New Set up...Suggestions?

[crissyg]

Hey guys!
I know that this question has been asked over and over and over. So one more time will not hurt, right? I am starting a new tank..55 gal. I have ordered a new canister filter, the cichlid gravel, many other common supplies, and rocks tht I have found on hiking trips along streams and rivers.

Ok, first question...how should I clean the rocks? I have scrubbed them numerous times in plan water. Should I do something else?

Second question...I am looking for some cichlids that are very vibrant. I have saw several "red emresses" and they are amazing. The spectrum of colors is beautiful. Any suggestions on how to stock my tank? Again, I want some color but I do not want to put in anything that is not compatable. Are Plecos compatable? How many fish should I have?

Guys, I appreciate all of your help.

[MIKE D]

I boiled all my rocks. I picked them out of a lake and the ocean and all of my fish are still alive.

[jac]

Yeah deffo soak anything in boiling water, that'll do the trick.

Electric yellow cichlids would be very bright and colourful and are one of the most peaceful of the mbuna species so would be a good choice.

[SDRANGER619]

What is Cichlid gravel?

[crissyg]

http://www.caribsea.com/pages/products/cichlid.html

I ordered the gravel.

[SDRANGER619]

Cool, thanks

[killieskid]

its a african cichlid mix, mine is from CaribSea, its supposed to be like the natral substrate they lived in , it has broken sea shells and a certain type of rock. I like it and recommend. it puts more natral PH in the water.

[jm1212]

try clavus or conpreciceps.

[Coler]

www.cichlidforum.com (http://www.cichlidforum.com)

check the profiles & see what you like...there's a lot of good advice back here when you get an idea for what you're thinking of trying.

Red Empress will do well with aulonocara peacock cichlids which are also from lake malawi. The peacocks are generally a bit more peaceful than the mbuna.

[Nolapete]

You'd probably like a tank full of male peacock cichlids. There are a lot of vibrant colors.

A. calvus and A. compressiceps have unique shapes that are interesting.

[crissyg]

Ok, How about a LABIDOCHROMIS CAERULEUS (LION'S COVE 1), EUREKA PEACOCK, PROTOMELAS TAENIOLATUS , and a pleco? How many of each would be good? Will these get along?


:help:

THanks guys!

[Coler]

generally better not to mix mbuna with peacocks or haps - different habitats, habitats and tank requirements (lots of rockwork for the mbuna, open swimming space for the others). But, you can certainly try it (I did it myself in my tank and find the mbuna keep to themselves and so do the peacocks. Mine is an all male tank).

however, I think the labs and the jacobfreibergi (eureka) would be ok together...if you did a group of each it would be in a ratio of 1 male to 3 or 4 females and would certainly be an interesting tank.

now the protomelas taeniolatus gets to be about 9 inches so that's quite a bit bigger...the males are very territorial when breeding so having females could be a problem in that size tank (group of 4/5 potentially 8-9 inch fish takes up a lot of room and with the spawning aggression may cause difficulties with other fish)...if you wanted to try one then just do the one male maybe.

The thing about the haps and aulonocara (peacocks) is that the females are really very drab...basically they're mostly stripey brown That's why unless you have a really big tank with enough space for an awful lot of fish it can be difficult to get a nice colour mix.

If I was you I'd do an all male peacock tank - fabulous colours. Pick 10 - 12 male peacocks with differing colourations and go with that.

Or I'd do a mbuna mix of labidochromis caerulues, pseudotropheus socolofi, psuedotropheus acei ngara or tanzania, an albino species (psuedotropheus socolofi or pseudotropheus macrothalmus both come in albino) and iodotropheus sperengae (rusty cichdlid).

1 male and 3/4 females of each of those would give you (in the order listed above) yellow, powder blue, purple/black with white trim, white and a wonderful rusty/purple if you can get nice rusty; and no seriously aggressive species amongst them.

Nice black substrate (or natural if you prefer), rockwork and black background; would look spectacular...nearly rivalling marine fish for colour...man...I'm gonna do that set-up myself !

[crissyg]

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I would like to go with the all Male Peacocks. Any suggestions on purchasing? Our LPS do not carry a variety of fish. They have only a few of "African cichids" and Oscars. Is mail order successful?

[elementkid65]

sunshine peacoks are yellow peacoks they are heaps good they are peiceful

[Nolapete]

Aquabid.com is a source for fish. I successfully order my albino ancistrus from someone on there.

By the way, no plecos with africans. Synodontis sp. catfish go with africans.

[Derek3975]

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u300/thedoctor06/Tank001.jpg
Here's pic of mine, and a stocking list

Stocking list:
1 M Hai reef
1 pr Lemon Jake
1 M S. Freyeri
1 M O. Lithobates
1 pr Flametails
1 M OB peacock
1 M Eureka red
1 pr Stuartgranti Maleri
1 pr labeotropheus trewavassae
1 pr Bicolor 500
1 Jewel cichlid (the misfit)

[Visualeyes2]

like you, i gathered lots of rocks from hiking trips as well. boiling is the way to go. if you boil a bunch of them, it will take a while and it's messy so keep that in mind for planning purposes.

as far as stocking the tank, i'd go with african cichlids from lake malawi: i.e. red zebras, kenyi, blue zebras, most anything from the pseudotropheus family would work and give you a lot to choose from with lots of color. in a 55, i'd put between 6 and 8 of them in there, give them lots of places to hide.