New to cichlids

[Mousetater]

Aquarium owner all of my life, I am just now turned onto Cichlids. I have
introduced 3 into my community tank of general tropicals. To my amazement,
they're all getting along very well. 30 gallon well established.
Cichlids are just more beautiful and lively. The 3 I have are African.
one big orange one, (no real names yet) and 2 black and yellow striped ones.
What's my limitations? as far as with the tropicals?
Mark

[Amateur]

"Mousetater" > wrote in message
...
> Aquarium owner all of my life, I am just now turned onto Cichlids. I have
> introduced 3 into my community tank of general tropicals. To my amazement,
> they're all getting along very well. 30 gallon well established.
> Cichlids are just more beautiful and lively. The 3 I have are African.
> one big orange one, (no real names yet) and 2 black and yellow striped ones.
> What's my limitations? as far as with the tropicals?
> Mark
>

Mark,
The big orange one I would guess is a Metriaclima estherae (Or
Pseudotropheus zebra "red" or Red Zebra). The yellow striped ones are either
Pseudotropheus crabro or some species of Melanochromis I'd guess, depending on
which way the stripes run. These fish are of the Mbuna category from Lake Malawi
and do best in hard alkaline water. Not usually the best water for most
tropicals. What you can eventually expect in a 30 gallon tank is your new fish,
as they grow and get comfortable to start fighting for territory, harass you
tropicals till they get overly stressed an die, and fight each other until the
dominant fish is the only one left in the tank. That would be the typical
scenario. With any luck you won't have those problems. It'll all depend on water
quality and luck of the draw on fish personality. If you do weekly water
changes, your fish will grow faster, eventually reaching a length of six inches
or so. I'm guessing them to be about the two inch mark now. The fastere they
grow, the faster you'll start experiencing dominance problems. Check out my
site, www.amateurcichlids.com the cichlid-forum www.cichlid-forum.com and
Cichlid recipe www.cichlidrecipe.com/cichlidrecipe/ and look through some of the
fish profiles to get an idea what it is you purchased. Research is the key to
happily keeping cichlids. (African and otherwise). They're wonderful fish to
keep and not at all difficult with a little research.
Enjoy,
AmateurCichlids

>

[EWsGhost]

Mark
I to just started a Cichlid tank. I had one full grown and recently
introduced 5 small ones.
I found that if you give the little ones plenty of cover (hiding spots) the
do just fine.

I used a combonation of live vegetation and rocks with Holey Rocks ( ebay ).

"Amateur" > wrote in message
. com...
>
> "Mousetater" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Aquarium owner all of my life, I am just now turned onto Cichlids. I
have
> > introduced 3 into my community tank of general tropicals. To my
amazement,
> > they're all getting along very well. 30 gallon well established.
> > Cichlids are just more beautiful and lively. The 3 I have are
African.
> > one big orange one, (no real names yet) and 2 black and yellow striped
ones.
> > What's my limitations? as far as with the tropicals?
> > Mark
> >
>
> Mark,
> The big orange one I would guess is a Metriaclima estherae (Or
> Pseudotropheus zebra "red" or Red Zebra). The yellow striped ones are
either
> Pseudotropheus crabro or some species of Melanochromis I'd guess,
depending on
> which way the stripes run. These fish are of the Mbuna category from Lake
Malawi
> and do best in hard alkaline water. Not usually the best water for most
> tropicals. What you can eventually expect in a 30 gallon tank is your new
fish,
> as they grow and get comfortable to start fighting for territory, harass
you
> tropicals till they get overly stressed an die, and fight each other until
the
> dominant fish is the only one left in the tank. That would be the typical
> scenario. With any luck you won't have those problems. It'll all depend on
water
> quality and luck of the draw on fish personality. If you do weekly water
> changes, your fish will grow faster, eventually reaching a length of six
inches
> or so. I'm guessing them to be about the two inch mark now. The fastere
they
> grow, the faster you'll start experiencing dominance problems. Check out
my
> site, www.amateurcichlids.com the cichlid-forum www.cichlid-forum.com and
> Cichlid recipe www.cichlidrecipe.com/cichlidrecipe/ and look through some
of the
> fish profiles to get an idea what it is you purchased. Research is the key
to
> happily keeping cichlids. (African and otherwise). They're wonderful fish
to
> keep and not at all difficult with a little research.
> Enjoy,
> AmateurCichlids
>
> >
>
>

[Rich A.]

