pH, GH/KH, and Lake Tanganyika cichlids

[Rosebud]

Hello everyone,

I am a fairly new member of AA and this is my first thread here in the Cichlid forum.

I have a 55g 48" tank I am planning on setting up within the next few months. Initially I was considering a Rainbow tank but now I'm thinking I may want a cichlid tank instead. I have had some experience with cichlids many years ago. My late husband and I had a tank with a red oscar and after that we had a pair of jewels and convicts.

Based on my tap water testing, I think the Tanganyika cichlids might be best suited for my conditions, although I am wondering about the pH. My water is fairly hard. I have the API master kit and the GH/KH kit. It took 15 drops of the KH solution and 18 drops of the GH solution to obtain the desired color results. The test kit table in the package only goes up to 12 drops. On the other hand, my pH is not up over 8.0 as I expected. It appears to be 7.6 using the high range tester.

After reading pages and pages of posts here and fish profiles, etc. on Cichlid-forum.com, I am thinking I'd like to build a tank around some small shellies. They sound like they might be fun to watch. From photos I've found I especially like the looks of Lamprolongus ocellatus (Zambian blue), L. sp. ornatipinnis Zambia, actually quite a lot of them. It will hard to decide. I have also fallen in love with the Altolamprologus calvus (Black) and the Altolamprologus calvus (Chaitika).

So, the first question I have is will I have to treat the tank with epsom salt, baking soda, or bicarb (per article on cichlid-forum) to up the pH into the 8+ range?

What types and numbers of fish would I be looking at for a 55 gallon? I have an Emperor 400, an old Magnum 330 canister, and a couple of power heads. What other fish (non-cichlids) in addition to the cichlids could go into the tank? i.e., Synodontis multipunctatus or some other cat? a schooling fish? Or other cichlids - some paracyprichromis nigripinnis Neon Blue maybe? Something that will occupy the middle to upper part of the tank since the shellies and Altolamprologus calvus like the bottom.

Any and all advice and suggestions welcome. I probably won't be setting the tank up until after the New Year so I still have plenty of time to research species/genus. I will be doing a fishless cycle of course, and plan on using black sand for my substrate.

Thanks for your help!
Roxi

 

[Mogurako]

7.6 ph with a higher water hardness should be fine unless you are buying wild caught then you'd have to match the PH of their source.

However if you want to buffer your water I would suggest Caribsea cichlid sand and some crushed coral in the filter. I used both and I maintain a PH of 8.4 in my Lake Tanganyika tank.

As for stock shellies are amazing little fish but i would stock with 3 pairs of a single type and be sure to add tons of shells. Most shellies will breed until all the shells are full so they kind of self regulate.

If you have shellies I would not add any catfish because there isn't much floor space in a 55 and shellies are highly territorial.

I would stock something like this:

- 'Lamprologus of some kind x6
- Calvus or Compressiceps. x4
- Cyprichromis or Parachromis x10

and make sure to add rocks for the Calvus /Comps. Here's a picture of mine so you can see the sand.

 

[Rosebud]

Thanks for the quick response!!!

if you want to buffer your water I would suggest Caribsea cichlid sand

Can you get the Caribsea cichlid sand in black?

and some crushed coral in the filter. I used both and I maintain a PH of 8.4 in my Lake Tanganyika tank.

What is your stock? And what size tank? If I remember correctly (I've been reading so many posts I am losing track) you are the person who made that amazing rock background from foam?

As for stock shellies are amazing little fish but i would stock with 3 pairs of a single type

realized that after finding a shellie website last night and reading more about them.

If you have shellies I would not add any catfish because there isn't much floor space in a 55

OK. What about algae control?

I would stock something like this:

- 'Lamprologus of same kind x6
- Calvus or Compressiceps. x4
- Cyprichromis or Parachromis x10

That sounds really great. I am getting really excited about setting up this tank.

So I'm thinking I should set it up so going from left to right is:
shellie space / calvus space / shellie space / calvus space / shellie space? (as in lots of shells/caves/shells/caves/shells)

What are your favorite shellies?

So for the Calvus, I can have a pair of one variety and one pair of another? So I could have one pair of black and one pair of white?

and make sure to add rocks for the Calvus /Comps. Here's a picture of mine so you can see the sand.

Do you have a full front on view of your tank on this site?

I have to go to work now. Will be reading a lot more on the three species before deciding on variety.


Roxi

 

[Mogurako]

Can you get the Caribsea cichlid sand in black?

