Moving on to Cichlids

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number1sixerfan

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Sep 11, 2006
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I have decided to move from a discus planted tank(only been up for a couple weeks) and on to a cichlid (lake malawi) based tank. I am doing this for two reasons.

1) Discus are too **** expensive.(biggest reason) I'm 20 and poor. Enough said lol.
2) Cichlids are very active. Discus are beautiful don't get me wrong, however their activity cannot compare to other cichlids.


The only problem I see with switching is that cichlids are aggressive(which I actually like) and I could end up losing enough fish to outweigh the price of discus. However, I have researched overcrowding and that is what I will use to combat it. I will also over filtrate and water change twice a week.

I have a 72g bow with (2)Fluval 405's and a H.O.T. Magnum(with DE). I'm thinking a tank filled with sand or crushed coral and stacked 100% with texas holey rock. I'm not sure which I should go with? Sand or Crushed Coral for the added buffer. I want to avoid spending money on weekly additives.

I want a nice mix. Mostly malawi. I will probably add jewels and if they become too rowdy then I will return them. I know the chances are I will have to remove them, if I have to I will. I also want about 12 desamoni. I also will add peacocks. After that, I may not add more, may not.

I know this will not be a beginner setup, however neither was the discus setup. I have no problem putting a lot of effort in.

Comments on what else to add to the jewels and desamoni? Also, what are you all's back up plans for when cichlids "go wrong"? Even species that are not overly aggressive can be problems, so how do you handle the troublemakers? I know a lot of people use the 3 female to male ratio, but a lot of people also use an all male concept. Does an all male cichlid tank change their behavior substantially?

Thanks for the help in advance.
 
anyone? thanks.
 
There are probably all sorts of options and opinions. Here are some of my opinions:

Sand would probably be a better substrate to go with over crushed coral as many mbuna enjoy sand sifting as we as digging and such. The sand could be aragonite-based. The cichlids would probably manipulate crushed coral, though.

To start off on the right foot you'll want to stick to one particular group of african cichlids (for example mbuna or peacocks or jewels or haps, etc).

If you're thinking about a mbuna tank, then the pseudotropheus demasoni you are considering are a nice selection if you're looking for nice coloration and aggression. They're compatible with most other mbuna, especially those that don't resemble them. Add the most aggressive species last. If you're thinking of a demasoni-only tank, then you could boost up the quantity a bit.

As far as back up plans go, having a spare tank is always good (can be used as a maturnity tank, temporary isolation tank or hospital tank). Having an adequate male-to-female sex ratio may prevent the need of a back up plan (ideally 1 male per 2-3 females per species works well). When adding new mbuna, add at least 3 or more at a time (to lighten the potential aggression that may be initially directed at them possibly by the entire tank).

Starting off with juveniles may be a good way to start (the hierarchy will be established by the time they are matured).

Dealing with 'trouble-makers' or 'bullies' depends on the tank set up and individual personality of the fish in question (so no one method will work all the time with all fish). Some choose to remove the 'trouble-maker' from the tank (which may potentially allow the #2 fish in the tank to behave as bad or worse than the original 'bully'. Some rearrange the tank, some overstock (i.e., providing the aggressor many targets to pursue, thus minimizing the amount of aggression each chased fish receives), some go with just one gender, etc.

Some have dominant fish which aren't overly aggressive but are highly motivated to break up fights whenever they occur (for example my socolofi would be unchecked tank 'bullies' if my less aggressive but more dominant zebras didn't keep them in line).

Lots of options and methods.
 
Thanks, great post. I going with all males I think. This means more color. If I overcrowd enough then agression should handle itself. However, I hate seeing 55g cichlid tanks w/40 fish. I am going to go for 25-30 range. That way they still have enough room to be comfortable in.

What did you mean by the cichlids manipulating the crushed coral? Just digging in it?
 
Demasoni will move gravel or coral. They pick it up piece by piece and put it where they want it. I enjoy watching them excavate the gravel in my tank.

Demasoni females are almost identical in coloration to the males. In fact, even the most experienced keepers/breeders of demasoni can't reliably tell the difference between males and females until they are mature adults. If you are interested in color don't pass up the females just because commonly female cichlids are dull in color. They stay a little bit smaller and their colors don't get as intense, but they are still beautiful.
 
im 20 and poor as well lol. im planning to get a pure pair of RED DEVIL for my 75gallon soon. cheap and activite lol
 
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