"Amateur" > wrote in message
. com...
>
> "Mousetater" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Aquarium owner all of my life, I am just now turned onto Cichlids. I
have
> > introduced 3 into my community tank of general tropicals. To my
amazement,
> > they're all getting along very well. 30 gallon well established.
> > Cichlids are just more beautiful and lively. The 3 I have are
African.
> > one big orange one, (no real names yet) and 2 black and yellow striped
ones.
> > What's my limitations? as far as with the tropicals?
> > Mark
> >
>
> Mark,
> The big orange one I would guess is a Metriaclima estherae (Or
> Pseudotropheus zebra "red" or Red Zebra). The yellow striped ones are
either
> Pseudotropheus crabro or some species of Melanochromis I'd guess,
depending on
> which way the stripes run.

If it's crabro, as they get older, expect your other tropicals to become
lunch 8-).

[Mousetater]

"Amateur" > wrote in message
. com...
>
> "Mousetater" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Aquarium owner all of my life, I am just now turned onto Cichlids. I
have
> > introduced 3 into my community tank of general tropicals. To my
amazement,
> > they're all getting along very well. 30 gallon well established.
> > Cichlids are just more beautiful and lively. The 3 I have are
African.
> > one big orange one, (no real names yet) and 2 black and yellow striped
ones.
> > What's my limitations? as far as with the tropicals?
> > Mark
> >
>
> Mark,
> The big orange one I would guess is a Metriaclima estherae (Or
> Pseudotropheus zebra "red" or Red Zebra). The yellow striped ones are
either
> Pseudotropheus crabro or some species of Melanochromis I'd guess,
depending on
> which way the stripes run. These fish are of the Mbuna category from Lake
Malawi
> and do best in hard alkaline water. Not usually the best water for most
> tropicals. What you can eventually expect in a 30 gallon tank is your new
fish,
> as they grow and get comfortable to start fighting for territory, harass
you
> tropicals till they get overly stressed an die, and fight each other until
the
> dominant fish is the only one left in the tank. That would be the typical
> scenario. With any luck you won't have those problems. It'll all depend on
water
> quality and luck of the draw on fish personality. If you do weekly water
> changes, your fish will grow faster, eventually reaching a length of six
inches
> or so. I'm guessing them to be about the two inch mark now. The fastere
they
> grow, the faster you'll start experiencing dominance problems. Check out
my
> site, www.amateurcichlids.com the cichlid-forum www.cichlid-forum.com and
> Cichlid recipe www.cichlidrecipe.com/cichlidrecipe/ and look through some
of the
> fish profiles to get an idea what it is you purchased. Research is the key
to
> happily keeping cichlids. (African and otherwise). They're wonderful fish
to
> keep and not at all difficult with a little research.
> Enjoy,
> AmateurCichlids
>
> >
>
>

This "alkaline" thing is a concern. My tank is established. once a month I
clean the sides, leave the algae on the back,
and top off the water. RARELY if ever do I do a water change. My tank
stays clear and looks good. I rarely loose a fish. They all eat and are
happy. I'm really reluctant to start checking/adjusting ph unless I have
to. Do you reckon the cichlids will grow/survive in such a habitat? all
the others are. tetras/barbs/blind cavefish/leopardfish, pictus cat, total
about 12 in there now.
I'm just sold on cichlids, they seem like their more fun. hid/seem to play
and definatly move quicker. voracious eaters.
Mark

[Amateur]

"Mousetater" > wrote in message
...
>
> This "alkaline" thing is a concern. My tank is established. once a month I
> clean the sides, leave the algae on the back,
> and top off the water. RARELY if ever do I do a water change. My tank
> stays clear and looks good. I rarely loose a fish. They all eat and are
> happy. I'm really reluctant to start checking/adjusting ph unless I have
> to. Do you reckon the cichlids will grow/survive in such a habitat? all
> the others are. tetras/barbs/blind cavefish/leopardfish, pictus cat, total
> about 12 in there now.
> I'm just sold on cichlids, they seem like their more fun. hid/seem to play
> and definatly move quicker. voracious eaters.
> Mark
>
>

Mark,
It'd be worthwhile to read up on the nitrogen cycle. That is the breaking
down of ammonia into nitrites and nitrites into nitrates. Nitrate levels if they
build up to high enough levels can cause health problems in fish. That's what
the water changes are for. We're not talking about breaking down the tank, etc,
but changing 20% of the water once a week. Water conditions may or may not be a
problem. You may have naturally hard, alkaline water. There was a post on pH a
few days ago where I went over the details on pH. Consistency in water
parameters is the most important for immediate health. pH being too low may
affect long term health. Tank size will eventually become a problem. Research is
your best friend here. Hit the net. If you want an excellent book that won't
break the bank, pick up Enjoying Cichlids 2nd edition. It's edited by Ad Konings
and written by him and 12 other experts in the aquaria field.
AmateurCichlids

[T]

Definantly, I agree with Amauter... Read read read and read some more... I
would the majority of your tropicals are going to be lunch once the Cic's
get large enough.. Although, I had a group of rosey barbs that did well for
the longest time, also my Tinfoil barbs did excellent with them, ( until of
course they managed to get so big ) ..

