First Cichlid Tank

[TomK2]

Well, I was about to get out of the aquarium hobby but my daughter wanted to try her hand at a cichlid tank. Established tank for YEARS that had dwindled down to just a single skunk loach prior to converting it to the cichlid setup. Talking to LFS, daughter doing research,daughter picking fish based upon appearance she liked, she decided on pseudotropheus demasoni and Labidochromis caeruleus . LFS and her own research made her decide to get 12 small demasoni and 8 Labs of medium size. The tank is 55 gallon 48 inches long and equiped with 100 pounds of texas holey rock. Two Fluval 404 can filters. Push button water changes available as needed, currently doing it 20 - 30%twice a week.

PH 7.8, GH 11 gd, ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 5. Tank temp 80 to 82 degrees F. All fish were added at the same time to this established tank 5 days ago. One demasoni seems to be exhibiting courtship behavior.

The problem is that one demasoni became distressed in the bag on the way home and died, a refund was given. Today, on day 5 two demasoni turn up dead and one Lab is dead. Everything seems peaceful enough in the tank after the initial 36 hours where the skunk loach was being agressive. That has quited down now.

While this is my first attempt at cichlids, I have lots of other aquarium experience. I thought that the sudden increase in bioload could possibly cause a nitrogen cycle spike, but was prepared to do 60% water changes daily if it happened ( I have a 30 gal holding tank with dechlorinated water at tank temp for water changes). I think at least one of the dead domasani had been exhibiting very pale colors the past day or two. The Labs have been very melow the whole time.

So, fish deaths are stress, possible poor fish stock, possible agression? Its not the water.....

 

[Wy Renegade]

It is possible that you just got unlucky and got poor stock, although the initial aggression from the loach may have been a factor as well. Nothing wrong with the stocking list, tell us a little more about the tank; pH, hardness, and temperature in particular. If these happened to be wild caught, those are the most likely factors that would cause additional stress.

 

[TomK2]

PH 7.8, GH 11 , ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 5. Tank temp 80 to 82 degrees F. The fish were bought from Aquarium adventure Petland. They were the only source local that had enough of each species to put them all in at once. I doubt they are wild caught.

The other problem is doing a roll call. Ever try to count small demasani as they dart in and out of holey rock and the back of the tank? I am certain I have seen 7 at once, and one time thought I counted 8. But I should have 9.

 

[dalto]

I would lower the temp a bit, african cichlid tanks don't need to be that warm. Mid-70's should be fine. They are pretty flexible when it comes to temperature.

Honestly, demasoni should be fairly hardy. How big are they?

 

[mikem691]

PH 7.8, GH 11 , ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 5. Tank temp 80 to 82 degrees F. The fish were bought from Aquarium adventure Petland. They were the only source local that had enough of each species to put them all in at once. I doubt they are wild caught.

The other problem is doing a roll call. Ever try to count small demasani as they dart in and out of holey rock and the back of the tank? I am certain I have seen 7 at once, and one time thought I counted 8. But I should have 9.

Which store Hoffman Estates or Bolingbrook? I was just at both looking at SA/CA cichlids and the Hoffman store I left Immediately because most were covered in ICH. Boling Brook looked ok

 

[TomK2]

Bolingbrook Aquarium adventure Petland. The demasani are about an inch to an inch and a half.

Yes, I am lowering the temperature. I had two old thermometers that were reading low. Thats how the tank got up too high. I realized this before the cichlids went in, and got it down to the 80 to 82 range before they went in. Today it is starting to dip below 80. I figured there was no hurry, so I would gradually turn down the heater and wait a day or so to keep from turning down the heater faster than the tank temp cooled.

 

[TomK2]

*sigh.*

Daughter found number 9 demasoni tonight, wedged in the holey rock dead for some time. I did get all the remaining 8 out to feed, so I know there are no more dead ones. Starting to rethink the whole demasoni thing. Perhaps i should buy a few more juveniles from a different source to keep the agression dispersed? About 4 of the remaining 8 demasoni are just brilliant in color, and then there always seems to be that one that is just so faded.