Cichlid Colony

[User]

Hi I am new to cichlids and may want to setup a cichlid tank and have a few questions.

I want to make a Lake Victoria tank I think.

How many are in a colony of cichlids? How many in a 40gal tank?

Would I be able to keep a larger pleco with them?

How would the tank set up be? Would they be fine in an upper 7.0 pH tank?

Thanks everyone. if you can point me in the right direction that too is apprechiated!

 

[Aspencer]

Try this link...talks about setting up a Lake Victoria tank and its requirements

Cichlid-Forum.com

 

[User]

Ok here is what I have so far:

Decor:
-Large rocks
-semi clear water

pH is alkaline 7.2-8.6
Temp is 70-81 degrees
lots of rainfall in the middle so ro water?

Fish like groups: How many in a group??
Pleco safe: unknown

 

[Aspencer]

Ok here is what I have so far:
What size is your tank?
Decor:
-Large rocks
-semi clear water??????

pH is alkaline 7.2-8.6
You should test your pH with a reliable kit...that is a big range...Victorias like pH near 8.0 and swings in pH are deadly
Temp is 70-81 degrees
You need to be more precise...around 78 and constant
lots of rainfall in the middle so ro water?????

Fish like groups: How many in a group??
Some get fairly large so you have to research each individual species of fish
Pleco safe: unknown

Depending on what type of Pleco...common get huge so it depends on the tank you have

 

[User]

Look up at my first post? its a 40 gal

all the information is from the website you gave me, I am just putting down what was on it that was useful.

The tank is empty.

I dont have any fish/pleco yet. The fish I am looking at are 5" max

 

[Aspencer]

Well then, set up your tank, do a fishless cycle, check you ph levels, set your temperatures, research your fish and you are good to go...

You can look at that site for cookie cutter setups for your tank size and it also gives you fish suggestions...research is the key...cycling your tank is job one and will give you time to choose your fish.

 

[User]

Well then, set up your tank, do a fishless cycle, check you ph levels, set your temperatures, research your fish and you are good to go...

You can look at that site for cookie cutter setups for your tank size and it also gives you fish suggestions...research is the key...cycling your tank is job one and will give you time to choose your fish.

Yea I know all about the fishless cycle. I am looking for indepth or personal experience with this kind of tank setup.

This is the stocking list:

-(colony) Kyoga Flamebacks

-(1) L200 Green Phantom Pleco

OR
(1) L014 Sunshine Pleco

or some large pleco that I have not found.

I have researched but I cannot find much. I was going on here for some advice.

 

[toddnbecka]

Victorian Hap's are a fair bet for a 40 breeder (36"x18") but not as much for a 40 "tall" (36x12") in the long run. Best stocking ratio would be 1 male and 4-5 females. I'd use an aquaclear 70 (or a comparable canister if you prefer those) and an air-driven sponge filter for filtration.
Scratch the green phantom off the stocklist, a common BN would handle the hard/alkaline water better. Green phantoms are wild-caught river fish, BN have been tank-raised for so many generations nobody even knows where they came from to start with. They're also a bit smaller; a pair would be fine as long as you feed them veggies occaisonally.

 

[User]

Victorian Hap's are a fair bet for a 40 breeder (36"x18") but not as much for a 40 "tall" (36x12") in the long run. Best stocking ratio would be 1 male and 4-5 females. I'd use an aquaclear 70 (or a comparable canister if you prefer those) and an air-driven sponge filter for filtration.
Scratch the green phantom off the stocklist, a common BN would handle the hard/alkaline water better. Green phantoms are wild-caught river fish, BN have been tank-raised for so many generations nobody even knows where they came from to start with. They're also a bit smaller; a pair would be fine as long as you feed them veggies occaisonally.

So there is no chance for tank raised Vics to acclimate towards a wild caught Green Phantom? They could meet in a middle ground? I originally wanted a rarer type pleco for the tank. So if the pleco was not wild caught and a decent size, would that be fine? The L200 is one of the hardiest plecos that can handle most water conditions, provided they are stable and not too far into the extreme.

The tank would be a breeder 36"x18" and the filter a fluval 405.

 

[User]

L200 can handle pH of 6.0-7.8

The Vics can handle 7.2-8.6

The person I may buy the L200 and vics off of has them in pH 8.0

So is pH 7.6 for both unreasonable?

 

[Bl80]

My Vics and all my fish are at a ph of 6.5 right from my tap. I have never messed with ph. IMO and others, it's best to have a stable ph than to mess with trying to raise/lower and keep it stable. I have a thread started a few days ago with my Vic males. At 6 months, I caught 2 of them doing the baby dance, and got one line fry out of the Vic tank... I have common plecos but raising up some tiny bristnose to replace them in all my tanks....

 

[User]

My Vics and all my fish are at a ph of 6.5 right from my tap. I have never messed with ph. IMO and others, it's best to have a stable ph than to mess with trying to raise/lower and keep it stable. I have a thread started a few days ago with my Vic males. At 6 months, I caught 2 of them doing the baby dance, and got one line fry out of the Vic tank... I have common plecos but raising up some tiny bristnose to replace them in all my tanks....

You have more than one male right? Do they get along?

I know that a stable pH is the best. My tap pH is a little under 8.0, closer to 7.8. So I was wondering if both would do ok in that pH range and not kill the pleco.

I am assuming your commons are not wild caught? Are your vics?

Would this work:

6 Kyoga Flamebacks assorted (cannot buy just males/females too young)

1 L200 green phantom pleco

 

[Bl80]

Am not sure about the flameback. These are my first Vics. I have 3 males and 12 females. I moved one male and some females into my mbuna tank and they spawned within hours. I moved the most hyper agressive male and have had no probs in the mbuna tank. The other two seem to have picked their own areas and are doing great. I may decide to clear out my 140 g fry/ juvie tank and put the Vics in there. Just trying to catch all those fish from both tanks... Well will be an all day job.

 

[User]

So even you hyper aggressive males do not go after your pleco? what size are your commons? What size tank did you have all 15 vics in originally?

 

[Bl80]

No they left it alone. They were in a 90, just tried moving to a dif tank as I've done with other fish. Moved the one and his girls to a 6 foot tank.