Starting Over - Ideas for Something New

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TheMurrays

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Apr 4, 2011
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Location
Kentucky
Hello, all! I have an empty 20 gal long tank in my dining room. In the past I have had freshwater community fish, and at one point I had fiddler crabs. I am trying to find something new to do that is still simple, meaning nothing extra involved. Does anyone have any suggestions on something different? It doesn't even have to be fish, but it needs to be something quiet and not gross since it's in the dining room. Thanks!
 
If you want something entertaining and simple try Neolamprologus multifasciatus All you need is sand and shells besides the usual heater and filter. A 20 long is perfect.
 
I have actually considered these before... I am assuming they should not be housed with other species? And how often do they breed? I have no interest in selling fish, so I wouldn't want to have an overpopulation issue.


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They need to be kept alone and breed like crazy once they start so maybe not what your looking for.
 
Actually, I have a 30 gallon. Not sure what I was thinking...


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you could look into some of the smaller sa/ca cichlids Ones that stay under 6"
Maybe a couple Cleithracara maronii (keyhole cichlids)
 
Went fish shopping, and I just don't love any of the small cichlids in my area... I do have an LFS that would order some for me. I am in love with ADFs though... I may have to do another community tank. Maybe I'll try new species... It's so hard to decide!


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What about a Figure 8 puffer? They stay small and love people interaction so its nice for a dinning room and they are highly entertaining. Only thing different is you have to feed them crunchy food to keep the beak down. You can get snails from the LFS ever two weeks and you should be good (they usually give them away free as the snails are a nuisance). The rest of the time just feed frozen foods like mysis shrimp.

A pair of apistogramas would be cool to they are small but colorful. If you like the crustracions the colorful lobsters are really popular also.
 
Are they freshwater? For some reason I thought they were brackish. Maybe I'm thinking I something else... How many in a 30 gal?


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Whoops, just saw the rest of your comment. I like the lobsters they are pretty pricey. And I have looked into apistos, but aren't they kind of sensitive to water changes and such?


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Are they freshwater? For some reason I thought they were brackish. Maybe I'm thinking I something else... How many in a 30 gal?


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Many people compare them to Green spotted puffers as they are often sold together but they are differnt GSP need to be in higher end brackish and be kept in full salt.

Figure 8 like lower end brackish so you would half to add a little salt but not much at all, about a 1/2 cup or less with each water change. You could only keep one but I kept mine with mollies and they did very well together. the only thing you need to keep the water brackish is a refractometer to test the amount of salt added which cost around $10.
 
Whoops, just saw the rest of your comment. I like the lobsters they are pretty pricey. And I have looked into apistos, but aren't they kind of sensitive to water changes and such?


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yeah the lobster are pretty expensive. I have not kept apistos my self so I am not sure about the sensitivity.

Are you interested in a "wet pet" a single fish kept in the tank? You could do a singe firemouth. Fire mouths are my personal favorite. They get looked over quite often because they are plain looking in the store but they color up brilliantly. They have great personalities. Another favorite is Honduran Red Points. You could do a pair in a 30 gallon but you would have to make sure they are opposite sex because two males would kill each other a single male or female would do fine. A single convict would do well also the female get nice colors on them.
 
yeah the lobster are pretty expensive. I have not kept apistos my self so I am not sure about the sensitivity.

Are you interested in a "wet pet" a single fish kept in the tank? You could do a singe firemouth. Fire mouths are my personal favorite. They get looked over quite often because they are plain looking in the store but they color up brilliantly. They have great personalities. Another favorite is Honduran Red Points. You could do a pair in a 30 gallon but you would have to make sure they are opposite sex because two males would kill each other a single male or female would do fine. A single convict would do well also the female get nice colors on them.
Hey Rivers with a 30 gallon couldn't a pair of firemouths be kept?
 
Hey Rivers with a 30 gallon couldn't a pair of firemouths be kept?

Short answer
Probably

Long answer

I put my pair in a 30 as full adults from the 75 and they turned on eachother. It was to give the other fish in the main tank a break cause they had just breed for the 3rd time and this pair went psycho when they had fry. I used to joke that they acted divorced when they were about to mate and acted married when they weren't breeding.

As full adults they get to be 6" and a 30 gallon is 36"x12" so it might work I just don't want to suggest it and have it not work. So technically you could get a few see if a bond forms and get rid of the rest. when the bond forms it will form early on I had a pair form at 6 months. but then be ready for babies.

A tank dedicated to FM is very entertaining in my opinion you will see them flair at eachother and swim along side each other. These fish are my favorite for some many reasons.
 
Short answer
Probably

Long answer

I put my pair in a 30 as full adults from the 75 and they turned on eachother. It was to give the other fish in the main tank a break cause they had just breed for the 3rd time and this pair went psycho when they had fry. I used to joke that they acted divorced when they were about to mate and acted married when they weren't breeding.

As full adults they get to be 6" and a 30 gallon is 36"x12" so it might work I just don't want to suggest it and have it not work. So technically you could get a few see if a bond forms and get rid of the rest. when the bond forms it will form early on I had a pair form at 6 months. but then be ready for babies.

A tank dedicated to FM is very entertaining in my opinion you will see them flair at eachother and swim along side each other. These fish are my favorite for some many reasons.

One of the best answers/explanations I have read on here Thanks.
 
Yes, I would be ok with just a couple fish in the tank. I hadn't really thought about a pair or cichlids, but it's different than anything I have done and the fire mouths are beautiful. I haven't seen any in my LFS but they can order fish. I don't know a lot about cichlids except that they can be aggressive. Anything in particular I should know?


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Central American cichlids are different from more commonly kept African cichlids (mbuna). Mbuna chase each other around the tank many people overstock them and really have to watch aggression. Fire mouth and similar CA cichlids do better when they have room and the tank is under stocked. They don't spend there days chasing everyone around they show aggression while defending a territory or breeding. How big that territory is depends on the fish and the set up. You will want a few hiding spots so each fish will have a place they call thier own. Fire mouth "fight" by mostly bluffing by flaring there gills at eachother. They aren't overly aggressive. I like them because you can put them with more passive fish like some tetras or barbs or more aggressive fish like Jack Dempsey. You will want a sand substrate because they will sift sand. They also like to dig and build nest. They are very good parents and will breed a couple times a year. They eat everything from frozen foods to flakes and pellets. Your LFS should be able to get them they are commonly sold.

It is also general concensus that new world cichlids show more personality than African. They will recognize there owners and will watch you as you spend time near the tank.

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