55 gal tank

[NatakuTseng]

Figured you would bring that profile into play, well take a look, there has been some question as to the validity to many of those profiles, that is just one. Should be a thread in the disscussion forum about it (the profiles in general)

Tangs and Malawis do not mix, there is a reason why you don't find ANY species in both lakes. Diet is one of the main reasons, hmm most Malawis will not tollerate high protein levels in their foods, screws up their digestive system, yet Tangs need (most of them) high protein diets, not the vegan diets of (most) malawis. Another issue is agressiveness/size. MOST Tangs (available to the public at any given time) remain on the small side, and are no where near as agressive as their Malawi cousins, if you put tangs in with Malawis, in general, you won't see the tangs much, they will hide. Anyone who advocates mixing species from the two lakes is advocating a potential problem, and is not taking the health of the fish into consideration. So keep hittin yourself in the head with that hammer and maybe some day it will knock some sense into your all knowing head.

Just as a final note, those "opinions" many of them have come from some of the foremost breeders/importers in the country dealing with those species of fish, as well as first hand expirience, and knowledge obtained by reading about issues dealing directly with these things. Then again, they are just opinions, tell some of the best breeders in the country they are wrong though.

 

[sezaro21]

NatakaTseng and I are the only two that realize that a 55 isn't good for an Oscar. Sure it could live there but that doesn't mean that it will be happy. As for the african cichlids, NatakaTseng is right again. You can't mix the two because they have totally different needs. The size and the diets. If you want a cichlid tank then you should decide on one lake of fish and that's it. Any true cichlid lover knows that. It's careless people who mix the two. Before you start giving out advise on what type of fish to put in do the RESEARCH. NatakaTseng, I must say that you are very wise in what you say and if I everhave a question about cichlids I'll definately ask you.

 

[jrd]

keyholes are nice and they get 4 inches i have 1 in a 30 gallon community tank also convict cichlids are nice never had them though

 

[kayla]

If I had a open 55 gal I would stock it with some pseudotropheus sp acei. I have three in my tank and I love em! They are fun to watch, & very active little guys. The first day I got them in the tank, I was hand feeding them(which with mbuna I know isn't THAT difficult because they are PIGS!) They are from Lake Malawi and are mainly herbivores. Just my two cents, although with the ones you listed maybe you are going for more aggressive species?

 

[datdude]

thanks for all the great suggestions guys. I was reading all your suggestions and i think that i have decided on either a couple of convicts or a couple of jewels. How would that be? Could you mix these species together?

 

[charlie]

And yet again some of you morons keep lumping all cichlids from africa as "african cichlids" and making the same assumptions for each and every one of them. Get a clue, is it really that hard to say Malawi? hmmm nope. Of course this is comin from someone who just had to scroll down the page a bit to see how my Screen name was spelled, but instead chose to just guess.

Oscars are NOT suited for 55s, they get too large for them, how would you like to only have about 12" to turn around in when you yourself was 12"? 75s are the minimum. Sure people keep Oscars in 55s "just fine" but like it or not, its not anywhere near the best for the fish, if you can't provide a good home for the fish, tank size and all, then DON'T buy the fish.

While your maintence regime may seem impressive to you, its not. Thats about an average routine.

No one is adding suggestions, learn to read a little bit more. I see Apistos, angels, other dwarf cichlids, convicts, blood parrots, I'll take africans to mean Malawis, Tanyganikans or Victorians ( my whole point to critising that one is that not all "africans" are built to be the same size, a 55 is too small for Malawi eye biters just as an example, try puttin 4-5 of them in there), so suggestions have been made before you came along.

OH well though.

If you are so worried about what's best for the fish. Then don't keep fish. Fish in any size tank is not good. How would you like to live in a 1500 sq ft apt your whole life?

 

[nascar2]

I suggest you check your tap water and then plan your fish around it. It would be alot easier and cheaper to get fish that fit your water type, ie, ph and hardness. Hope you enjoy your new tank.

 

[NatakuTseng]

Most fish will adapt to the water, providing hard alkaline water for the rift lake species is very easy. If you already have that, most of the soft acidic water species will adapt to harder water with no problems at all. Just as an example, growing out Discus fry in Hard alkaline water has shown vastly improved growth rates, but water with a low TDS count and generally acidic water is still required for breeding because of egg fertilization issues.

 

[fishlips]

This would work,

1 female RD, not a midas or

1 JD or

1 Green texas, not the cyno species or

2 salvini

The jag, GT simply get too big.

 

[Cylon]

re

You all can say what you like about a 55 gal being to small.
I have great luck with mine. I hac an oscor im mine with a severon and a male convict. I had that ocsor for 8 yrs. I loved that tank all though it was my 1st larg fish tank.
Welsome to cichlids! I hope you have a lot of fun with your new tank and I think a pair of dempseys is a great idea and maybe 1 convict.