Newbie has some questions

[Larry]

Hi everyone. I'm Kim from Ontario and my husband Larry and I started
a 26 gallon bow aquarium up with some cichlids. We have 2 dolphins, 2
yellow labs, 2 zebra and 1 I forget the name. They are all swimming
pretty happily around and look beautiful.

We spoke at length to the people at the fish store before we purchased
and did take their advice about water conditions, etc. and followed
that to a letter. We bought the tank from there too so they know what
size we have.

Now, after reading a lot more information I'm getting concerned about
a few things. One - the zebras. I have read that these guys can be
very aggressive. Is this something that will happen as they get older
because they don't appear that way right now. What does 'aggressive'
mean? Are they going to attack the other fish or what? Also - the
spawning. Have to go and double check for the orange on the belly
area to see if one is a female, but I've read these things breed like
crazy. Like hundreds of them in a year. Does this mean we're going
to have tons of these little guys in the tank??? Good heavens, I
can't imagine.

Another question - the number of fish that we have. I have read that
it's more important to have a much long tank rather than a tall one
and ours is 24 long x 18 high. Do you think that as they get older
we're going to have a problem?

Thanks and I'm sorry that I'm so obviously a newbie here but I joined
the list to get some information and learn and I'm willing to take
advice.

Kim and Larry

[Phil]

I'm replying just in case you are for real...
> my husband and I started
> a 26 gallon bow aquarium up with some cichlids. We have 2 dolphins, 2
> yellow labs, 2 zebra and 1 I forget the name.

26 gallons is nowhere near enough for these guys, 75 minimum for the zebs
and dolphins(I'd like more for the dolphins really) the labs could get by in
a 3 footer.


As for aggression, depending on the 'forget the name' my money is on the
zeb(s) being the sole survivor(s) (if they are both male then I'm not sure
either will survive)

> Like hundreds of them in a year. Does this mean we're going
> to have tons of these little guys in the tank??? Good heavens, I
> can't imagine.

If you leave the fry in with the adults (should they breedin a tank that
size) they wont last long

> Another question - the number of fish that we have. I have read that
> it's more important to have a much long tank rather than a tall one
> and ours is 24 long x 18 high. Do you think that as they get older
> we're going to have a problem?

they like a long wide tank. most of them will prefer the bottom/middle area
and will most likley only go to the top third to eat or to aviod being
attacked.

> Thanks and I'm sorry that I'm so obviously a newbie here but I joined
> the list to get some information and learn and I'm willing to take
> advice.

I think it would have been a far better tank for shell dwellers or dwarf
julies.

Have a look at http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/cookie_cutter_10g.php
www.cichlidrecipe.com/cichlidrecipe/crp22.htm (while you're there look at
the shell dwellers sub site they have, maybe the aquarium will let you trade
the fish you got back for some of them.

[Larry]

Thanks for responding. Yes, unfortunately we are THAT much of a
newbie and for real.

Your answers were pretty much what we feared and in hindsight we
should have done a LOT more research before we tried this. I think
those little cichlids are going back to the store today and we'll try
again, using some of your advice.

Kim and Larry

On Sun, 2 Jan 2005 15:39:00 +1000, "Phil" > wrote:

>I'm replying just in case you are for real...
>> my husband and I started
>> a 26 gallon bow aquarium up with some cichlids. We have 2 dolphins, 2
>> yellow labs, 2 zebra and 1 I forget the name.

