realistically I might be able to get a 29 or so. In that case what would you suggest?
severum mama
Aquarium Advice Addict
SA dwarf cichlids, or Tanganyikan shell dwellers. Those are pretty much your best option for cichlids in a 29 gallon.
Homedog98
Aquarium Advice Addict
I like south american cichlids. Keyholes and rams are my personal favs. You can have the cories with them too!
doogle
Aquarium Advice FINatic
yes. they are really territorial, and confrontational. keep mbunas together, you can alsoput haps in but you should have the haps in first. better to keep like kinds together, besides mbunas eat plants mostly and haps eat meats more i think.
OP
OP
Big-j
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Thanks everyone for such great advice I really appreciate it
severum mama
Aquarium Advice Addict
Not in a 29 gallon.
doogle
Aquarium Advice FINatic
try and get at least a 55g (what i got) overfilter it and try to add the bigger and more aggresive fish last, if possible. lots of lace rock and tufa rock will look great and offer them terratory to hide and protect themselves when being chased or whatnot
kholton
Aquarium Advice Regular
Old thread, but doodle, he already said that the biggest tank he can get is a 29g... Try to make sure you read all the previous comments before answering a question... That way you know you aren't giving any inapplicable advice.
~Kaden
~Kaden
WendiDell
Aquarium Advice Addict
We can give you all the advice in the world, but it means nothing if you don't know for sure how big a tank you'll get.
If you want the colorful mouth brooders, most are 5". For those you need a 55g or more.
If money is an issue, which it is for the entire country. Try getting your tank from craigslist or your local classifieds.
I got my first 55g for $125.00 with 2 filters, 2 heaters, the substrate and fake plants. They delivered it and set it up for me. All I had to do was add some rocks and caves for the fish to hide in.
If you do get a used tank I would recommend replacing the old silicone. Or you may find yourself frantically finding a place to put each fish at 4:00am while the water flows onto the floor.
Trust me, it's not fun at any time but 4:00am really sucks. Better safe than sorry. And it's fairly easy and inexpensive to do yourself. Well easy if you do it before you have fish in it.
Try to avoid doing it backwards like I did.
If you do get a 55g or larger tank, the Mbunas are a bright jewel colored cichlids, about 5" long. As long as you don't have one that's a bully, they will give you hours of entertainment and joy.They are a hardy breed that is very forgiving of noobie mistakes.
Most of the Dwarf Cichlids aren't as hardy. They can't tolerate much fluctuation in the water parameters.
Most Cichlid keepers only put rocks and caves in their tanks, but I have lots of fake plant interwoven in the rocks. My Cichlids love playing around the plants.
I tried a couple real plants, oops, not a good idea. But the Cichlids really like having some camo around their hiding caves.
I don't know if you ever saw Even Almighty or not, but there is a scene where a big tank full of fish fallow him around the tank, with their little noses pointing at him like an arrow. Well, that's what our Mbunas do when we put our face to the tank. They are great fun.
It's all about personal preference and funds.
The only Mbunas that I would be wary of are the male Red Zebra's. They are a beautiful deep orange, but they are the most aggressive and territorial of the Malawi Cichlids.
I had one, his name was Sonny , and as far as breeding goes he was a perfect specimen. Except that he killed everyone that came over onto his half of the tank. Yes he took over half of the 55g tank just for himself. It didn't matter if they were male or female, if they came near his half he'd rip them open. I didn't know what was going on for a while. I just kept finding dead fish all the time. Then one day I caught him in the act. I was able to save her from him, but it was to late for most of them.
Sonny decimated almost my entire female stock. I sadly had to return him to my FS.
Now peace reigns through out the tank and all my new little girls are happy.
I have Blue, purple, black, white, yellow, some with stripes and some without, they are very colorful.
Good luck and I hope to soon see pictures of your new larger Cichlid tank.
If you want the colorful mouth brooders, most are 5". For those you need a 55g or more.
If money is an issue, which it is for the entire country. Try getting your tank from craigslist or your local classifieds.
I got my first 55g for $125.00 with 2 filters, 2 heaters, the substrate and fake plants. They delivered it and set it up for me. All I had to do was add some rocks and caves for the fish to hide in.
If you do get a used tank I would recommend replacing the old silicone. Or you may find yourself frantically finding a place to put each fish at 4:00am while the water flows onto the floor.
Trust me, it's not fun at any time but 4:00am really sucks. Better safe than sorry. And it's fairly easy and inexpensive to do yourself. Well easy if you do it before you have fish in it.
Try to avoid doing it backwards like I did.
If you do get a 55g or larger tank, the Mbunas are a bright jewel colored cichlids, about 5" long. As long as you don't have one that's a bully, they will give you hours of entertainment and joy.They are a hardy breed that is very forgiving of noobie mistakes.
Most of the Dwarf Cichlids aren't as hardy. They can't tolerate much fluctuation in the water parameters.
Most Cichlid keepers only put rocks and caves in their tanks, but I have lots of fake plant interwoven in the rocks. My Cichlids love playing around the plants.
I tried a couple real plants, oops, not a good idea. But the Cichlids really like having some camo around their hiding caves.
I don't know if you ever saw Even Almighty or not, but there is a scene where a big tank full of fish fallow him around the tank, with their little noses pointing at him like an arrow. Well, that's what our Mbunas do when we put our face to the tank. They are great fun.
It's all about personal preference and funds.
The only Mbunas that I would be wary of are the male Red Zebra's. They are a beautiful deep orange, but they are the most aggressive and territorial of the Malawi Cichlids.
I had one, his name was Sonny , and as far as breeding goes he was a perfect specimen. Except that he killed everyone that came over onto his half of the tank. Yes he took over half of the 55g tank just for himself. It didn't matter if they were male or female, if they came near his half he'd rip them open. I didn't know what was going on for a while. I just kept finding dead fish all the time. Then one day I caught him in the act. I was able to save her from him, but it was to late for most of them.
Sonny decimated almost my entire female stock. I sadly had to return him to my FS.
Now peace reigns through out the tank and all my new little girls are happy.
I have Blue, purple, black, white, yellow, some with stripes and some without, they are very colorful.
Good luck and I hope to soon see pictures of your new larger Cichlid tank.
doogle
Aquarium Advice FINatic
ok, kholton, i guess i dont need to tell you, because you have a bunch of fish in a small 25hex. if you cant give the fish you have a decent tank you should give them to someone who can, and get smaller fish, advice is good regardless if you read it or apply it.
obviously people cant or wont apply good advice, even when people take time to try, just ask my PARENTS...LOL
obviously people cant or wont apply good advice, even when people take time to try, just ask my PARENTS...LOL
doogle
Aquarium Advice FINatic
in your own words, kholton....I'm a little prejudiced when it comes to tank size. I will always tell people that smaller will work, but as everyone else says (and I agree) bigger, haha, is almost always better. Keep up with water changes, and make sure they don't feel like a cat living in a shoe box, and they'll be fine.
doogle
Aquarium Advice FINatic
ANYWAY ,IF YOU CANT GET A 40G BREEDER OR 55G , a 56g column isnt much longer than a 29g...36''l x 18''w x 24'' h ... i think.... might be better for your....space requirements?
redfisher1139
Aquarium Advice Freak
If you can hold out a bit, Petco offers $1 per gallon sale on tanks throughout the year, or try Craigslist (don't limit yourself to just your area, but try other surrounding areas).
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