Adding fish

[Megfish]

Hi All
I have a tropical tank and have just set up a 370L cichlid tank.It looks great will send pics soon.I got rocks from the Pilbara in W.A and some great limestone i spent ages drilling holes in and making great caves.I have cycled with a couple of tetras and am ready to add some Cichlids.I also have a Big sailfin Pleco from my tropical tank that i would like to put in.My question is this.My tropical tank has a PH of 7.2 and my new tank has now got a ph of 8 is it ok to transfer my pleco or will the rapid and large PH change freak him out.
Also is it ok to put large clown loaches in with my the Malawi cichlids i will be getting soon.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Ben]

Transfer the pleco and climatize him slowly into the tank(like when you buy new fish and float the bags in the tank and gradually let water in so they get used to it).
And he should be okay.

Clown Loaches will be fine with some malawi species, but which kind are you getting?

Good Luck and i'm glad to see another perthie

DD

 

[Ferris]

DD is spot on, better to aclimatise him gradually....done that way he should be fine.

As for the CL's - they should be fine but i would add them at a larger size than the Malawi's/Mbuna so they don't get picked on.

 

[Megfish]

Thanks for that.
In hindsight i suppose it is commonsence hey.
I am not sure what fish i am going to get it will depend on availability so i will see what i can get and do a little reserch before buying to see if they are compatible.

Thanks
Megs

 

[algae eater]

Hi All
I have a tropical tank and have just set up a 370L cichlid tank.It looks great will send pics soon.I got rocks from the Pilbara in W.A and some great limestone i spent ages drilling holes in and making great caves.

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Tell me what kind of drill bit you used to make the holes. I have beening thinking about doing that.

Thanks,

 

[Megfish]

I used a normal masonary drill bit on Hammer on your drill.
I also made the natural caves bigger in the rocks with a masonary blade on a grinder and a sanding type disk.It is quiet easy but it did make a heap of mess so dont forget your dust mask.

 

[Angry_Platy]

I put baby clown loaches in with medium size Malawis and they fitted in nicely. The loaches are pretty quick swimmers so tend to be safe

Now the loaches are about 4 inches and thriving!!!

 

[Andyplec]

IMO i definatly wouldn't keep malawi cichlids with clown loach, as clown loach are a soft water species and malawis are a hard water species! Ph for clown loach should be around 6 and for malawi's around 7-8 so you can see the difference!