Brand New Tank

[CathyH]

I purchased a 95 gallon tank a couple of weeks ago and I am almost ready to add fish. We have some tetras in there for cycling the tank, but after more research, we would like to change to a cichlid tank.

Any suggestions on where to start? I've read so much, and I'm overwhelmed. How many to start? Can we add as we go, or would that cause fights over territory?

If you had to start, what mix of fish would be your dream? I really like the Lake Malawi. Can we get anything from that lake and they will get along?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[garfy]

Welcome to the world of cichlids.
Well you seem to have your heart set on Malawi cichlids.There are three main groups of Malawi cichlids.
1. Peacock cichlids - the males are extremely colourful with reds,yellows and blues to name a few.Very showy fish and as the name suggests like strutting peacocks.The only downside I see to peacocks is that the females are really quite drab in comparison.

2. Mbuna. - Very boisterous fish with great little personalities.Again a great array of colours.They are generally smaller than peacocks and very territorial.You should be careful which types you mix as they go from mildly aggressive to extremely aggressive.A great choice in fish though and I love their non stop antics.

3. Haplochromis. - some of these get pretty big and can be highly predatory.Again there are some beautiful colours present here but some would get too big for your tank so choose carefully if you decide to go for haps.



My suggestion would be to stick to one of these three groups as mixing the three in my opinion can be very hit and miss and often results in fish death through aggression.Do your research well before you buy your fish as this will save problems ahead.
You need plenty of hiding places (caves,rocks,driftwood,plants etc) as Malawi cichlids can be very territorial and they need to be able to clearly define their own territories.
Another thing to think about is your male to female ratine male to three or four females of each type.This helps to cut down on harassing of the females by the male (more choice for him) as Malawi cichlids don't pair up the male will breed with as many females as he can.
I would add in groups as juveniles.Add say ten fish at a time leave for a few weeks and add again.For your tank I think you could comfortably add about thirty mbuna and have a beautiful tank.
Hope this helps and good luck with your choices

 

[CathyH]

Thank you so much! My heart isn't set on anything, I just want to get this right. This information is very helpful.

 

[Freakgecko91]

A 95 gallon geophagus tank would look mighty cool! Awesome south American cichlids wih a unique look and fun behavior. You could mix them well with keyhole cichlids as well as Cupid cichlids. Add some top dwelling tetras for more movement, and a large school of like 10-12 Cory cats.

 

[haglagwr]

I would suggest the mbunas. They are territorial so you really have to be careful in what you add. I have a 90 gallon with them and I have fallen in love with their personalities. Haps get too big and peacocks are pretty, but seem limited in the selection for a lfs.

Whatever your thoughts let people on this website know and we will help you make a wise decision and a great tank!

 

[CathyH]

I love the idea of cory cats running around the bottom. I will check out the MBunas too. Thankfully, I found you guys before I started making purchases. I will post my ideas and ask for more opinions. That is again!

 

[haglagwr]

Ha no problem, I only found this site a couple months ago, but there is a wealth of information from the people here. I have posted a couple sites that have helped me in the vast world of cichlids. The first is a very general one, that has a overview of African cichlid types including peacocks, mbunas, and haps. The second site is very specific with a lot of different cichlids, so if you need to look up one specifically, it will be very useful. Hope these help!

Animal Planet :: Fish Guide -- Cichlids: African

Species Profiles -- Cichlid-Forum

 

[Freakgecko91]

Please don't sell your soul already! You guys are on the wrong side of the pond! South/central america's where it's at! I keep dwarf cichlids, which I adore! But the setup I suggested would be very cool and still peaceful enough to maintain that "community" feel. Look into "geophagus tapajos". Or the keyholes, they would do GREAT with cories, and a large school of a single species of cory would look and behave second to none, IMO. Just remember that going with africans tends to limit what else can be in the tank; some loach species, some pleco species, synodontis cats, pictus cats.

 

[Labenator65000]

Welcome to the world of cichlids.
Well you seem to have your heart set on Malawi cichlids.There are three main groups of Malawi cichlids.
1. Peacock cichlids - the males are extremely colourful with reds,yellows and blues to name a few.Very showy fish and as the name suggests like strutting peacocks.The only downside I see to peacocks is that the females are really quite drab in comparison.

2. Mbuna. - Very boisterous fish with great little personalities.Again a great array of colours.They are generally smaller than peacocks and very territorial.You should be careful which types you mix as they go from mildly aggressive to extremely aggressive.A great choice in fish though and I love their non stop antics.

3. Haplochromis. - some of these get pretty big and can be highly predatory.Again there are some beautiful colours present here but some would get too big for your tank so choose carefully if you decide to go for haps.

My suggestion would be to stick to one of these three groups as mixing the three in my opinion can be very hit and miss and often results in fish death through aggression.Do your research well before you buy your fish as this will save problems ahead.
You need plenty of hiding places (caves,rocks,driftwood,plants etc) as Malawi cichlids can be very territorial and they need to be able to clearly define their own territories.
Another thing to think about is your male to female ratine male to three or four females of each type.This helps to cut down on harassing of the females by the male (more choice for him) as Malawi cichlids don't pair up the male will breed with as many females as he can.
I would add in groups as juveniles.Add say ten fish at a time leave for a few weeks and add again.For your tank I think you could comfortably add about thirty mbuna and have a beautiful tank.
Hope this helps and good luck with your choices

This is a very well-written summary. Good job.

 

[CathyH]

Last night we added fish. Three albino mbuna pseudotropheus socolofi, two cherry zebras (I think) and two blue ones that I haven't figured out yet. They are all under two inches right now. My fish guy left one tetra in the tank, he seems to be holding his own so far. I wanted to get some cuckoo catfish or a pleco for the bottom. Other than that, how many fish can I add? I know the rule of thumb is one inch of fish per gallon, but I have also read that overstocking is preferable for cichlids.

I appreciate all of your help so far, I'm very pleased with my choices and can't wait to add more! Thanks!

 

[garfy]

Firstly I would forget the inch per gallon rule.I think it's a bad rule and would mean you could have a six inch fish in a six gallon tank.Cruel in my opinion.
Loving your choices so far sounds like a great mix of colour.Should look wonderful.
I would go for the cuckoo catfish over the plecs.They have way more personality and are far better looking fish.Much more lively.You could do two or three of them in your tank.
Personally I reckon you could fit about twenty five mbuna in your tank.Five different types with one male to four females in each group.This will help to curb aggression somewhat.
Again good choices with fish and if you want your blue cichlids identifying just post the pictures on here and I feel sure the regulars will soon clear it up for you.
Lastly enjoy your fish

 

[CathyH]

Here are the new additions to my family. Can anyone tell me what they are?

 

[garfy]

Looks like 1 and 3 could be cobalt blue zebras and number 2 is a red zebra.

 

[CathyH]

I concur! The are zebras.