Confused by LFS!

M

Matt W

AC Members
Jul 30, 2003
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Jacksonville, FL
codewalkers.com
OK...so I have a 20gallon cycling right now and have been planning on what fish I am going to have in there. I already have a community 55g, so I thought I would go with cichlids.

So, after tons of research and the very helpful cichlid recipe, I thought I had it all planned out. Here is what I was thinking:

3 - (1male/2female) Aulonocara nyassae

6 - Julidochromis transcriptus

6 - Harlequin Rasboras (thanks for the photos Molino!)

1 - dwarf bristlenose pl*co


So, the problem comes in when I go to my LFS, actually two different LFS's.

The first one tells me that I shouldn't put just 3 nygassae's in the tank...I should put 12-15 of them in there and let them battle it out and end up with only 8-9 left. Of course, I left this place in a hurry. This, btw, was a LFS that specialized in cichlids! :eek:

The second LFS told me that the transcriptus and the nygassae would never get along and I was crazy for thinking they would do well in there. He instead told me I should put 8-9 nyassae's and a single clown loach in there. I mentioned that cloan loach's enjoy company and he said it didn't matter.

So, now I ask AC. What do YOU think of the fish I propose? Will it work?

thanks in advance!
 
I think you MIGHT be ok with the peacocks, but they get to be about 6 inches apeice. I have no real experience with africans but I have been told that mixing lakes is not good. I would go all malawi or all tanganyika not both. thats just my .02 but its prolly worth about .01
 
Mixing lakes mixes behavior patterns, but can be done with the more peaceful species...maybe...

Rasboras won't go too well in a rift lake setting, as they are acidophilic fish.

I would not mix Julies with anything that might like their same niche...they are known to be aggressive.
 
when the lfs dude said to put 12 in and let them battle it out, this is probably so you could find the dominant male so it would be easier to breed. it probably would help the breeding, but it is a big waste of money and there is probably a better way to do this.

i dont know about putting peacocks in a 20 gal. seems a bit small for them.

i wouold go with tangs, they are generally smaller and that would be better suited for a 20 gal.

is it a long or high?
 
I think he was referring to fish from lake tanganyika
 
I'm glad you followed the # 1 rule in fish keeping "Do not trust any fish store employee". Unfortunately a 20 gallon high is going to be a challenge for keeping most cichlids since they like the floor space and don't care to much about height. Like other people have said I have to agree that your tank is to small for any Peacock's but there are some Tang's you could try. Maybe a Neolamprologous Brichardi pair. The pair will have fry and the fry help raising and protecting the next batch of fry when they hatch and so on. Get a Bristlenose for clean up (algea and left over foods). If you go that route buy from a store that will take fish back from you and buy about six let them pair up and remove the rest once a pair has formed. Or the pair will remove them for you.
Also try a site called www.cichlid-forum.com there are also lots of experienced people on there board. Good luck
 
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