cichlids! oh my!

[jwh0818]

Wellllllll, some of you may know that I got a FREE 75g tank! Well im settin it up today and well its gonna be a cichlid tank for sure. Just an "assorted" variety. But, assorted doesnt really say much nor clarify much. I will be pre seeding the tank with a precycled filter as well. Questions,

Whats some decent filtration I should think about?

I want white sand but what kind?

What temperature do "assorted" cichlids like?

Ph? I know the 8is range

Ill add more questions soon. Only cichlids ive ever owned were oscars. I wanna go for color now!

 

[Dubs1281]

Wellllllll, some of you may know that I got a FREE 75g tank! Well im settin it up today and well its gonna be a cichlid tank for sure. Just an "assorted" variety. But, assorted doesnt really say much nor clarify much. I will be pre seeding the tank with a precycled filter as well. Questions,

Whats some decent filtration I should think about?

I want white sand but what kind?

What temperature do "assorted" cichlids like?

Ph? I know the 8is range

Ill add more questions soon. Only cichlids ive ever owned were oscars. I wanna go for color now!

For white sand, run a light coloured pfs. And think about a filter that will cycle the tank 10x plus. Temp around 78-80. Ph doesn't matter so much as the water is hard. Can't wait to see!

 

[jwh0818]

For white sand, run a light coloured pfs. And think about a filter that will cycle the tank 10x plus. Temp around 78-80. Ph doesn't matter so much as the water is hard. Can't wait to see!

Thanks for the reply. I decided to go with supernatural white-ish sand. Got some new things today at work. Now for stock. Can someone help me here? I want an assorted variety of cichlids. I hear tge "assorted" cichlid tank at most petstores is bad. Any opinions here?

 

[Dubs1281]

Thanks for the reply. I decided to go with supernatural white-ish sand. Got some new things today at work. Now for stock. Can someone help me here? I want an assorted variety of cichlids. I hear tge "assorted" cichlid tank at most petstores is bad. Any opinions here?

People don't like the assorted tank because they are most likely hybrids. Are you thinking a specific lake? Or just good looking African cichlids?

 

[jwh0818]

People don't like the assorted tank because they are most likely hybrids. Are you thinking a specific lake? Or just good looking African cichlids?

Just good ol' affrican tank. Any advice?


Also I need rocks in the bulk. Any good place to order these?

 

[Dubs1281]

Just good ol' affrican tank. Any advice?

Also I need rocks in the bulk. Any good place to order these?

Okay. Well for rocks. Just go to a nearby landscape store. I have a local store that literally just sells rocks. Bought 50 lbs for $8.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Just good ol' affrican tank. Any advice? Also I need rocks in the bulk. Any good place to order these?

So you want to mixed tank? And rocks the best place to go is a landscaping place

 

[jwh0818]

Okay. Well for rocks. Just go to a nearby landscape store. I have a local store that literally just sells rocks. Bought 50 lbs for $8.

Yeah those are hard to find around here

So you want to mixed tank? And rocks the best place to go is a landscaping place

Yes just a basic colorful mixed tank if possible

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

It's possible but usually a bigger tank works best IMO. You could do some milder mbuna like yellow labs and others and a few male peacocks. Or do an all male peacock tank if you really want color.

 

[jwh0818]

It's possible but usually a bigger tank works best IMO. You could do some milder mbuna like yellow labs and others and a few male peacocks. Or do an all male peacock tank if you really want color.

Whats the average peacock size?

 

[Dubs1281]

6" or so

 

[jwh0818]

I think peacocks look nice. How many could I honestly house in a 75g?

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

In a 75 10-12 would work IMO

 

[jwh0818]

In a 75 10-12 would work IMO

Sweet. I guess I have some research to do. I saw some today at my work labled peacocks. They were like rainbow colored. Any idea as to what these types may be? Or is it just peacocks in general?

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Could be any type many species are very colorful

 

[jwh0818]

Could be any type many species are very colorful

I do believe the ones im talking about were labled "acei"?

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Not a peacock that's an mbuna

 

[jwh0818]

Not a peacock that's an mbuna

Hmmm maybe ill have to double check again. How big do those acei get?

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

6"+ big for mbuna

 

[jwh0818]

6"+ big for mbuna

Hmm okay I just looked at peacock pics and this fish I saw had the peacock fins (long flowy kinda) and colors like the acei