Where di you live? Chances are your not going to have to adjust the pH
if you live in North America or main land Europe ( from what I have read,
the water on the continental Europe is fairly hard as well ). My africans
enjoy a pH of 7.8, which is close to the reconmended pH of 8 the fish are
"supposed" to be in..
Happy Cichlid keeping...

Tim...
"Amateur" > wrote in message
m...
>
> "Mousetater" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > This "alkaline" thing is a concern. My tank is established. once a
month I
> > clean the sides, leave the algae on the back,
> > and top off the water. RARELY if ever do I do a water change. My tank
> > stays clear and looks good. I rarely loose a fish. They all eat and
are
> > happy. I'm really reluctant to start checking/adjusting ph unless I
have
> > to. Do you reckon the cichlids will grow/survive in such a habitat?
all
> > the others are. tetras/barbs/blind cavefish/leopardfish, pictus cat,
total
> > about 12 in there now.
> > I'm just sold on cichlids, they seem like their more fun. hid/seem to
play
> > and definatly move quicker. voracious eaters.
> > Mark
> >
> >
>
> Mark,
> It'd be worthwhile to read up on the nitrogen cycle. That is the
breaking
> down of ammonia into nitrites and nitrites into nitrates. Nitrate levels
if they
> build up to high enough levels can cause health problems in fish. That's
what
> the water changes are for. We're not talking about breaking down the tank,
etc,
> but changing 20% of the water once a week. Water conditions may or may not
be a
> problem. You may have naturally hard, alkaline water. There was a post on
pH a
> few days ago where I went over the details on pH. Consistency in water
> parameters is the most important for immediate health. pH being too low
may
> affect long term health. Tank size will eventually become a problem.
Research is
> your best friend here. Hit the net. If you want an excellent book that
won't
> break the bank, pick up Enjoying Cichlids 2nd edition. It's edited by Ad
Konings
> and written by him and 12 other experts in the aquaria field.
> AmateurCichlids
>
>

[Chip]

Try adding one of Neolamprologus tretocephalus
You will see many interesting behavior in your tank




"Amateur" > wrote in message >...
> "Mousetater" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Aquarium owner all of my life, I am just now turned onto Cichlids. I have
> > introduced 3 into my community tank of general tropicals. To my amazement,
> > they're all getting along very well. 30 gallon well established.
> > Cichlids are just more beautiful and lively. The 3 I have are African.
> > one big orange one, (no real names yet) and 2 black and yellow striped ones.
> > What's my limitations? as far as with the tropicals?
> > Mark
> >
>
> Mark,
> The big orange one I would guess is a Metriaclima estherae (Or
> Pseudotropheus zebra "red" or Red Zebra). The yellow striped ones are either
> Pseudotropheus crabro or some species of Melanochromis I'd guess, depending on
> which way the stripes run. These fish are of the Mbuna category from Lake Malawi
> and do best in hard alkaline water. Not usually the best water for most
> tropicals. What you can eventually expect in a 30 gallon tank is your new fish,
> as they grow and get comfortable to start fighting for territory, harass you
> tropicals till they get overly stressed an die, and fight each other until the
> dominant fish is the only one left in the tank. That would be the typical
> scenario. With any luck you won't have those problems. It'll all depend on water
> quality and luck of the draw on fish personality. If you do weekly water
> changes, your fish will grow faster, eventually reaching a length of six inches
> or so. I'm guessing them to be about the two inch mark now. The fastere they
> grow, the faster you'll start experiencing dominance problems. Check out my
> site, www.amateurcichlids.com the cichlid-forum www.cichlid-forum.com and
> Cichlid recipe www.cichlidrecipe.com/cichlidrecipe/ and look through some of the
> fish profiles to get an idea what it is you purchased. Research is the key to
> happily keeping cichlids. (African and otherwise). They're wonderful fish to
> keep and not at all difficult with a little research.
> Enjoy,
> AmateurCichlids
>
> >

[Amateur]

"Chip" > wrote in message
om...
> Try adding one of Neolamprologus tretocephalus
> You will see many interesting behavior in your tank
>

Thanks for the great advice Chip. I always look forward to informed and
knowledgeable responses from you. I'll unfortunately have to pass on the N.
tretocephalus at this time however, since I'm in the process of emptying tanks
before I move. Once I get set up again, I'll consider them and study more on
your unique methods of fishkeeping.
Amateur