New tank cichlid tank possibly?

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Chillie308

Aquarium Advice Regular
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So I have a 60 gallon that just may be about done with fishless cycling I keep reading mixed reviews and with all the information on cichlids out there, there's so many contridictions out there it's confusing. I'm aware of the 2 types and one needs the rocky environment ect. Along with over filtering. How hard is their care? Some websites say 30% water change twice a week some say bi weekly (I always do weekly in my 20 gallon guppy tank) my ph is a constant 8.2 and some websites say nothing over 7.5 others say up to 9.

I was originally going to do a Glo tetra tank for my toddlers but I have seen some really pretty cichlids. I would love something bigger than guppies obviously and a large amount of colors and variations so maybe someone can set me straight on how hard they are to care for, how many I could stock in my 60 gallon tank ect .
 
I decided even though I researched some I needed more time ... I have a 55 gallon I plan on setting up and cycling soon also. My choices for these type of fish would be limited to what I can buy online since there are no LFS within 2 hours of me. I'd like some recommendations from experienced people instead of all the contridictions I keep reading.

Which types would be the best to over stock a rocky aquarium? What is the maintenance schedual like? What types of food and feeding scheduals do people stick to?


I'd like to learn as much as I can in the next 3 weeks before deciding if these fish are for me.
 
I think your best bet for that "colorful overstock" look will be Africans. From there you can pick Mbuna or peacocks.

Many people on here, myself included, change 50% weekly.

For foods I prefer frozen foods but most cichlids are not picky and will accept pellet foods in which case New Life Spectrum is about the best on the market and reasonably priced.


Caleb
 
You get allot of contradictions because allot is up to opinions and preferences and many swear there preferences are the only way. Also there are 1000's of different cichlids with all different types of care.

Maintenance: I do 30%-50% weekly water change I also over filter my tanks

Food: I feed mostly NLS pellets since you don't have a LFS close you can order large quantities online.

Substrate: most cichlids prefer a sandy bottom you can add rocks or not. Most Cichlids need territories and you can set this up with the rocks you mentioned.

Ph: PH doesn't matter as much unless you are dealing with wild caught fish. You jsut want to be careful of fluctuation. Fluctuation is what really bothers the fish. Your PH will be fine.

Types of Cichlids. Many people are bias to either old world (african) or new world (central and south american) cichlids. I am more partial to new world. Africans have bright colors but spend their time chasing each other all the time and that stress me out. New worlds typically have a boss in the tank and everyone else falls in line. The colors are beautiful and also have more patterns.

I would recommend looking into your favorite cichlid and then base a theme around it.
some suggestions

German Blue Rams
Electric Blue Acara
Honduran Redpoints
Rainbow Cichlids
Sajica
nanoluteus
 
What about interbreeding problems? I see the most cost effective way is to buy unsexed juvis.... If I buy 10 of 4 different "breeds" I guess you could say are they going to be popping out "mutt" fish? Lol or do most get eaten? I'm liking the peacocks and haps at the moment

Also how much filtration would be good? My other tank is a 55 gallon I haven't looked at the box yet but it came with a marineland penguin filter and I also just got an amazing deal on an aquaclear 110 rated for 60-100 gallon tanks. Would I need to run both or would the bigger one be enough? Looking at cost wise for a 55 gallon tank how many fish (probably all juveniles) should I start with? I'd hate to be adding tiny fish a year or 2 from now with bigger ones already in the tank
 
If you are doing peacocks you really need to be careful how you mix genders to curb aggression and death. You could do 1 maybe 2 males and a bunch of females or a group of males of different colors. Females are typically brown/grey. Most people do a group of males because it just looks better. To answer your question yes if you mix them they will produce mutts.
 
I decided even though I researched some I needed more time ... I have a 55 gallon I plan on setting up and cycling soon also. My choices for these type of fish would be limited to what I can buy online since there are no LFS within 2 hours of me. I'd like some recommendations from experienced people instead of all the contridictions I keep reading.

Which types would be the best to over stock a rocky aquarium? What is the maintenance schedual like? What types of food and feeding scheduals do people stick to?


I'd like to learn as much as I can in the next 3 weeks before deciding if these fish are for me.


I'd recommend researching "tanganykan cichlids" "Malawi cichlids" "Victoria cichlids" "South American cichlids" "Central American cichlids" and just find fish you like, then come back here with more refined questions.


Sent via echolocation
 
If you like peacocks its not a bad way to go, my avatar is my male hansbaenchi peacock. I would suggest an all male tank over mixing breeds and sexes. There is no way to prevent hybridization and there will be constant aggression and mouth holding females. An all male peacock tank is stunning. Your tank is too small for most haps.
 
If your tank pH is 8.2, I would assume that your water is rather hard. Have you measured the GH yet?

If my tap water was hard or medium/hard and pH 8.2, I'd probably stay away form the South American cichlids that like soft, acidic water. I'd look to do either one of the groups of Africans or Central Americans that like or tolerate that harder, more basic water.
 
If your tank pH is 8.2, I would assume that your water is rather hard. Have you measured the GH yet?

If my tap water was hard or medium/hard and pH 8.2, I'd probably stay away form the South American cichlids that like soft, acidic water. I'd look to do either one of the groups of Africans or Central Americans that like or tolerate that harder, more basic water.

Yep that's my tap water but my RO tests at 7.0 but haven't measured GH... I also have a water softener not sure what difference that makes
 
Yep that's my tap water but my RO tests at 7.0 but haven't measured GH... I also have a water softener not sure what difference that makes


If you're using RO, you have more options.

DO NOT use a water softener for tank water. That puts a bunch of NaCl and KCl in the water and your fish will have problems with that.



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If you're using RO, you have more options.

DO NOT use a water softener for tank water. That puts a bunch of NaCl and KCl in the water and your fish will have problems with that.



Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

Water softeners are usually in line before the RO, it's a bit easier in the filter.
 
Water softeners are usually in line before the RO, it's a bit easier in the filter.


The RO machine will remove all of the NaCl and KCl (and every other ion), so that's fine.

So, for the benefit of the OP, it's OK to run "softened" water into the RO. Just don't add softened water without RO treatment directly to your tank.


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