Advice on what to get?

[DaRC]

Hi,
I'm an occasional lurker to the alt/rec.aquaria.* world.

I've had 2 tanks for around a decade now (sheesh time flies). My
goldfish were in a 140 ltr corner tank (stands about 3.5 foot high)
which had an undergravel filter (spit). We moved, the filter must've
got stirred up then I got sudden death syndrome - which was partly my
fault for not taking their illness seriously enough straight away :-(

It's a couple of months now so I'm over the grief ;-)
I was thinking of getting Cichlid's in the tank and need some advice.
The main thing is we live in a rented house and so having fish that
are relatively easy to move is a must (as we may have to move each
year). The G/F were fine I could just put them in a bucket and they'd
be ok. My tropical tank has always been easy too.

Tank - I'm going to restart it with two external filters so it will be
quite heavily filtered.

Plants - None. The height of the tank and the lid construction means
using an energy efficient bulb for light - this doesn't allow plant
growth.

Decorations - I am tempted by going for wooden branches up the back to
create a sort of Mangrove tree-root effect. Other than that it will
be rocks (or rock imitations).

Fish - One of

African Cichlid Tank

1 trio Labidochromis
1 trio Cynotilapia
1 trio Copadichromis
6 Dwarf Rainbowfish
2 Dwarf Plecs

or
South American Cichlid Tank

2 or 3 Discus
2 Plec or Catfish

or
Oscars Tank

1 or 2 Tiger Oscars
1 or 2 large Catfish / Plecs
However my fiancee went off the Oscars when I told her they liked live
food! Besides they will outgrow the width of the tank in 18months to
2 years.

or
None of the Above ;-)

Cheers, Dave.

[RedForeman ©®]

> Its my theory "that everyone that used to say" were breeders not wanting
> more breeders......I am no big time expert on Discus...... Discus are
> very expensive though and it seems that everyone's first attempt at
> keeping them ends with all dead......but I think that's about the same
> luck everyone has with their first fish.....

I've been told, evidently by people who were under that myth also.... I've
always wanted to try them, didn't want to put out so much more money and
make one small mistake....and be so disappointed.... thanks for the
comment...

> Africans are definitely as tough as a goldfish......
>
>

[DarcyLeg]

Thanks for your replies guys :-)

It just helped to have some confirmation on the cichlids.

Cheers, Dave.

P.S. this isn't posted from my usual place so the Darc sn may be lost

[Rich Conley]

These are all small (cynotilapia) or very peaceful
(copadichromis/labidochromis) cichlids.
In my 55 Ive got
8 cynotilapia afra
4 labidochromis caeruleus
8 pseudotropheus zebra.

I believe a 55 is a 220 litre..maybe you just were suggesting bigger fish
originally.

Alan Silver wrote:

> In article >, DaRC
> > writes
> >African Cichlid Tank
> >
> >1 trio Labidochromis
> >1 trio Cynotilapia
> >1 trio Copadichromis
> >6 Dwarf Rainbowfish
> >2 Dwarf Plecs
>
> OK, I'm intrigued. I started a thread here a few weeks ago about keeping
> Malawis in a 220 litre tank and was told quite strongly that it was too
> small for anything other a few fish. The OP is suggesting a lot more
> than this in a 140 litre tank, and no-one has commented on it being too
> many fish or too small a tank.
>
> Anyone like to enlighten me ? I'm still very interested in Malawis and
> would like to know if the numbers shown above are sensible.
>
> TIA
>
> --
> Alan Silver

[Mikkel Stepién Munk]

In a 220 liters, you should be able to chose rather freely from the species
of the Mbuna complex. Just stay away from the more aggressive species, like
the Mel. auratus, and Mel. johannie - they do get very aggressive!

I used to keep Malawies in a 250 liters, and I didn't have any problems
whatsoever...good luck!


Mikkel

[Rich Conley]

I thought M. Johanni was supposed to be pretty docile, but Mel Auratus and Mel.
Chipokae were horrors?

"Mikkel Stepién Munk" wrote:

> In a 220 liters, you should be able to chose rather freely from the species
> of the Mbuna complex. Just stay away from the more aggressive species, like
> the Mel. auratus, and Mel. johannie - they do get very aggressive!
>
> I used to keep Malawies in a 250 liters, and I didn't have any problems
> whatsoever...good luck!
>
> Mikkel

[Mikkel Stepién Munk]

To the best of my knowledge the Mel. johannii is a pretty tough fish...but I
believe it's like that with almost ever member of the Melanochromis genus...


