29gal cichlid tank

[Seanc]

hi
i'm setting up a 29gal aquarium for my little sis , for christmas. I was looking into geting her some cichlids, because they are both very colorful, and have personalitys,wich are the two things she likes. i was thinking about geting some yelow labs, or Julidochromis transcriptus, or both, if posible. I am planing to get some of the pool filter sand for the substrate. is this god idea? what should i get? could i have two pairs in a 29 gal?
thanks
sean

[darkdep]

You're fine with the Labs in that setup for sure.  

Downsides to the Transcriptus tho...they are aggressive, and might put a beating on your Labs.  Also, they require VERY hard / high pH water...be sure to take that into account.

[FishBuddy]

Seanc, if you are looking for pool sand, try Mermaid over on Ogilvie...  I've shop around everywhere looking for pool sand but most of the pool stores don't carry them anymore (it's the end of the season)...  But I know Mermaid has some left and they are selling a 50lbs bag for $8, I think.....

[pegasus]

My Transcriptus are docile but knows how to protect their nest. They were breeding in my 55 upstairs among calvus, compressicep, salousi, copachromis (breeding), codapunk, demasoni, tretocephalus, snowball & bn plecos, leleupi (breeding) & 2 albino jake.

[rockgarden]

A trip to see Pegasus's basement is a worthwhile venture at any time.  Not quite as neat and tidy as mine   but Michel definitely knows how to put African Cichlids into every room of the house and all the corners of his basement.

ROn

[Seanc]

You're fine with the Labs in that setup for sure.  

Downsides to the Transcriptus tho...they are aggressive, and might put a beating on your Labs.

i read that they can't or have a very hard time doing anything but chasing other fish because they have relatively small mouths, also i have a lot of rocks with holes in them so there should be plenty of hidie places.but i will do some more reading. thanks for the source for sand FishBuddy, i will check it out.

[kennyman]

Labs like most Mbuna are polygomous. They dont pair off. A male claims a teritory (entire tank floor of 29g) and females are transiant. Labs grow to 6" in a year or so and should live for 8 years or more if kept happy.  Once you put suficent rockwork and substrate in there you will have about 20g of water

[Seanc]

ok couls i have two female labs, and a pair of Julidochromis transcriptus? oes having only 20 gal of water afect much? wont it be better then a 29 gal without any rockwork? so i could till keep the same amount of fish?

[repeej]

Labs and Transcriptus are from two separate lakes and "should" be kept in seperate tanks...but that's just a good rule of thumb.

[darkdep]

"should"...yes, if you're a biotope kinda guy.  A lot of African purists like to "keep the lakes seperate", but it's not usually a problem.

[repeej]

"should"...yes, if you're a biotope kinda guy.  A lot of African purists like to "keep the lakes seperate", but it's not usually a problem.

Purist eh?  Who you callin' a purist?  :?

[darkdep]

Oh, no, I didn't mean like that  

I meant, that when doing a lot of "African Reading", you'll often come across opinions that the lakes be kept seperate.  I wasn't accusing you of being pure, in any stretch of the definition.

(ducks)

[repeej]

I'm kidding man.

I'm far from pure.  BUT my tangs and Mbuna do reside in seperate quarters.

[darkdep]

I figured as much.  You gotta be careful with text messages tho, sometimes my sarcasm doesn't come across properly

The only tang I have is an S. Multipunctatus catfish, he's in with my cobalts and labs (and doesn't seem to mind).

[repeej]

Mine are seperate for now but if Papa Brichardi doesn't settle down and stop being so bossy he's going to go spend some time in Mbuna purgatory to see what bossy is all about.

[pegasus]

Mine are seperate for now but if Papa Brichardi doesn't settle down and stop being so bossy he's going to go spend some time in Mbuna purgatory to see what bossy is all about.

Ya do just that! Then you'll see the regani take over, or will it be the dickfeldi? Soon you will end up with 3 mixted tanks.  
Don't worry for the brichardi, soon as his father did, he'll put the mbuna to their corner. Didn't you see the fangs on those tangs?

I'm the purist..... Africans with Africans
Ooops.... forgot the Apisto with the Brichardi & Leleupi
Ooops.... forgot blood parrot with the tropheus
Ooops.... forgot ... Does pleco & snails count?

[rockgarden]

Acronyms.  Acronyms.  In my world of SW and FW, tangs are a completely different fish


EDIT: Okay - abbreviations, abbreviations or whatever.

Ron

[repeej]

In my world of SW and FW, tangs are a completely different fish

Do your tangs have fangs?  :lol:

[kennyman]

I know it gets too much airplay sometimes but the feeding issue is still alive and well in my tanks. I had some health issues, lost 2 Pseudos to bloat, and the rest were gettig white stringy poop. I switched to a veggie only food and there was 100% turn around inside one week. I do not believe I could put something else that needs a meatier diet in with those Pseudos and keep the same quallity of health.

[pegasus]

My mbuna get more meat/shrimp than veggies and I don't know what bloat is, mind you, I'm more careful when it comes to wild caught. I know, I'm feeding them what all books and articles on the subject do not recommend but I'm not getting their horror stories. Maybe it's all in the careful preparation of the meaty recipe and maybe in the way it's given to them.

[Seanc]

i think i'm going to get the labs and the Transcriptus, but a little later on, i'm just going to give my sis the 15 gal and give here something easy to keep, so i don't end up doing all the work for her tank.