New to cichlids

[Joebetts]

Hi everyone, I am new to cichlids and hope that I can get some that will a) thrive and b) potentially breed. I have some rocks in my tank. What do you think of this and would it provide the right environment for them to feel safe and breed. I have tried to make a couple of "caves" on the bottom. Any through greatly appreciated

 

[V227]

Looks like you are off to a really good start. I like your hardscape, looks like a great Mbuna habitat.

 

[Joebetts]

Do I need smaller shoes acing between rocks ? Or more hiding places. I have scope for some on the right that's only the left of the tank. I have 3 yellow labs ATM. 1 dolphin cichlid and 1 that I don't know the name but is a strawberry colour. I intend to get more this week any suggestions ? Tank is 240l / 52 ga.

 

[V227]

Your scape looks fine. I've kept Red Top Hongi and yellow tail Acei that did well in my tanks. Try to keep your Mbuna on the small side. 52 gallons can fill up pretty quick.

 

[edevingo]

Hi everyone, I am new to cichlids and hope that I can get some that will a) thrive and b) potentially breed. I have some rocks in my tank. What do you think of this and would it provide the right environment for them to feel safe and breed. I have tried to make a couple of "caves" on the bottom. Any through greatly appreciated View attachment 306930View attachment 306931

Looks really nice. If your going with all Mbuna, they like the bottom of the tank as in the pic of the lab. All of my Mbuna including Labs would and will dig and hollow out the bottom spaces. The top won't encourage breeding but it's good for hiding breaking up sight lines and most importantly if you want to breed and keep them in the tank, you want small places were fry can hide and chill out were the bigger mbuna can't fit and get to them. All my fry used the top for that. Imo if anything make a few more bottom caves but make sure there's enough sand for them to dig their pits. Also make sure that the hardscaped is stable because as said before they will dig sometimes to the glass, don't want all of it to come crashing down. Good luck and it really looks nice.

 

[zipperfly58]

Everything looks great however you may want to reconsider the Dolphin cichlid, he will outgrow your tank pretty quickly, they get really big.

 

[Joebetts]

Okay I'll bare that in mind. Species would you recommend ?

 

[Joebetts]

Also if anybody has any experience in the breeding side of things, my ph is approx 7.5-6. Will they breed in this ph given other factors such as temp are sufficient or is a ph of approx 8 essential ? Thanks

 

[edevingo]

Also if anybody has any experience in the breeding side of things, my ph is approx 7.5-6. Will they breed in this ph given other factors such as temp are sufficient or is a ph of approx 8 essential ? Thanks

Keeping a stable PH is more important than exactly the correct PH that being said 6 is low. Does it start out high after a water change and then progressively get lower? Crushed coral helps allot with ph, I have some I'm fine mesh bags in my canisters and it works great.
I've a also learned through trial and error that driftwood drastically lowers my tanks.

 

[Joebetts]

Apologies 7.5 - 7.6 is the ph going on my interpretation of the colour matched with the chart. Touch wood my ph has remained stable so far. I have crushed coral gravel 1mm and lots of it as substrate. And intend to put some in filter too. I have a piece of wood in there will maybe see how it goes. I've had the wood in there longer than fish, since cycling and ph hasn't altered since I cycled or changed water.

 

[Joebetts]

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[edevingo]

View attachment 307089 .

I have driftwood in my crushed coral substrate 40g and it's fine. Cant put it in my 110g with black sand, the ph nose dives. In my experience with Mbuna, Peacocks and Haps. My Mbuna never breed, because I didn't have enough females nor find any to buy. Almost all of them look the same when juveniles. Haps and Peacocks, in my opinion are allot easier to sex. My experience with Mbuna, if you want to breed, stick to one species that you can buy 5 or 6 in hopes of getting some females and males. Yellow lab males usually have more black on the fins than females. I've never been able to house even in my 110g yellow labs and Red Zebras together, 24/7 they chase eachother and when they get going I've had to literally save one cause they crashed into a rock and it got stuck underneath, so watch them and be careful because when they are ready to breed,you will know because you'll wake up to most likely chaos. (Which is normal) like others have said, it's not so much getting them to breed, it's what to do with all the fry. Because they will breed, my Haps and Peacocks don't care if I'm cleaning the tank, draining it ect.. they don't care nor stop. Lol.

 

[Joebetts]

re done rock scape after tank drained itself [emoji849]