New Tank, New to Cichlids

"Keith Hatfull" wrote in message
om...
Hi,

Considering the setup of a new 55G with Africans. Kept lots of SA
cichlids and community tanks as a kid but no Africans. Just a couple
of questions to ground myself:

- Do Africans like a lot of cover in the tank? I'm big into rocks and
stuff and building little caves and overhangs...that a good
environment?
- In a 55G I was considering an Emporer 400 for filtration. Would I
be better served by two Emporer 280s to provide backup and to provide
water movement in two plces in the tank?
- Do Africans like water movement? I usually like to hide a powerhead
somewhere low and shoot the output towards the surface. Would that
bother them?
- Would the dimensions of a 65G be better in this case? 55s are cheap
and ubiquitous...but tall and thin.

Thanks all, I appreciate any help.

-Keith


Keith,
In answer to all your questions, yes, no maybe. =) When people speak of
African Cichlids, the first thing that comes to mind are the species found
in the Rift Lakes. More specifically, the group of cichlids from Lake Malawi
known as Mbuna. If this is the group you're referring to, then yes, they do
like cover, they love rocks and caves. An emperor 400 is sufficient
filtration for a 55 gallon provided it's not overstocked. Mbuna don't mind
water movement but don't need it either. Movement is good for keeping debris
from sitting on the bottom where the filter can't pick it up. A 65 gallon
would definitely be better suited to most Mbuna over the 55 gallon. The
footprint of a 55 gallon unlike the 65, 75 and 90's made by All-glass, is
really not suited for most Mbuna. You could get away with the non-herbivore
Labidochromis species, some of the Cynotilapia species and Iodotropheus, but
most of the species like Metriaclima, Psuedotropheus, Labeotropheus,
Tropheops, etc, would do better in a 75 gallon tank or larger. (65 I believe
has the same foot print. and lacks a bit in height. This should work also).
The Mbuna however are the tip of the iceberg when it comes to African
cichlids. If you forget about the West African riverine cichlids, which
would be similar to the South Americans in many cases, there are hundreds of
species of cichlids to pick from out of the Rift Lakes. Goby cichlids from
Lake Tanganyika for instance would like water movement. They usually stay
towards the surf zone and require well oxygenated water. Fish like
Cyprichromis from Lake Tanganyika wouldn't care about rocks and caves, but
they'd appreciate some type of vegetation cover if for nothing more but some
relief from the lights. Dimidichromis from Lake Malawi would appreciate a
tank planted with Valisneria which they use to ambush prey from. I could go
on and on.......
I suggest checking out some sites and seeing what type of fish appeal to
you. Look at breeding habits, diet, tank decor requirements and see what you
like. Then research each individual fish. Even among species like
Labidochromis, you'll see large differences among the subspecies.
Labidochromis caeruleus or "Yellow Labids" are fairly even tempered and are
primarily insectivores. Often listed as fish that are considered peaceful,
(although I'd disagree). Where Labidochromis sp "mbamba" are herbivores.
They're more aggressive and don't follow the stereotype you think of when
people speak of Labidochromis species.
Some sites you can check out:

Mine of course. =) http://www.amateurcichlids.com/index.php
Cichlid-Forum http://www.cichlid-forum.com
Duboisi.com http://www.duboisi.com
Fishaholics http://www.fishaholics.org
Plus a google search will turn up a few hundred more sites. Good luck with
your research.
Amateur