[Amateur Cichlids]

"Larry" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks for responding. Yes, unfortunately we are THAT much of a
> newbie and for real.
>
> Your answers were pretty much what we feared and in hindsight we
> should have done a LOT more research before we tried this. I think
> those little cichlids are going back to the store today and we'll try
> again, using some of your advice.
>
> Kim and Larry

Kim and Larry,
I posted some links to another post Larry made, possibly in the RAFM
newsgroup. As I stated in at least one of my articles, many, many people
start off just as you and Larry did. Aside from the cost and addiction,
keeping a tank can be very calming and rewarding. Don't let getting started
off on the wrong foot discourage you. The fact that you're willing to take
the fish back, research and set the tank up properly shows that you'll
succeed in the hobby where others haven't. I've spoken to countless people
in chat rooms who ask if they can keep various species in certain tanks.
When I tell them it's a bad idea, they ask someone else. And they'll ask a
hundred people until they get one person to say, "I've done that with no
problems."
If you want more details on any of the Rift Lake fish or West African
cichlids, stop into our site, post on the forum or catch me in chat and I'll
do my best to give you as many specifics as you like. If you test your water
and find it softer and more acidic, check into the South American dwarfs.
Great site to look into for that would be www.apistogramma.com At some
point, I hope to have enough experts at our site to field those questions,
but we're not quite there yet. ;-)
Tim
www.fishaholics.org

[Larry]

snip

> I posted some links to another post Larry made, possibly in the RAFM
>newsgroup. As I stated in at least one of my articles, many, many people
>start off just as you and Larry did. Aside from the cost and addiction,
>keeping a tank can be very calming and rewarding. Don't let getting started
>off on the wrong foot discourage you. The fact that you're willing to take
>the fish back, research and set the tank up properly shows that you'll
>succeed in the hobby where others haven't. I've spoken to countless people
>in chat rooms who ask if they can keep various species in certain tanks.
>When I tell them it's a bad idea, they ask someone else. And they'll ask a
>hundred people until they get one person to say, "I've done that with no
>problems."
> If you want more details on any of the Rift Lake fish or West African
>cichlids, stop into our site, post on the forum or catch me in chat and I'll
>do my best to give you as many specifics as you like. If you test your water
>and find it softer and more acidic, check into the South American dwarfs.
>Great site to look into for that would be www.apistogramma.com At some
>point, I hope to have enough experts at our site to field those questions,
>but we're not quite there yet. ;-)
>Tim
>www.fishaholics.org

Thank you very much Tim,

Mission has been accomplished (I hope). Have returned the 7 larger
cichlids and got a community of smaller fish. We got some Rams,
Rasporas and Key Holes along with a Cory.

I've read something about maintaining salt in the water at 1tbsp/5gal.
Should I be looking into this soon? An the Ph level should be...?

Much appreciated ,

All the best,

Larry
Southern Ontario




>

[Amateur Cichlids]

"Larry" > wrote in message
...
> snip
>
> I've read something about maintaining salt in the water at 1tbsp/5gal.
> Should I be looking into this soon? An the Ph level should be...?
>
> Much appreciated ,
>
> All the best,
>
> Larry
> Southern Ontario
>
>
Salt, while unneccessary, could be useful. I use about 1tbsp/10 gallons,
others use more.
The pH for the fish you have should be about neutral. Anyplace in the range
of 6.8 to 7.3 should be ok. Just a note on the Rams. They can be pretty
sensitive fish. Make sure you keep up with the water changes. If the tank
wasn't cycled already, once you returned the fish, a fishless cycle would
have been in order. The new occupants sound more suited to your tank size,
provided you didn't get ten of each. :D
Tim

[Margolis]

"Larry" > wrote in message > > I posted some links to
another post Larry made, possibly in the RAFM
>
> Mission has been accomplished (I hope). Have returned the 7 larger
> cichlids and got a community of smaller fish. We got some Rams,
> Rasporas and Key Holes along with a Cory.
>
> I've read something about maintaining salt in the water at 1tbsp/5gal.
> Should I be looking into this soon? An the Ph level should be...?



your ph level should be whatever is natural for the water you are using. DO
NOT under any circumstances use any type of chemical or artificial buffer to
adjust the ph. These just lead to problems.

what is the kh and ph of your water?

and don't add salt. It is ok to use for most fish, but rams won't like it
much.
--

Margolis
http://web.archive.org/web/20030215212142/http://www.agqx.org/faqs/AGQ2FAQ.htm
http://www.unrealtower.org/faq