Looking for some info on African cichlids, suggestions pleas

[NjOyRiD]

looking for a site that will help me know what type of fish that i can put together or just general information for a lake malawi ecosystem

[mseguin]

malawimayhem.com is good, cichlidforum. There's gotta be a million, just do a search.

[artw]

what do you want to know?  I am sure the combined experience of the folks here would help you equal to if not more, than going to another site.

[NjOyRiD]

I'd liek to know what is the ideal ph, the temparature, what kind of cichlids can go together, humm what should i have in the tank so that they wont die...

[NjOyRiD]

ok so what i understood is:
ph: 7.5 - 8.8
gh: 4-6
kh: 6-8
temp: 76-79
AC filter is good enough for my 55g

mbuna and rock dwellers has to go together and needs more rocks

haps and peacocks together and you dont need that much rocks...

anything else i should know?

[NjOyRiD]

with all my readings, I,ll stay with some haps and peacocks
my question is, should i keep them in pairs or in shoal?

[maitre007]

I don't know about the other water parameters but you should double check your info about the filters.  Usually for malawi or any other africans cichlids, you ought to have at least twice the recommendated filtration system.

In other words for a 55 gallon aquarium, you should have filters for a 110 gallon aquarium.

[NjOyRiD]

k thanx...
heres what it looks like at the moment, is it alright?

[gvv]

ok so what i understood is:
ph: 7.5 - 8.8
gh: 4-6
kh: 6-8
temp: 76-79

Temp is 25-29 (75-84?)on the surface, 22 (72?) in deep.
If you need it - visibility is 20m

[NjOyRiD]

how do i do 25-29 on top and 22 at the bottom in a 55g tank?

[gvv]

Just kidding
Do you want to know the conductivity of Malawi Lake?

[mseguin]

It is interesting however to note the differences between Lakes Tangyanika and Malawi in that respect, in that Tang has almost noe thermal stratification -> no vertical currents -> no oxygenation in deep waters (and hydrogen sulphide concentrations high in the depths)-> no fish under about 600 feet.

[pegasus]

ok so what i understood is:
ph: 7.5 - 8.8
gh: 4-6
kh: 6-8
temp: 76-79
AC filter is good enough for my 55g

mbuna and rock dwellers has to go together and needs more rocks

haps and peacocks together and you dont need that much rocks...

anything else i should know?

Fine .. Now get some wild africans or just dump some tank raised africans in any hard water with a ph above 7.4 and 75F. It's that easy ... Ok your success depends on one more thing... That is  GET A SECOND TANK!

My grandauther calls it " the time out tank " If a fish gets too aggressive, that's were it goes.

All my tanks have fish of different lakes, sizes, colors and genus. Because I breed them I don't want two hap in the same tank with females. (plus female hap tend to look alike)

Most of it is just common sense. When I added a 2" leleupi with 4-7" mbuna, I had the second tank ready. I also changed the landscaping by adding smaller caves for the sole use of the leleupi. I doubled my tropheus colony last weekend without problem because there is also 6 hap, one frontosa, one leleupi , one yellow lab and 4 tretocephalus in that tank to break any serious tropheus aggression.

My advice... Stop reading, visit instead some of the african keepers. Put your sea-doo in the Petite Nation, turn left on the Outtaouais river, do a portage at the Chaudiere and we'll take a walk from the Aylmer marina.

See you soon

[NjOyRiD]

haha that would be great!
with what i should srtat with?
my set up is it alright?
thanx

[NjOyRiD]

you sell some fish right?

[artw]

looks fine to me N,
might wanna throw a background on that tank,  black garbage bags or black bristol board taped on work well...
otherwise the tank and its setup looks great.  Pegasus, and others here, can hook you up with fish (Avoid the pet store!)

[pegasus]

Your setup is fine for mostly fish of the same size, a couple flat rocks leaning on others would offer caves to smaller fish.

From my tanks, the Red Zebra, crabro and C44 are mature 4"+ , they are cheap and would get you started right away. Too bad a ran out of tretocephalus.(present batch is only .5" not ready till Sept.)

For the rest, you have this forum, even better is our mini-auction, specialy if you post a request on this board a few days before the meeting.

Good luck  

[pegasus]

aSmallFish's Salousi would be a great addition. His acei would also be fine if you take my advice of adding smaller caves.

Please note that at our price you can always put them back in the classifieds without a big monetary lost.

