Setting Up New Cichlid Tank- First Time- Advice Needed

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JengoJengo

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Lawrence, KS
Hello everyone!

I have a 20 gallon community tank, but I am ready to jump into the world of cichlids, and would love some advice.

So, I have just acquired a second hand 55 gal tank and stand. I have a Magnum Pro 350 filter with bio-wheels, and a Current LED light. I'm picking up a heater this weekend.

Here is my plan for substrate/hardscape:

Pool filter sand for substrate, a large rock hardscape.

I would love some advice on the following:

1. Stocking suggestions? Which kind, how many at first, etc?

2. Do I need to do the fishless cycle? If so, how long would that take and how should I do it? If not, how many fish to add at first?

3. Advice/how you obtain and maintain ideal water conditions for your Cichlids?

4. Any thing else I should know? :)

Thanks in advance!
 
African or sa\ca ? You will defiantly need to cycle the tank. Average water change schedule on cichlid tanks is 50 to 75%.

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Well, I am not sure. What do you think would be the easier ones to start with?

And water change schedule- how often?

Thanks in advance!
 
With the hard scape you are planning I would sat Africans. Google and look at different cichlids and see what you like. Then post a few here and we can tell you what will work or wont work in a 55 and give you some options for tank mates.
 
With the hard scape you are planning I would sat Africans. Google and look at different cichlids and see what you like. Then post a few here and we can tell you what will work or wont work in a 55 and give you some options for tank mates.

Thanks so much!
Here are a few that I think are so incredible....
 

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The yellow one is a lab I believe the one on the right is a hap and will get too big for a 55 The 1st one I'm not sure about. The yellow lab is a good beginner fish. Im not real good with Africans so let some one else chime in and help you.
 
Oh boy. Well, based on looks alone, keeping in mind I have no idea if these would be compatible in any combination,(forgive my ignorance) lol:

Electric Yellow
Electric Blue
Tretocephalus
Yellow Peacock
Demasoni
Fuelleborni
Caudopunctatus
Gold Sexfasciatus
 
Although those fish are Africans, your compatibility is still a little off. The general rule is you do not want to mix mbuna with peacocks. Some haps can mix, but your tank is too small for haps anyway. Basically, you want to pick between peacocks and mbuna. Mbuna like rocks and places to hide, and peacocks like open water. A good site I used when starting out with Africans was livefishdirect.com because they divide their species into mbuna/peacock lists so all you have to do is pick a side, and then pick your favorite fish.


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Not really. Mbunas are aggressive though so they will constantly chase/fight each other. Peacocks are the friendlier of the two, but they are still cichlids, so they are still somewhat aggressive.


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Although those fish are Africans, your compatibility is still a little off. The general rule is you do not want to mix mbuna with peacocks. Some haps can mix, but your tank is too small for haps anyway. Basically, you want to pick between peacocks and mbuna. Mbuna like rocks and places to hide, and peacocks like open water. A good site I used when starting out with Africans was livefishdirect.com because they divide their species into mbuna/peacock lists so all you have to do is pick a side, and then pick your favorite fish.


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Disagree about what likes what. Peacocks are more shy by nature and require caves. Mbuna are the ones you usually see overstocked in a tank with a few rocks and lots of swim room. But peacocks definitely want caves.
 
Disagree about what likes what. Peacocks are more shy by nature and require caves. Mbuna are the ones you usually see overstocked in a tank with a few rocks and lots of swim room. But peacocks definitely want caves.


Not to spark an argument but in my readings when I wanted a cichlid tank one time I did read that Mbuna were the hiding rock dwellers and peacocks/haps were the free swimmers.


Caleb

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Ok so stick with either Mbunas or peacocks, not both? And peacocks are the ones with the sail-like fins?

Also, should I be adding like one species at a time in a group of , say, 1 male and 3 females?
 
Africans cichlids are a weird subject. There are a LOT of different ones. Rift lake species, open water species, stream species, etc. Each one has its pros and con's. Some grow a lot larger than others and some are severely more aggressive than others, even though -all- are considered aggressive. The smallest fish in my tank is a demasoni and he is fiesty, chases fish 2-3 times his size. If you like the blue/yellow varients, you could do a species only take with Pseudotropheus Saulosi. Males are blue/black vertical bars, females are a nice yellow. They're considered dwarf cichlids by most, only reaching around 3-4".
 
Ok so stick with either Mbunas or peacocks, not both? And peacocks are the ones with the sail-like fins?



Also, should I be adding like one species at a time in a group of , say, 1 male and 3 females?


You can do anything you want, it's your tank. But if you want my advice, I would say not to mix the two. If you do choose to, I would suggest only adding one mbuna with a cave or a rock for him to claim. You can mix males with females, and your ratio (3:1) is correct. However, all male tanks are a lot nicer looking.


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It'd be smart to add 3-4 fish at a time from my experience. If you add a single fish to an established community its going to get tortured for a bit. Even if you had 15 of the same species and added one more of the same, making 16 total, the existing 15 fish will know who the new guy is.
 
Basically, it doesn't matter if you add them with the same species, or other fish from another species, you always want to add more than one fish at a time though.

What I used to do (when adding one fish or 5 fish) was take the new fish I was adding to the tank and put it in a bucket. Next, I would take out half of my fish I had in my tank already and put them in the bucket with the new fish. I would switch around the decorations in the tank to break up territories. Then I would dump the bucket back into the tank. This way the fish don't realize there is a new fish introduced.

Everyone has their own technique for adding new fish though. I just found this one to be incredibly successful.


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OK, some great thoughts here.

So, add them in groups, slowly increasing the bio-load on the tank.

I never thought of doing an all-male tank. I was thinking it would be cool if some of them did breed, purely for the educational benefit (my kids would love it).

Any recommendations on total # in a 55 gallon tank? I have read some places that over-stocking is actually good in cichlid tanks, but would like to hear some other opinions.
 
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