New to Cichlids, need help!

[BBouchard]

Hey guys, I have a 55 gallon tank with hob filters (plan on getting a 406 fluval soon) I am going to be getting a 29 gallon for my two angels and some smaller fish.

I am making the 55 gallon a cichlid tank but will have a rainbow shark in with them. I need some stocking suggestions. I am looking at doing the Malawi cichlids, but really want some bright colors. I know my LFS just has "assorted cichlids" but I know they have electric yellows and a light blue with dark blue stripes. Those two I really would love, they are gorgeous! Please help me stock before I get it set up, so I know what I can get.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[molliwopp]

I would personally cycle the tank before adding fish. When you say malawis you mean mbuna as you mentioned yellows? Youre going to need some decent rock work in the tank and ideally a sand and or crushed coral substrate and that extra filter will more than likely be needed too.

In a 55 i wouldnt keep any more than 12-15 fish but this is an estimate and could swing either way as different species grow to different sizes.

Do you know the parameters of your water, if so what are they? Malawis will fail to thrive in acidic or soft water and a ph of 7.6 would be considered a minimumbut there are easy ways to raise the ph so dont worry if your water isnt on the alkaline side of things.

 

[BBouchard]

The tank is already cycled, and thankfully it has sand substrate, I will be getting more rocks in the tank as it moves forward. My Ph is 7.8 and usually around 76-78. Yes I do mean mbunas. My ammonia stays around 0-.25 and nitrates are 0 nitrites are 0.

 

[molliwopp]

The only strange thing is the 0.25pp ammonia. How long did you cycle for?

 

[mikem691]

If you have 0 nitrAtes and .25 ammonia I don't think you are cycled

 

[molliwopp]

If you have 0 nitrAtes and .25 ammonia I don't think you are cycled

Thats what i was thinking to be honest but he said hes cycled it, what did you use to cycle it OP? Ammonia should be reading 0. Adding cichlids to an uncycled tank is a bad idea and asking for trouble Bbouch

 

[BBouchard]

The tank has been up for well over 11 months, almost a year. I'm sorry I was looking at an old log, it is 0 on the ammonia.

 

[Medx]

If you want some bright nice colors peacocks and haps are beautiful cichlids with nice long fins. You can mix them with mbunas to but make sure the mbunas are smaller than the peacocks and haps

 

[BBouchard]

Thanks, We are debating between the 55 gallon or setting up the 30 when I get it. If I do the 30, what are some kind of cichlids that are bright and colorful. Also how many in each tank are possible? I am just trying to get some Ideas before everything is started.

 

[Medx]

Some colorful cichlids: electric blue alhi hap, Taiwan reef, OB peacock cichlid , sunshine peacock, yellow lab mbuna, demasoni mbuna, eureka red jake peacock, flavesent peacock, dragon blood peacock, lemon jake peacock, venustus hap, blue dolphin hap, and super red empress hap.

 

[Medx]

Here's a pic of my eureka peacock cichlid

 

[BBouchard]

Awesome! Thank you so much!

 

[BBouchard]

Is 1 per species okay or do they require groups?

 

[BBouchard]

Also, I am looking for color variety. I know the peacocks and mbunas can not be mixed, so which would be better?

 

[Medx]

You can have 1 per species if you want. And you can mix peacocks, haps, and mbunas together! Just make sure the mbunas have some rocks

 

[severum mama]

I'm keeping my all my different rift lake species separately so I'm not exactly an authority on stocking Rift Lake cichlids, but I don't think it's a good idea to stock Mbuna 1 fish per species.

I would definitely use a 55 rather than a 30 for Malawis.

 

[molliwopp]

You can have 1 per species if you want. And you can mix peacocks, haps, and mbunas together! Just make sure the mbunas have some rocks

Ideally you dont want to mix mbuna and peacocks as the Ps will get bullied, wont be able to relax and wont feel safe which would obviously effect natural behavior which is as beautiful as the fish themselves. I wont mix the 2 and can only think of 2 species of mbuna that i would even consider for a second keeping with peacocks.

Also OP 30gallons would definitely be too small for peacocks in the long term and that 55 would be needed. Also anything like labs or 5-6inch mbuna need 55 too. You would be able to keep a small group of dwarf mbuna in the 30g aslong as its 36inchs or more in length.

 

[BBouchard]

Thats what I thought, though im not sure which would be the better pick. We are going to put them in the larger tank.