Cichlid setup questions

[saganco]

I need all kinds of help! I will post this message in several categories on the forum due to the diversity of questions I’m asking. I have just purchased 4 used tanks (will be picking them up this coming weekend and getting them set up next week) - and need some help with “placement” of my different fishies and how best to set up the other tanks for breeders. I have already established the following tanks and present occupants:

55g (footprint 48x12) - various types of platies and mollies, a pair of Rainbow cichlids (Herotilapia spinosa), one Burmese Botia, 6 SAE’s, 3 or 4 small tetras, and some ghost shrimp.

40g (footprint 36x12) – breeder tank for Honduran Red Point cichlids and their offspring and one petrified Rainbow Shark that will not let me catch him.

65g (footprint 36x18) – platies, mollies, 6 Rainbowfish, a pair (not yet spawning) of Cryptoheros Sajicas (T-Bar Cichlids), 10 juvie Spinosissimus (sp?) cichlids.

29g #1 (footprint 30x12)– grow out tank for my HRP fry (presently at around 3/4” long

29g #2 – shrimp and teeny Rainbow Cichlid fry (I know, silly waste of a larger tank – planning to move them to a 5 gallon tank later).

10g – overflow tank to help separate problem “kids” – presently has a pair of Tuxedo Swordtails, one Rainbow Shark (got bullied so badly by the one that’s in the 40g), one Burmese Botia (different than the one in the 55g), and various platies.

Other tanks soon to be set up: two 65g (same as the one that’s already established), one 90g (footprint 48x18), and one 55g (footprint 48x12). I will also be getting a few 2.5g and 5g’s for fry.

Plus I will be “inheriting” these fish: one 6-7 inch Tiger Oscar, one 4 inch Red Devil, one 6 inch Pike Cichlid, one 6 inch Pleco (unknown species), and two 3 inch Silver Dollars from one person’s tank. From another person’s tank, there will be a Silver Dollar and some kind of blue and black spotted catfish (unknown species for sure – and unknown on the size of either of these.

So some questions are:
Which tanks are best suited for the breeding of the cichlids? Which cichlids will get the best return on my investment (other than the ones I already have)? Which species of Plecos will be the best money makers (excluding zebras)? Would the 55g with two dividers in it (sponge filters with it?) be the best option for 3 pair of Plecos? I have read that it’s best to take out the fry just before the yolk sack is used up and put them in a small grow out tank (2.5g ok?) and do daily water changes. How would you guys suggest rearranging the tanks and the fish that I have as well as the ones I will be picking up this coming weekend? With the fact that 4 tanks are NOT set up yet as a factor for temporary housing as well…

Things are further complicated by the fact that I really don’t have any cycled tanks available to use when bringing home other folks fish, and am a bit scared to put them into my existing tanks endangering my established tanks and healthy fish. How long could I use something like a Rubbermaid tub while doing a “bio spira” cycle on the brand new tanks if need be? I can move the fish out of the 10g and into the 65g, then the shrimp out of the 29g and into the 10g, then put some of the new fish (first batch of incoming would only be one silver dollar and the catfish) into the 29g if that would be better in the interim.

I know this is a lot of questions, but I’ll kinda spread it out in different areas so folks can go with whatever questions are in their area of expertise. As you can see, I seem to have “bought my way into a corner” so to speak, and some of these folks are moving, so I have to get the tanks picked up (leaving me with extra fish soon that need a place to live). I certainly appreciate any and all help!

 

[fishfreak317]

wow this a nice one to talk about. also it sounds by your great post, is that you kinda got a feel for what you want to know.

basically you what to know what tanks can you use for breeding cichlids, and what cichlids will produce high yield for money making possibilities.

i personally would say any of the 4footers would make excellent breeding tanks for most of what you have breeding already.

you will most likely have to keep the RD separate. because these are rather nasty temperament species.

the 90 i would say all the silver dollars, and the oscar, pike, and the unknow catfish (if its getting big).

for the smaller breeds of cichlids your planing on harvesting. any of the 3footers personally would be fine. however i'd recommend the 4footers.

as for price and market aval. and money return. gl. i'd think this would be based on your current market in your area. unless you're planning on selling online and shipping. if you go this route. then you will need to invest more money for breeding and growout tanks.

well i tried. hope this info will help you. if not, i'm glad i wasted my time. because this is a particularly hard topic to answer.

 

[Star_Rider]

you shouldn't need bio spira if you have healthy established tanks.

I keep my sponges in a section of my sump water passes over the spnge and keeps it seeded.
you can also run small filters on the other tanks or if you have ac HOB's keep an extra sponge in the ac that you can use in another tank..or simply use filer squeezins.

with all the tanks you have you should always have extra bio media you can use to see a Q tank.

 

[saganco]

you will most likely have to keep the RD separate. because these are rather nasty temperament species.

Surprisingly, the gal had the RD, Oscar, Pike Cichlid, 6 inch Pleco, and the Silver Dollars ALL in the 55g!! I know - WAYYY too small a tank for all that, but that's what she has right now (perhaps I'm doing the fish a favor by upgrading them to either a bigger tank or separating them - though she swears they all get along...

as for price and market aval. and money return. gl. i'd think this would be based on your current market in your area. unless you're planning on selling online and shipping. if you go this route. then you will need to invest more money for breeding and growout tanks.

well i tried. hope this info will help you. if not, i'm glad i wasted my time. because this is a particularly hard topic to answer.

