Moving cichlids to 55 gal

[drdud]

I have the following cichlids in a 29 gal (the plan was to move them to a 55 when the grew - it's time). I am not sure if I really know the species. (I wanted to send pics, but nothing happens when I click the "manage attachments" button. - is there a FAQ on postings pics somewhere?)
- 2 Yellow ones (Yellow Labs?)
- 2 Blue Johannies?
- 2 Kribs? (yellow with black markings)
- 1 unknown small "assorted African that has not grown as quick as the yellow ones
- 1 yellow with black and white stripes

- Help with posting pics?
- Any help with fish ID?
- Will I have room for more in the 55? (really would like to get at least another yellow with B/W stripes)
- The 55 has a common pleco (~7") and 3 pictus cats (~6" each). Do you think they can stay? I plan on changing the 55 from gravel to pool filter sand and lots of rock for the Africans.

 

[magakitty]

You can add pics a couple of ways - the easiest is the manage attachments button, however, it is a pop-up window and your pop-up blocker may be stopping it. Try holding "ctrl" when you click on it. The other way is to upload them to photobucket.com or a similar website and then paste the image link in your message.

People have differing opinions on the plecos in a cichlid tank, but we have 2 (a common and a chocolate) and we have had no problems yet. I have heard that pictus are fine in a cichlid tank. Mine are in my semi-aggressive tank right now, but they may eventually move to a cichlid tank.

You have room for several more cichlids in the 55.

As for fish ID, post the pics and we will try to help you

 

[drdud]

Thanks - Here are the pics

Not real good pics, but hopefully good enough so you can ID and help me determine if I can add a few more to the 55 gal. Thanks.

 

[magakitty]

The first one is definately an electric yellow, also known as a yellow lab
the second one - I'm not sure, possibly a krib
3rd pic - the yellow and black one looks like a golden cichlid, AKA Auratus
The blue one is possibly a melanochromis vermivorus
The 4th pic I thought was a bumblebee, but on second thought, I don't think so - I'm not sure what it is

 

[zachjohnson65]

Isn't the 2nd a shell dweller. Or maybe it is the picture.

 

[zachjohnson65]

Just a quick question do you find that mix of fish to be pretty mellow or do they battle alot? I like all of the those fish, just wondering for my personal tank.

 

[silentskream]

you definitely have room for more in the 55.. but i STRONGLY suggest that you take the pleco out. they get too big and make too much of a mess... and in my experience, they also show few reservations when it comes to "tasting" other fish once they've grown up.

 

[drdud]

Tempers

They seem to get along pretty good. Periodic short bursts of "your in my space", but I have only seen a few actual chases that ended in any contact.

 

[drdud]

Messy Pleco

I know the pleco is messy. But he sure does a good job on the glass. My lfs is always ready to trade large plecos for mediums.

Any idea how many I can add to the 55? I was thinking of adding a few of the yellow with he horizontal stripes (auratus?) and maybe a few yellow labs (?)

 

[Visualeyes2]

the blue ones are johannis. the one in the second pic looks like a mixed breed to me. from what you said about his growth pattern being slower than the others in the tank, that would be consistent with it being a mixed breed as well. if you wanted to put a few more yellow labs in and a few auratus, that would work.

one MAJOR word to the wise, and then one small one that you can take or leave: i strongly recommend not putting africans with a pleco or any bottom dweller other than a sentadontis catfish. that's the only bottom dweller that has much of a hope in an african tank. there are a few different kinds of sentadontis out there to choose from if you're lucky enough to find/have a good lfs near you. sentadontis are native to that part of the world and it is in an african cichlids genetic makeup somehow to know they belong with them. they have a different looking fin than plecos and recognize it and will leave them alone. whereas a pleco or a siamese alg. eater will get no love whatsoever in an african tank, often getting nicked, and picked on to death, literally.

the other word of advice you can take or leave: i have had auratuses before and my experience was that once they grew up and matured a good bit, they became increasingly aggressive until it finally reached an extreme and they killed several fish in my tank before i finally had to remove them. i no longer stock my tanks with them as a result. i have, on the other hand, known aquarists to have auratuses for years who never had a problem at all, and i have known some who have had the same problem i had, and some in between the two extremes. so take that any way you'd like in your decision making process. like i say, take that one or leave it. just be aware and keep an eye out as they get older if you decide to get them.