Ready to set up a cichlid tank

[AngelThoughts]

I can not believe I have had my tank for almost a MONTH and STILL have not set it up. No water or nothing... I've been researching a lot though and had to decide on substrate etc.
Anyways.... I want to set it up and I need to buy a test kit for the water chemistry...recommendations?

Here is what I have now(most of this came with the set up when I bought it)
36g bowfront
Hagen 150w heater
Tetratech PF300 power filter (I had wanted a bio wheel but the guy at my LFS who has been overly helpful said he preferred this one over the other? )
50 lbs of gravel, larger pebbles
Thermometer
25ft Python because I'm not walking back and forth 36 times to fill this tank up haha
Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Stress Coat Aquarium Water Conditioner


What else am I missing?

 

[medge00]

uh, what kind of cichlids? remember some need a sand substrate to dig around in, others will be ok with what you have.

looks like you have good list.... maybe a timer for the lights? hehe and a net?

 

[deli_conker]

I use the aquarium pharaceuticals master freshwater test kit. it does ammonia, nitrItes, gh, ph and high range ph. You'll need to buy a nitrAte test as well though.

What type of cichlids were you going to go with? Different cichlids have different tank setup needs...

 

[Menagerie]

AT--It looks like a good setup--depending on the cichlid. You will need a water testing kit. If I remember correctly, you were going for docile cichlids. I would not recommend keeping a semiaggressive cichlid community in a 36 gal. Keep us updated--we all want to help

 

[AngelThoughts]

What type of cichlids were you going to go with? Different cichlids have different tank setup needs...

I was thinking south american?
I know I am limited but I am definitley going w/a couple of rams. Not sure what else to get yet?

 

[Menagerie]

That's what I thought. Rams will get along with other community fish. You can also look into Keyhole cichlids and Apistogrammas. In my profile, I have my community fish listed--included are rams and Apistos.

 

[AngelThoughts]

i like those suggestions. how many should I get though? I dont like the 1 inch of fish per gallon rule it seems like its an easy way to cramp up fish...

 

[Menagerie]

A nice way to go is to pick fish by level. You'll want bottom feeders--cory cats are great for that--go for 6-8. Apistos or rams will be bottom-mid (at least mine are) get as many as you can find Seriously, at least 4--no no, at least 6, ohhhh maybe 8....
Anyway, then pick a mid-top dweller. I must say that my serpea tetras don't seem to go above the mid line, but they were bought for mid-top. If you get a small schooling fish (silver tip tetras are lovely), get at least 5 (keep them in odd numbers, but I don't know why).
I'm sure others will alter my list, but this would be a great set up--JMHO

 

[bungle]

menagerie, when you have that many apistos or rams in a tank, what is a good male/female ratio?

 

[Menagerie]

I believe as for most fish, the ratio should be one male to ever two or three females. However, since most fish are sold as juvies and their coloring isn't mature, it is hard to tell. I have had my two rams for over a year. One is male--colors are beautiful. The other, well, sometimes there is color and most of the time not. As for the Apistos, at the LSF, I said I wanted all the ones in the tank--I had never seen them before! I thought there were three--oh well, there were four. One is male--he is bigger than the others and is coloring up. None of my little cichlids hang out in the same area of the tank--there's lots of areas to hide and I have never had any problems with them. The ratio I believe is more important if you are trying to breed them. The idea being you don't want your female being harassed by the males.
Having said that, I will share a funny story. I also have four silver tip tetras. 3 males and one lonely female. Last month, she was fluttering about the tank being chased by the males and the serpea tetras were paying a LOT of attention to this. The female would dart about quickly followed by at least two male silver tips and then the serpeas would go in. After a long while, we figured out that she was scattering her eggs, the males were trying to fertilize them and the serpea were having a snack Luckily, I don't keep them to breed them

 

[bungle]

so its possible to have more than one male in the tank? what size tank would best suit more than one male, if its possible?

 

[Menagerie]

I'm no expert, but as long as you can give the fish individual territories there should be no problem having more than one male in the tank. I'm not sure on tank size--google them to get an idea. It seems to me that most LFS sell more males than females due to color. Are you thinking of a dwarf cichlid only tank?

 

[AngelThoughts]

Menagerie thanks for all the advice that is so helpful to me. I definiltley like the Rams and apistos .... I hope I can find them at the LFS (shame on me I haven't been to look yet!)

 

[bungle]

as far as individual territories, does that just mean plenty of different structure spread throughout the tank? a dwarf cichlid only tank is a definate possibillity, maybe some tankmates that will hang out on the floor, too.

-compared to me, you are the expert, menagerie! thank you for all your help!
-angelthoughts, sorry to jump in with questions of my own, i only hope they are helpful to you as well as i

 

[Menagerie]

My tank has two large pieces of driftwood spanning the bottom of the tank. It's a 50 gal tank, but it is not a standard 50 (at least not that I have seen). The tank is 3 feet wide, 18" tall and about 2' deep, so there is LOTS of "floor" space. I just love my bottom feeders--there are 13 cory cats of 4 different species, 2 striped Khuli loaches (just bought 6 more--in QT opss, and 2 yo-yo loaches.
Aside from the driftwood, I have many fake plants; one "giant", two large, two small and one plant mat. They give the fish lots of places to hide. The giant plant comes up from the back of the tank and then floats on top. I don't have a digital camera, but I really need to take a pic and scan it in
My Apistos are really starting to take off! They are growing like weeds! From the research I have done, they should max out at 3". They are listed as semi-aggressive, yet shy. Since I only have one that is currently sexually mature, I am waiting to see what happens between them all.

 

[bungle]

nice definately post a pic of that when you get the chance!

 

[Atlarge]

I like Vietjitas.