I believe it's white or black+white check it out their website. You could a do a bag of white+black then just add a bag of black sand, if you want a darker substrate.

What is your stock? And what size tank? If I remember correctly (I've been reading so many posts I am losing track) you are the person who made that amazing rock background from foam?

I have a 90 gallon and yes that is me who made the foam background. My stock is Julidochromis ornatus x6 and Altolamprologus compressiceps lubufu red x4. I will will be adding cycps or Parachromis and some shellies later on.

OK. What about algae control?

IMO/E snails will be just fine. If you put in live plants, monitor the amount of time you lights are on and make sure all the food is being eaten, the algae shouldn't get out of control.

For a set up I would do a rock pile for the Calvus and just throw shells everywhere. The shellies will put shells where they want them.

What are your favorite shellies?

Lamprologus meleagris

So for the Calvus, I can have a pair of one variety and one pair of another? So I could have one pair of black and one pair of white?

It's best to stick with one color or the other from what I read.

Do you have a full front on view of your tank on this site?

I have some in my DIY build thread "90gallon build/rebuild"

 

[Rosebud]

Weird. I wrote a response to your post and it isn't here. I must have just "previewed" it and never posted it.

You could a do a bag of white+black then just add a bag of black sand, if you want a darker substrate.

Good idea!

IMO/E snails will be just fine.

Nerites ok?

just throw shells everywhere. The shellies will put shells where they want them.

Lamprologus meleagris

Cute. Reasons? Looks? Behavior?

It's best to stick with one color or the other from what I read.

OK.

I have some in my DIY build thread "90gallon build/rebuild"

Hmmmm. Don't remember seeing "finished" tank photos. I'll have to look it up again.

Roxi

 

[toddnbecka]

One other fish you could add to the stocklist for the 55 is a plagiostoma spiney eel. They're a small species, max size is around 8", and not inclined to spend all their time buried in the sand like most species. I had a pair in a 29 several years ago, lost them during a power outage, and just ordered another pair that will arrive Friday.
They look like this on a diet of frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp:

The male had a more irregular pattern:

They spawned a number of times, but the male always ate the eggs. May have been partly because I had the tank set up with a reverse-flow UG filter, so the scent of the eggs was constantly being carried throughout the tank. Hoping for better luck with a different setup (90 gallon tank, no UG filter) this time around, spawning season starts around November.

 

[Mogurako]

Nerites or Rams horn are what I use. All shellies have great personality I just really love the looks of that one

 

[Rosebud]

One other fish you could add to the stocklist for the 55 is a plagiostoma spiney eel.

Hmmm. Interesting. I'll have to check it out.

 

[Rosebud]

All shellies have great personality I just really love the looks of that one

I've never seen any shellies "up close and personal." I'll have to look in my lfs the next time I'm in town.

 

[Rosebud]

As for stock shellies are amazing little fish but i would stock with 3 pairs of a single type

I've been looking at pics on-line and reading more. If I were to get Lamprologus ocellatus would I be able to do say 2 pair of the "gold" and one pair of the "blue?"

I would stock something like this:

- 'Lamprologus of some kind x6
- Calvus or Compressiceps. x4
- Cyprichromis or Parachromis x10

I've decided on the white Calvus.

Re the cyps - a similar question to the above L. ocellatus question. If I were to get Cyprichromis leptosoma could I mix yellow tail and blue tail?

Thanks for your advice.
Roxi

P.S. Forgot to ask...I've been looking at the "Reserve Stock Cichlids" web site. I'm wondering if anyone has ever bought any fish from them.

 

[Mogurako]

I've been looking at pics on-line and reading more. If I were to get Lamprologus ocellatus would I be able to do say 2 pair of the "gold" and one pair of the "blue?"

I've decided on the white Calvus.

Re the cyps - a similar question to the above L. ocellatus question. If I were to get Cyprichromis leptosoma could I mix yellow tail and blue tail?

Thanks for your advice.
Roxi

P.S. Forgot to ask...I've been looking at the "Reserve Stock Cichlids" web site. I'm wondering if anyone has ever bought any fish from them.

If you had a bigger tank like a 90 or 75 I would say you could get away with two kinds of shellies but in a 55 stick with one. The fry of Cyprichromis leptosoma bulu points come in both blue and yellow tail from the same Parent.

 

[Rosebud]

Thanks for the response. i will take your advice, for sure.

Roxi