Planning a new 135g cichlid tank

[bucketbreath]

Hi -

I have a 135g tank with fine sand.

I'm planning on converting to a cichlid tank, but I need advice as to which types I could have together in a large community tank. I'm a total newbie when it comes to cichlids.

I'd prefer a range of fish from 2 - 6 inches full grown, and I like the really colorful ones. And I'd prefer a more non-aggressive tank.

Is it possible to mix different sizes? Different lakes?

Any advice would be great! Thanks!

 

[Black Sails]

Hello. I'd love to have a 135 gal. tank. I don't have the room. I keep African Cichlids, primarily from Lake Malawi, in my 55 gal. tank. They are aggressive fish by nature, so be prepared. They're very entertaining though. Many people have told me that they have successfully mixed Africans from both lakes. The only experience I have had is trying to put a South American in my tank. He was so pretty...and I got him for free. But he got the crap beaten out of him by the other fish, big and small. It was a mistake and I sold him within a week or so. My friend keeps green and red terrors, and an oscar (all South/Central American)in his 100 gal. They're not as colorful as my fish, but they are still very nice and significantly larger. Good luck on your tank.

 

[Zic]

One thing I've heard is that you should buy all your cichlids at once. This way, none of them get a chance to settle in and 'claim' an area before you put them all in.

I would do lots of research first. I bought three cichlids without knowing much about them. Turns out they get big and mean! Who wudda thunk it?

Right now I have one red zebra, one blue zebra and one auratus in a ten gallin tank. The red zebra (who I bought two months before the others) didn't share my enthusiasm about the new fish! He chased the blue zebra all about the tank all day long. It's tail started getting ragged and it didn't look well, so I put it in with my tiger barbs. I didnt' know how well those two group of fish would do together, but so far I haven't had any problems. I need a bigger tank, so I can put my cichlids all together in one tank. Maybe next month........

 

[hisc1ay]

I'm glad I got my idea for a cichlid tank before this mad rush of cichlid posts came. Otherwise I'd think I was a moocher!

Seriously, I'm glad. All of my questions are being answered without me asking! I want to have Lake Malawi cichlids in mine when it's all said and done.

-j

 

[lashilia]

Cichlids are amazing. Everybody deliberates of lake and continent, but if you want non-agressive cichlids, pick angels. Angels seem to be the overlooked cichlids. When someone says 'cichlid' we all think of acaras, oscars, or convicts, but angels are actually South American cichlids! Angels are easy to keep with good water. Try to locate a local breeder. Local-bred angels, while not show-quality, are heartier, more playful, and will adapt quite easily to more basic (alkaline) water. You can keep a lot in a tank that size. When kept with bottom dwellers only, they will breed and guard their young fiercely.

If you don't like angels, Tanganyika and Malawi africans are a nice pick. All Cichlids breed like mad. Grown acara-shaped cichlids will dig extensively in aqauriums. For this reason you might want some pebbles, just to watch them carry them around. Provide them with caves and slate so they have places to hide their eggs.

Cichlids are also very dirty fish. They make messes of their aqauriums. When grown, they develop distinct personalities and territories. You don't have to add them all at once, but add like sized cichlids only, and never introduce new mid-level fish to a tank with grown cichlids. Baby cichlids will do okay as they will be protected by their parents until they reach a decent size. When you add a new cichlid, it is advisable to 'destroy' territories by re-arranging the aquarium a little. Some cichlids are mouth-breeders. That is an amazing experience.

I hope some of this helps. I wish you the best of luck with cichlids. They are a great fish, and I'm sure have an awesome time keeping them.