Mikkel

"Rich Conley" > skrev i en meddelelse
.. .
> I thought M. Johanni was supposed to be pretty docile, but Mel Auratus and
Mel.
> Chipokae were horrors?
>
> "Mikkel Stepién Munk" wrote:
>
> > In a 220 liters, you should be able to chose rather freely from the
species
> > of the Mbuna complex. Just stay away from the more aggressive species,
like
> > the Mel. auratus, and Mel. johannie - they do get very aggressive!
> >
> > I used to keep Malawies in a 250 liters, and I didn't have any problems
> > whatsoever...good luck!
> >
> > Mikkel
>

[The Madd Hatter]

If I remember correctly, your tank is a 20" cube or 24" cube right?
The primary problem you are faced w/ is that these fish all dwell in
thesame sections of the tank.. More importanly, they all are
territorial about it... W/ cichlids you are best off going w/ a large
footprint but low height... That being said, I recal having suggested
that you try keeping the labids and similar tempered fish.. I believe
the issue that came up had been water parameters. You have very soft
water, but you don't want to use artificial chemical methods to adjust
it... As for the cichlids, The list suggested by DaRC is very good.
I'm particularly fond of my Cynotilapia Axelrodi, Labidochromis
Perlmutts, and Caeruleus... I have kept the Cyno. Afras before too and
they are nice as well... Check out the Copidachromis Azureus. Never
kept them personally yet, but they look nice..

Regarding the water parameters, I use crushed coral in a couple of
tanks, but it is dreadfully slow unless you have a UGF running. It was
suggested to me to try Argonite sand instead.. Whatever you use, put
it in your filter as well to give it as much access to your water as
possible..

It also occurs to me that you can take advantage of the height of your
tank by piling rocks like Lava rock all the way up the back.. If there
are crevices in the top ends, odds are they will gain inhabitants as
well.

Hope this helps..

Ciao

Madd Hatter


On Wed, 30 Jul 2003 15:15:29 +0100, Alan Silver
>
wrote:

>In article >, DaRC
> writes
>>African Cichlid Tank
>>
>>1 trio Labidochromis
>>1 trio Cynotilapia
>>1 trio Copadichromis
>>6 Dwarf Rainbowfish
>>2 Dwarf Plecs
>
>OK, I'm intrigued. I started a thread here a few weeks ago about keeping
>Malawis in a 220 litre tank and was told quite strongly that it was too
>small for anything other a few fish. The OP is suggesting a lot more
>than this in a 140 litre tank, and no-one has commented on it being too
>many fish or too small a tank.
>
>Anyone like to enlighten me ? I'm still very interested in Malawis and
>would like to know if the numbers shown above are sensible.
>
>TIA

[The Madd Hatter]

I just re read the original post... I think he means too choose One of
the options he listed...

On Wed, 30 Jul 2003 15:15:29 +0100, Alan Silver
>
wrote:

>In article >, DaRC
> writes
>>African Cichlid Tank
>>
>>1 trio Labidochromis
>>1 trio Cynotilapia
>>1 trio Copadichromis
>>6 Dwarf Rainbowfish
>>2 Dwarf Plecs
>
>OK, I'm intrigued. I started a thread here a few weeks ago about keeping
>Malawis in a 220 litre tank and was told quite strongly that it was too
>small for anything other a few fish. The OP is suggesting a lot more
>than this in a 140 litre tank, and no-one has commented on it being too
>many fish or too small a tank.
>
>Anyone like to enlighten me ? I'm still very interested in Malawis and
>would like to know if the numbers shown above are sensible.
>
>TIA

[Alan Silver]

In article >, Mikkel
Stepién Munk > writes
>In a 220 liters, you should be able to chose rather freely from the species
>of the Mbuna complex. Just stay away from the more aggressive species, like
>the Mel. auratus, and Mel. johannie - they do get very aggressive!
>
>I used to keep Malawies in a 250 liters, and I didn't have any problems
>whatsoever...good luck!

That's reassuring. How many did you have and what type ?

--
Alan Silver