New Aquariast Question, Help will be appreciated.

[Rinaldo]

Hi all,
I bought a 10 gall kit from Walmart yest (I know kits suck but I had 30 dollars in exchange to use and saw this kit.) Started cycling it last night and I plan to grow Guppies, breed pretty finned guppies and use the ones I am not going to selectively breed to my other fish.

Here's where the questions begin;
I would like to purchase a 50 gallon tank and set up african ciclids, I'd set up pretty tetras and bettas if they were more lively but we all knwo they aren't. Will any ciclids breed with other fish in a tank? I would prefer to have say, 15 african ciclids, feed them every other day with the guppies I'm breeding and have perhaps a pair of ciclids breed as well in the 50.

Perhaps I can buy two convicts or 2 kribs (I read they're the easiest ciclids to breed) and place them in the tank with larger non ciclid fish. I have no idea what the **** I'm talking about here lol. I'd basically like to watch teh parents defend the young and I'd like fish that eat guppies and I want more than just 2 fish in a 50 gallon tank. Suggestion or advice would really really be great.

Thanks in advance,
Rinaldo

 

[Fishyfanatic]

You could have plenty of African Cichlids in a 55 gal tank. But if you have the money for a 55, you should really upgrade it to a 75 gal. It's not too much more and will allow you to have more fish. Convict's are Central American, not African (If memory serves me correctly). The Kribs are African though.

If you are going to have African Cichlids, you can't really put them with non-Cichlids. The african's are far too aggressive to survive with most fish. Plus they like (not require) a higher pH whereas most non-African Cichlids like it lower.

Africans will breed with just about every other African Cichlid. But this is discouraged in the Aquaria hobby. If you plan to keep them in your tank and not take them to a fish store or try to re-sell the baby fish, then it's fine.

 

[Rinaldo]

thanks for the swift reply, I did not mean however, would one african ciclid breed with another african ciclid of another species, I really meant - Will a mating pair of ciclids mate while they are in a tank with other fish? -

So would a krib mate in a tank with 15 tetras and perhaps a gourami?
or will they eat everything in the tank?

 

[talloulou]

As far as Cichlids go I think the easiest ones to breed are convicts, texas cichlids, and jack dempseys. I wouldn't put any of these with non-cichlids. Some of the dwarf cichlids like rams, can go in with non-cichlids but I think they are harder to successfully spawn.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Yes, fish will mate with other fish in the tank.

I've never kept Kribs before so I'm not sure exactly how they would react to the Tetra's or Gourami's. I've read they are peaceful, but can't comment on how they are with community fish.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

talloulou- Those are all South/Central American Cichlids. Rinaldo is looking for African's.

I haven't been able to get my Africans to breed yet. But then again, only two of mine are of breeding size.

 

[Rinaldo]

So they'll breed with other fish .... fantastic !
I will just set them up with lots of rocks and plants to hide in .
I really don't want to keep guppies with my ciclids. I want fish taht will eat guppies as feeder fish... am I correct assuming most fish will eat a guppie fry or juvenile guppy.?

Your replies really help me a lot, thanks again.
Rinaldo

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I can't answer that one for you. I don't feed fish to my Cichlids. Most prefer a more veg diet.

 

[Rinaldo]

so they're more on the vegatarian side of the omnivore spectrum, I did not know that.
thankyou for your replies.
Guppies wouldn't be a good fish to breed then since I won' tbe using them for feeding. Right?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

If you have a tank full of guppies, males and females mixed, you are going to end up with a heck of alot of fry. They reproduce like rabbits. The Cichlids would probably eat baby fry, but it shouldn't really be their diet. For true bright coloration, most Cichlids should be given a diet of Cichlid pellets, flake, and vegs (such as Zuc, peas, broc, and so on) and treated with brine shrimp or blood worms, and so on. I hope this helps you. Cichlids are really fascinating fish.

 

[Rinaldo]

so if I stick 3 pairs of guppoes and a pair of Krib ciclids they'll bost most likely mate?
If so I've found what kind of fish I want !

Let me know. You guys have saved me a fortune in learning through trial and error.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

They won't mate together, if that's what you are asking. But you'll most likely have krib fry and you will definately have guppy fry. When you notice fry in the tank, you need to remove them immediately if you want to raise them. The adults will most likely eat the babies.