Yes, due to our limited market here (2+ hours away ONE WAY from a fish store), we pretty much will have to use the internet - forums and classifieds... What kind of extra equipment do you think I need? I'm good with fish but pretty inexperienced at breeding. Also, based on the internet method of selling, what are the best return fish and plecos that I could try? And you didn't waste your time - you were very helpful! Thanks.

 

[saganco]

star_rider - I do have other healthy tanks to clone from, but not much in the way of extra sponges and such. I have one sponge filter that I can steal from another tank, but I've done cloned tanks before and sometimes end up with some minor spikes, but I guess that it's nothing a healthy fish couldn't ride out with water changes...

 

[fishfreak317]

Surprisingly, the gal had the RD, Oscar, Pike Cichlid, 6 inch Pleco, and the Silver Dollars ALL in the 55g!! I know - WAYYY too small a tank for all that, but that's what she has right now (perhaps I'm doing the fish a favor by upgrading them to either a bigger tank or separating them - though she swears they all get along...

Yes, due to our limited market here (2+ hours away ONE WAY from a fish store), we pretty much will have to use the internet - forums and classifieds... What kind of extra equipment do you think I need? I'm good with fish but pretty inexperienced at breeding. Also, based on the internet method of selling, what are the best return fish and plecos that I could try? And you didn't waste your time - you were very helpful! Thanks.

wow in a 55. well true they are still kinda little. but trust me that RD will around 8inches will start to get really dominate. you can always try them out all in 90 and see what happens. then remove that sucker if it gets to overly dominate.

as for more equipment and tanks for such online sales and w/e. total you have how many possible breeding 3-4footer tanks? also take in account about the fry. you will need several "growout" tanks for different size fry, some won't grow as fast as others may. i personally would use 55gals for growouts, bare except gravel or sand. that way little or no aggressive territorial battle happen with the youngins. for growout tanks for days-weeks old fry you want a smaller tank like a 20long or something like that. with a sponge filter operated by a simple air supply. that way you yield more, do to HOB's maybe be to rough or get sucked up in them. never mix month old fry with newborns. the older ones will most likely eat everyone of the new fry.

as for what species to try for selling. i'd say your HRP's would be good, and your sajica's, also try spinnies, your rainbows would be nice, might even want some cutteri, any of the smaller exotic species. that you don't find regularly at the LFS. all these species are fairly easy to spawn.

as for any large species. you need bigger tanks honestly. also if you decide to go with any species, get them from a reputable breeder, that way you know your getting what you pay for. and not some junk, you won't be able to sell.

also you would have to invest into your shipping supplies. no clue what you would need.

 

[saganco]

Ok, all but two of the new fish are out. The flaky gal who WAS going to sell the 55g to me along with the oscar, rd, pike, silver dollars, and pleco - just sold it right out from under me after I had told her that I wanted it (geesh, some people!). So that eliminates several fish and one tank. Plus we've decided just to clone the tanks (I only mentioned the "how do I?" in the original post because I "thought" that we ended up with spikes anyway, but hubby says we didn't - so we'll happily clone the tanks). So those questions/issues are off the table now.

Because I rearranged a couple of tanks last night (the rainbow cichlids were just about to bless me with eggs in the tank that we're taking down to replace with the 90g - so I scrambled to rearrage tank occupants so the happy family now has one of the 29g to themselves). The current occupants and tanks available for "rearranging" are down to (and please keep in mind that I'm still looking for the right cichlids and plecos to breed):
Two 65g, one 90g, one 30g, two 10g, one 5g, and two 2.5g available.
Various types of platies and mollies, Burmese Botia, a bunch of SAE’s, 3 or 4 small tetras, Rainbow sharks (2), 6 Rainbowfish, a pair (not yet spawning) of Cryptoheros Sajicas (T-Bar Cichlids), 10 juvie Spinosissimus (sp?) cichlids, a pair of Tuxedo Swordtails, and ghost and cherry shrimp, a Silver Dollar and some kind of blue and black spotted catfish.

These questions remain:
Which tanks are best suited for the breeding of the cichlids (wanting two species if possible)? Which cichlids will get the best return on my investment (other than the ones I already have)? Which species of Plecos will be the best money makers (excluding zebras) and I'm hoping for 2-3 types? Would the 55g with two dividers in it (sponge filters with it?) be the best option for 3 pair of Plecos? I have read that it’s best to take out the fry just before the yolk sack is used up and put them in a small grow out tank (2.5g ok?) and do daily water changes. How would you guys suggest rearranging the tanks and the fish that I have as well as the ones I am planning on breeding (yet unknown)?

Thanks everyone for your answers and time!
Fishfreak, I kinda know what shipping supplies I'll need and where to get them. Just have to get the fish big enough to sell. I think the larger growout tanks make a lot of sense. Thanks again!

 

[saganco]

Bump for the modified questions above...