New Tank Setup-Few Questions.

[Dakotax]

Hey,

I've just posted in the intro forum, but I want to post here for some specific questions I have about my soon to be tank. First I'll let you know what I have since I don't know if my signature will work yet.

My set-up so far is: 40G Tall tank, Penguin 200-bio-wheel filter, "Arogonite" substrate, Two large pieces of lace rock, and a few smaller pieces.

I am planning on making this an African Cichlid tank. Cichlids have always interested me due to their territorial behavior and bright colours.

So here are my general questions:

1-Which, if there are any, are the best cycling fish to use before adding your cichlids?
2-How many cichlids should I put in the tank when I first purchase them?
3-What type of light should I get to enhance colour while not taking away from health of fish?(currently have a life-glo).
4-What size pleco should be purchased to co-operate with the cichlids, and when should it be introduced. (ie. before algae appears or after?).
5-I have some very nice contrasting pieces of sea shells, are they fine after being boiled to be placed in the tank with cichlids?(how will they effect, pH and hardness?)

Thats all I can think of for now. Oh any advice for a first time cichlid owner would be great, tricks tips, hints, anything.

-X

[DeRo316]

You don't have to cycle with fish, you can just feed the tank like there were fish in it and that will create/feed the bacteria that you need. If you want to use fish I've used danios. All you need is an ammonia source.

If you want africans go with all males or 1m/3f. Males have the color so I always just get males, unless I want breeding. In a 40g tall I would go with maybe 8-10 fish overall, maybe start out with 3-4. Make sure you have plenty of caves and hiding spots.

You dont need a pleco. If you want one I would go with one of the exotics. I have a gold nugget and I love it, but keep in mind some exotics NEED a good amount of wood in the tank to survive. Plecos with africans can be tricky, especially in a tall tank. They may leave it, or nip it to death. My gold nugget has never had nips and has been in the tank over a year with no problems.

The shells will be fine, boiling them will kill everything. Africans like an elevated Ph, the shells may help, but wont hurt.

[dbcb314]

I have actually seen someone cycle a tank with africans...


but zebra danios are cheap as hell and unkillable... so they are perfect cycle fish

[Nolapete]

Do a fishless cycle, it is just as easy and doesn't damage any fish in the process. If you know anyone who has a cycled tank, ask them for a few handfuls of gravel to cycle your tank with.

Plecos don't go with africans...period! They have completely different water requirements. Synodontis catfish are african and are what you would want to keep with africans.


African stocking depends on what type you want. Mbunas require heavy stocking to keep down aggression. Other types vary. What types do you like?

[Dakotax]

African stocking depends on what type you want. Mbunas require heavy stocking to keep down aggression. Other types vary. What types do you like?

The colorful ones lol. In all honestly I don't really know the names of the cichlids carried at my local petstore. We don't have a petsmart, or petcetera just a local petvalu. The tags on the shelf just say. African/south american, and so on.


I am going to go back to the store tonight since I have a few things to pick up. I will find out the names hopefully when I am there.

[Nolapete]

Well, you might want to either take some pics, look up what they are from memory, or ask them what they actually are. African/south american labeling is silly.

[mostlycichlids]

If it is Mbuna you want I would recommend a 55g as a minimum. A 40g tall tank don't have a big enough foot print in my opinion. I would go with some dwarf SA cichlids or some shell dwellers or something to that effect. Also a very common practice is to overstock Mbuna cichlids. This does not have to be done to have a successful Mbuna tank. You can very easily do a all male tank and not overstock as stated earlier in this thread. I would still advise to go with something less agressive then Mbuna especially in a tall 40 gallon tank.

A apisto and ram tank would be nice or a large group of 10-15 shell dwellers would make for a nice tank as well.

[Dakotax]

Yeah I fully understand that the "assorted african cichlid" labels are ridiculous but that's what I get to work with.

[mostlycichlids]

Most of the mixed african tanks are hybrids.