Comments requested (38gal + Malawi Cichlids)

[Mister Jerk]

I am considering setting up my first tank as follows.

Pseudotropheus acei
Labidochromis caeruleus
Pseudotropheus saulosi

Was wondering what numbers of each I should choose and genders?
Are these pretty compatible?

I plan to setup a large amount of rocks with a fine crushed coral
substrate.

Comments please!

mj.

[Frankster]

There are a lot of experts here in this forum. I am not one of them.
However... Here's what I did when setting up my tank, and it worked for
me... (past the three year mark now)

1) Review the compatibility chart here...
http://www.cichlidrecipe.com/cichlidchart/flashchartd.html (great resource!)

2) Never put more than one of each type of fish in the tank (works for me!)

3) Over-filter and change water frequently (I have two Emperor filters in a
55gal.US tank and I change 50 percent of the water every 10 days).

About #2, this wouldn't work well for breading...LOL! But it really does
help curtail aggression problems. A lot of aggression is between same type
fish with similar coloring. If you eliminate that, your aggression levels
will be lower.

-Frank

"Mister Jerk" > wrote in message
ps.com...
>I am considering setting up my first tank as follows.
>
> Pseudotropheus acei
> Labidochromis caeruleus
> Pseudotropheus saulosi
>
> Was wondering what numbers of each I should choose and genders?
> Are these pretty compatible?
>
> I plan to setup a large amount of rocks with a fine crushed coral
> substrate.
>
> Comments please!
>
> mj.
>

[Amateur Cichlids]

"Mister Jerk" > wrote in message
ps.com...
>I am considering setting up my first tank as follows.
>
> Pseudotropheus acei
> Labidochromis caeruleus
> Pseudotropheus saulosi
>
> Was wondering what numbers of each I should choose and genders?
> Are these pretty compatible?
>
> I plan to setup a large amount of rocks with a fine crushed coral
> substrate.
>
> Comments please!
>
> mj.
>
>

Have you purchased the tank already?
If not consider going with at least a 55 gallon for that group.
In a 55 I'd do one male and three females of each of the species you
selected.
It looks like you've done and are doing a bit of research, which is good,
but I'm curious what your pH and hardness are.
Tim
http://www.fishaholics.org

[Mister Jerk]

Amateur Cichlids wrote:
> "Mister Jerk" > wrote in message
> ps.com...
> >I am considering setting up my first tank as follows.
> >
> > Pseudotropheus acei
> > Labidochromis caeruleus
> > Pseudotropheus saulosi
> >
> > Was wondering what numbers of each I should choose and genders?
> > Are these pretty compatible?
> >
> > I plan to setup a large amount of rocks with a fine crushed coral
> > substrate.
> >
> > Comments please!
> >
> > mj.
> >
> >
>
> Have you purchased the tank already?
> If not consider going with at least a 55 gallon for that group.
> In a 55 I'd do one male and three females of each of the species you
> selected.
> It looks like you've done and are doing a bit of research, which is good,
> but I'm curious what your pH and hardness are.
> Tim
> http://www.fishaholics.org

thanks for the reply. Unfortunately this is a tank I have had for
awhile. I'd like a larger one, but just can't afford it at the moment.
I've got an emperor 280 and 2 decent ebo jagers which should do nicely
for some cichlids.
I haven't tested the water since we moved, but everyone tells me it's
quite hard (well water), whatever I am missing I should be able to get
from the substrate and additives.
mmm, you got me thinking, I'll try to test the water this weekend and
see what i've got to work with.

[Mister Jerk]

Mister Jerk wrote:

> > Have you purchased the tank already?
> > If not consider going with at least a 55 gallon for that group.
> > In a 55 I'd do one male and three females of each of the species you
> > selected.
> > It looks like you've done and are doing a bit of research, which is good,
> > but I'm curious what your pH and hardness are.
> > Tim
> > http://www.fishaholics.org
>
> thanks for the reply. Unfortunately this is a tank I have had for
> awhile. I'd like a larger one, but just can't afford it at the moment.
> I've got an emperor 280 and 2 decent ebo jagers which should do nicely
> for some cichlids.
> I haven't tested the water since we moved, but everyone tells me it's
> quite hard (well water), whatever I am missing I should be able to get
> from the substrate and additives.
> mmm, you got me thinking, I'll try to test the water this weekend and
> see what i've got to work with.

Update: It appears that my well water is actually pretty soft.
Can anyone comment if it would still be worth it to go for cichlids or
will the maintenance make it prohibitative.

pH: 6.2
GH: 60
KH: 30

[Amateur Cichlids]

"Mister Jerk" > wrote in message
ups.com...

>
> Update: It appears that my well water is actually pretty soft.
> Can anyone comment if it would still be worth it to go for cichlids or
> will the maintenance make it prohibitative.
>
> pH: 6.2
> GH: 60
> KH: 30
>
>

With water that soft and a pH that low, I'd really consider a nice dwarf
South American setup. This way water changes come straight from the tap,
there's no mad chemist involved and you don't have to buy stock in baking
soda. That size tank is better suited to a SA tank anyways.
I'd take a look at some of the Apistogramma species and then maybe a school
of some threadfin rainbows and a few albino bristlenose plecos as cleanup.
Tim