Gravel vs Sandy bottom?

[russrimm]

I have a red zebra, electric yellow lab, and just got a blue cobalt in my 65 [acronym:1896f17265="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:1896f17265] tank. Every one of these say they require 'sandy bottoms' on the different fish profile sites. Instead, I have medium gravel. Is this OK or should I be using sand instead of gravel?

[russrimm]

OK now i've got another question . I just acclimated the blue cobalt... Well, now I think its a powder blue cichlid... and put him in the tank. The red zebra is chasing him EVERYWHERE. They don't seem to be fighting, I guess. The zebra is just on his butt constantly ever since I put the cobalt in. Is this normal and OK and will it stop eventually?

[fearlessfisch]

i don't keep cichlids, so i really don't know the answer to your question. i wouldn't think the substrate type would make much difference to fish who don't live and dig on the bottom anyway. as long as it isn't a substrate that changes pH or anything, you should probably be fine.

are there enough hiding places in your tank? if any fish is continually bullied, it will get stressed out and may ultimately get sick. again, i'm not a cichlid person. i hope someone comes along and gives you a better answer.

[trent]

the gravel is just fine and easier to clean. your best bet to stop the red zebra is to add a lot of big rocks, i mean alot of them. this will allow hidding for your fish. or you could get 8 to 12 more african cichlids to lower agression. in one of my african cichlid tanks thats a 75 [acronym:6191afc22b="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:6191afc22b], i have 6 red zebra (Pseudotropheus estherae) 2-3cm, 6 Ornate Julie (Julidochromis ornatus)2-3cm, 2 Kennyi (Pseudotropheus lombardoi)3-4cm, and 1 Dogtooth Cichlid (Cynotilapia afra)1-2cm, 3 Electric Yellow Labido (Labidochromis caeruleus)4-5cm, 6 Giant Danio (Danio malabaricus)1-2cm, and the only one that has a lot of aggression at times is the dogtooth, but he just does not want any other fish around his area.

[trent]

the gravel is just fine and easier to clean. your best bet to stop the red zebra is to add a lot of big rocks, i mean alot of them. this will allow hidding for your fish. or you could get 8 to 12 more african cichlids to lower agression. in one of my african cichlid tanks thats a 75 [acronym:d3f52b7770="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:d3f52b7770], i have 6 red zebra (Pseudotropheus estherae) 2-3cm, 6 Ornate Julie (Julidochromis ornatus)2-3cm, 2 Kennyi (Pseudotropheus lombardoi)3-4cm, and 1 Dogtooth Cichlid (Cynotilapia afra)1-2cm, 3 Electric Yellow Labido (Labidochromis caeruleus)4-5cm, 6 Giant Danio (Danio malabaricus)1-2cm, and the only one that has a lot of aggression at times is the dogtooth, but he just does not want any other fish around his area.

[poppab02]

The gravel will be fine. Alot of people keep them with either type.

As for the chasing, in a 65 gallon they have plenty of room to escape. I would try taking any decorations out and rearranging them to break up their territory. Usually when you introduce one african at a time the new kid is always picked on. Try to introduce them at least two at a time if at all possible.

Umm, trent your tank has species that once they reach maturity, and possibly before, will not be compatible with one another. The Pseudotropheus species at maturity will very likely(it would be a miracle if they didn't) kill everything but the electric yellow labs and each other. They are much more aggressive than the other fish at maturity. Right now they are small and thus tolerate the other fish but soon they will not.

[trent]

my tank is reinforced on the bottom and filled with rock 75% of the way up. the back is filled with broken pots. i trade my fish in when they are 3-4in. if they have not sold.