How fast do they grow?

sumthin fishy said:
If thats where you have them now(in a 10) fine, but start saving up for a bigger tank so you can move them soon.
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So nice to have your apporoval, but, I don't even own a 10 gal and the little buggers are still at the LFS ... I do my homework before buying fish. I gave the 10 gal as a guidline for their current size. I didn't think you'd assume I'd already purchased the fish and thrown them into a 10 gal tank.

I see your point, but it goes right out the window when I think about putting little fish in a bigger tank with fish that are already bigger than they are. I'm serious when I say these guys are small. They have a tank with "misc. cichlids" at the LFS all of which are about the size of a jumbo neon tetra (I downgraded from the platty because I got a second, closer look). I'm sure they are in that tank together because they're too small to be with the "babies" of their own species. I've seen feeder that are 4 times their size. Health and territory aside ... they'd stand no chance if they become someone else's dinner. Am I right, or am I right?

You might disagree, but I have no qualms allowing a fish to grow up in smaller tank and then transfering them to a larger tank. How else do you replace old fish that die in larger tanks without putting out a lot of cash to buy one that large anyway? You still end up dealing with transfer and territory issues but then you don't know how the fish was raised ... So, my thoughts are: if the tank suits the fish at the moment, it's fine.

That said, I'm confused also about what size tank they need as adults anyway. This site says a 20 gal (which doesn't sound right to me at all) and F&S says 50 gal. :confused: I'm having thoughts about a 29 gal I have, but if they are going to outgrow a 29 in under two years, I think I might do something different.

And I really am looking to hear from people who own this species. According to F&S, they are "A peaceful and shy cichlid when compared to the temperament of other African Cichlids, Electric Yellow would be considered semi-aggressive in a standard fresh water aquarium." :huh: So, what applies for other Malawian cichlids might not be totally accurate for these guys.

I can find websites with info all day long, but nothing speaks louder to me than experience. What f8ldzz told me was the most useful information I've heard. And ... f8ldzz ... My guess is that you wouldn't recommend a 29 gal (at adult size) for them either?

http://www.aquariacentral.com/species/db.cgi?db=fresh&uid=default&ID=0372&view_records=1

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=839
 
Well help us out a bit here, How many do you want to keep as adults? Are you looking for the absolute minimum tank size for them, a midway point, or a great tank size for them?


Bob, you have no respect for those fish or ones you have had in the past, just because it works doesn't mean its healthy for the fish. What your doing to those fish is no better than what puppy mills do, cram as much as you can into one space, they live so they must be fine. How sad that is.
 
OK, here is more info than you wanted/needed.

I have a 29 gal that I've started to set up as salt water, but ... I've been hit with extra financial things (gas being one of them ... ) so while I can afford the tank, I really can't afford to do salt water the way I'd like to. I haven't quite decided yet, but my thought ... maybe quit while I'm not too far behind here and go freshwater. BUT, I do not want a 29 gal of your standard tropical fishies.

Here's the catch - I have less than a year and a half of school left. I'll graduate Dec 07 and at that time I'll decide if I'm going to go someplace else for grad school, stay here for grad school or get a job ... most of those options mean a move, and I'm not willing to set up a 125 and move it in less than a year and a half. A 29, no problem.

I know I like the africans. If I can find some guys who will be ok for a year and a half or so in a 29 ...

Eventually, I do want another 125. I had one before with south americans and I loved it. (All of those fish started out in a 10, to a 20 to a 55 ... ). Some grew up fast, some didn't. That's why I'm asking. I'm information gathering at this point trying to decide which way I want to go. (Oscars are OUT of the question!) Salt is still an option, but the way things are going it will be months and months before I can get the tank set up to accomodate the things I'd like to put into it and ... I want fish a little faster than all that.

Capisci?
 
Alright, have you looked into any of the Tanyganikan species? One the Leleupis while getting 4" (males) are much much more slender than the labidochromis, yet still have that nice yellow or even orange varieties are available. You could easily house a trio, one male to two females in a 29gal. For a 29gal I would suggest looking into the tang species, they remain smaller for the most part, and are much more suited to smaller aquaria.
 
jaylin said:
I can find websites with info all day long, but nothing speaks louder to me than experience. What f8ldzz told me was the most useful information I've heard. And ... f8ldzz ... My guess is that you wouldn't recommend a 29 gal (at adult size) for them either?
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The recommended ratio is 3F for 1M.
I have 2F and 1M - they seem to be okay.

A mating pair in a 29G is perfectly fine.

If we're trying to hit the 3F : 1M ratio, the 29G would be absolute smallest they should be in, and something bigger would be highly recommended.

I think you can get away with the 29G with 2F : 1M.

Unless you're very lucky with 1F : 1M, when the M gets sexually mature, he will harass the F to spawn.
Having additional F's around will divide the M's attention, and it's better for the other (F) fish.

Good luck!
 
NatakuTseng said:
Well Jay, taking Bob's advice there,
the 10gal:
Chances are you either have a ghost or clown knife, the clowns get 30-36" .
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http://www.****************/catalog_pages/wild/knifefish_clown.htm
 
NatakuTseng said:
Alright, have you looked into any of the Tanyganikan species?
Click to expand...

I have looked at a few of those. I do prefer the Malawians, but I'm not dead set on anything yet.

So let me ask you this: What about mixing species? I'm not really wanting to breed fish and if I were to get three fish, I'd prefer that they look differently. Are there three of the Tanyganikans (or more) that could coexist in a 29?

I'm also a huge fan of filling in layers in a tank - top, mid, bottom - and with having a lot of live plants and even inverts.

So let me make this easier - if you had a 29 and were going to do a Tanyganikan tank, what would you have in it?
 
Oh, and f8ldzz thanks so much. That's very helpful information.

And Bob ... well, hi Bob. Why don't you sit down and have some lemonaid. You know, relax a bit. :)
 
Tang tanks are great for mxing species and having different levels because you can always throw in some shell dwellers. My ideal 29g tang tank would have a texas limestone reef that reached nearly to the top of the tank and have a fine sand substrate up front. I would have a trio of either julies, or a trio of another small rockdweller species (Leleupis fit the bill nicely). Then I would have a species of shellie (oceletus perhaps) that would fill the bottom sandy area. You might be able to do a second species of rockdweller if you piled the reefs up on opposite sides of the tank, but don't quote me on that. whala! Instant biotope appopriate Lake Tang tank with not just multiple species (like Hap or Mbuna tanks) but multiple ecological niches and behavior patterns.
 
Whats your point Bob? Thats just a juvi clown they have there, not what they max out at. Get a clue dude, that clown will get larger than the 10gal.

Jay, with a 29gal I would consider having a trio of Leleupis or a trio of one of the larger Julidochromis species, a pair of Brevis shellies, or a trio of Ocellatus shellies. For a larger fish you could also do a pair or trio of Altolamprologus calvus, mind you if you get them at a small size around 1", it will take them YEARS to grow to an adult size of 5-6". The one I have is growing at an average rate, mind you I've had it for about a year and a half now, got him at 1" and he is just barely 2" now. As a general rule of thumb tangs grow extremely slow.

Just do some looking around at Tang species, find some things that catch your eye, do your research into them, and if you need help finding them, let me know I will be more than willing to help ya out.
 
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