[NjOyRiD]

I bought 2 today..LOL have no idea what kind they are..I paid 6$ each! Wow, a love their temperament, the wau they swim...why i havent went in africans sooner..LOL

so eyah they are both albinos...LOL what kind are they..have no idea

[NjOyRiD]

i tried to see the pictures on fishbase.org and i cant find them, what are their scientif names? thanx

[maitre007]

i remember when i first got my first aquarium two and half years ago.  all the aquarium book that i bought talk about all the african cichlid addicts in the hobby.

so i initially made the decision not to buy african cichlid to try and swim against the tide.  that lasted about ohhhh a month.  

now i am trying to figure out the same thing why people in the hobby don't convert.  african cichlid are truly amazing.

[mseguin]

I like Tangs quite a bit, looking to keep a few of those in the hopefully not too distant future. Malawis are cool too, but I'm not looking to convert to those anytime soon. You'll never convert me from South American dwarves to Malawi. I just love the Apisto's too much.

[dannypd]

so i initially made the decision not to buy african cichlid to try and swim against the tide.  that lasted about ohhhh a month.  

It's all about the deadly fish...poisonous puffers, pirahnas, etc.  That's my preference...

[pegasus]

I love Apisto... but they don't interact like Africans do.
In a PM I was ask if it was true that I keep my Africans all mix up.
This picture is from such a tank.. and they even breed in it. You'll find Tangs, Mbuna, Hap & 2 M Tropheus.
Presently the Rusty, Red Empress,Yellow Lab & C44 are holding.

[artw]

Pegasus that is a beautiful tank!!! I hope to God you are on the home show list.
(that reminds me.  I need to start videotaping.)

[pegasus]

Sorry Art it's not a show tank, more of a holding and growing tank. I would never put a ceramic tree truck if it was not for all the hidding place it offer. Nevertheless it's the most interesting tank for sure. The one that break all the rules & myths.

[pegasus]

This morning I gave away more than 50 mature red zebra and crabro because this tank is going nuts and I'll need space soon. I call this tank 75A

Here's my breeding logs for the last 10 days (Watch for the 75A)
May 2  75A Stip Red Empress
      3  40 Large stuartgranti holding
      4   40 Second large stuartgranti
      6   75A Yellow Lab
      8   75A Strip Rusty
      9   75A C44
     10  75A Red Empress
     11  10  2 brods of brichardi at the same time
     12  75 B Red Empress
     12  40 Kaiser II (maybe)
     13  20 Hueseri
     13  75B LemonJake
     13  75A LemonJake
     14  75A Salousi  (first time)
     14  75A Lithobates

That's 6 Females holding in this tank
My tangs are egglayers and need more privacy for breeding and will be moved.
The Tropheus & demasoni are bachelors.
The C. morrii are due.
The estherae & socolofi (Well I don't care)

Don't ask me what the temperature, ph or hardness for this tank, I'll make a test when they stop breeding or die.

[dannypd]

Don't ask me what the temperature, ph or hardness for this tank, I'll make a test when they stop breeding or die.

:lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

[Jackdempsey]

i can answer a lot of questions for you as i have 5 African tanks setup and 2 south American tanks , if you need to know anything just ask

[Mettle]

I've never seen the appeal of Africans myself. D'know. I guess I'm not converted yet. I love the personality of the large CA/SA cichlids and also the puffers. Dream fish is a fahaka puffer.

What's it with the Africans that drive people so crazy?

[dannypd]

I've never seen the appeal of Africans myself. D'know. I guess I'm not converted yet. I love the personality of the large CA/SA cichlids and also the puffers. Dream fish is a fahaka puffer.

What's it with the Africans that drive people so crazy?

The way they are always active I guess?

I prefer the aggresiveness and/or intelligence of my fish.., how many fish can you feed with your fingers??? and NOT lose any?? lol

Also, I used to love fahaka puffers, but they are too fragile...too smart and become lazy, lol.  I find them very prone to deseases and early death from simple things like.....lack of heat!

[pegasus]

...
What's it with the Africans that drive people so crazy?

For one that has only Africans (except the 2 special JD) I don't consider myself crazy for them. I kept guppies, mollies, swordtail & company in the 50's mid 60's but will never again. Did Central Americans till early 80's and loved them. The Africans, are from 1969 till now. I like the exotic, the variety, the breeding challenges, their interaction and mostly breaking all the so-called expert written rules. :twisted: If I did not need all my tanks for my Africans, I would get discus (damm no! I would need 2 or 3 tanks for breeding). Oscar.. more tanks but what a fish! Central American, love them but where would I  put all those 300 severum babies. Ah.. Apistos, Rams love their colors, but do I realy want to get plants (I kill plants just looking at them) then I would miss the diversity, the interaction and the different forms that the Africans are offering me. Killies don't live long enough and  bettas .. well 150-300 plastic cup for tanks...

So I'm back to my Africans and maybe because I love breeding so much ( I don't call myself a breeder) and I can manage them.