Want to start a cichlid tank

[benjy]

Iam hoping to put some cichlids in a tank ive just started cycling (with media from other tank) is there any important pointers? Is there enough rock in there already? I will be adding hopefully java fern between the current rock (tied down) as i read somewhere cichlids wernt a big fan of eating it????,,, i do know they need a higher ph and lots of filtration and higher fish per gallon ratio, hoping to keep peacocks and haps so tell me how to do it lol, my other tank is trop aswell and doing well

The tank is 165 litre aqua one ar850 is it big enough?

Advice on setup and stocking ratios suggestions and criticisms welcome

Thanks in advance

 

[aquariumUser39]

Do you know the gallons? This number lets us recommend how many cichlids and what kind of cichlids you can keep in your tank. I do like the rock work tho.

Sent from my SCH-I200 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[benjy]

I believe its 36 gallon which i guess is small for a cichlid set up? Thanks the scaping is finished yet its just so you know what iam working with lol

 

[SonicsDC25]

It's approximately 43 gallons, which is pretty small for a peacock/hap tank. With that size, I'd recommend going with a mbuna setup or a shell dwelling species. If you're set on peacocks/haps, I'd get a larger tank, 55 gallon/4 foot long tank minimum.

 

[benjy]

I suspected that might be the case are mbunas more aggresive? And hidey as opposed to other types?

 

[benjy]

I will be getting 5x2x2 but thats reserved for a marine set up lol

 

[benjy]

What about ram cichlids etc?

 

[SonicsDC25]

Your 165 liter tank is more than enough for rams and as for mbuna, they're more aggressive (though each fish of any species will have their own personality/aggressiveness), but don't necessarily hide. They spend most of their time grazing rocks and swimming around.

 

[benjy]

How many rams could be kept? So far mbuna sounds the best option is that what you would do? Also would i need much more rock/hides? And thank you very much for the info

 

[SonicsDC25]

I haven't kept rams, so I can't give you much info about them; but that makes me bias about mbunas since they're what I currently have. There's no best option, just get what you like, but it's recommended that they have the appropriate space. I'd say more rocks would be good if you did go with mbunas.

 

[benjy]

Hands down the mbunas are better lookin than rams lol, so try for mbunas,,,more rocks ill get, how many could i keep and is there a male female ratio, also what ph should i aim for? I assume other parameters should be the same as my other tank?

 

[SonicsDC25]

Dwarf Mbuna Requirements - Dwarf Mbuna Species List

Should have all the info you'll need.

 

[benjy]

Thats perfect info thanks one thing i couldnt see was is there a male to female ratio? All else seems to be answered on that link

Many thanks

 

[benjy]

Say 3 fems to 1male?

 

[SonicsDC25]

3 to 4 females for most species.

 

[benjy]

Excellent thank you very much i owe you a beer lol

 

[ivan2020]

You can also do a shell dweller tank like brichardy

 

[benjy]

Thanks the input ivan some of the shell dwellers look lovely but u think i prefer the mbuna

 

[Wy Renegade]

Just be careful, as several of the Dwarf mbuna on that list are not truly suited to a smaller tank. Also with Mbuna, you are going to want a lot more rock than what you currently have.

 

[benjy]

Cheers for the reply renegade, its really lookin like a cichlid tank isnt an option for this particular tank tbh, but it just means on top of my current 2tanks and my marine tank iam saving for ill have to get another big tank for cichlids lol