African cichlids

[Cosmiclover1]

Hey, so I’ve got a couple questions on my African cichlids. Right now I have a marble peacock (male), kenyi Cichlid(female) and a pseudotropheus crabro(male) all in a 29 gallon, they are all quite small and still juveniles, but I have plans to eventually upgrade them to a 55 gallon. My question when should I start thinking about doing this? I figure I’ll let them grow in the 29 for a while(it also has lots of caves and hiding places) another question: once I get the new tank and add my existing cichlids, would I or should I get more to add to the 55?

 

[utahfish]

Hey, so I’ve got a couple questions on my African cichlids. Right now I have a marble peacock (male), kenyi Cichlid(female) and a pseudotropheus crabro(male) all in a 29 gallon, they are all quite small and still juveniles, but I have plans to eventually upgrade them to a 55 gallon. My question when should I start thinking about doing this? I figure I’ll let them grow in the 29 for a while(it also has lots of caves and hiding places) another question: once I get the new tank and add my existing cichlids, would I or should I get more to add to the 55?

If you get more to add try to add them at the same time. Putting new cichlids in a tank with existing cichlids that have established territories can cause aggression. If one does add new cichlids switch up deco in tanks to break up territories and keep an eye out for any excessive aggression or fish getting bullied

 

[Retired Viking]

I agree with @utahfish, I had cichlids in a 55 gallon tank and once they set up their territories they do get aggressive. I had to remove all the other fish in the tank except a pleco which was left alone.

 

[Metalhead88]

I agree with the above.

I normally don't like to recommend adding fish for a tank that you don't have yet....but I think this is an exception if you are getting the larger tank in the very near future.

Add the fish now while they are small and bring everything over all at once to the larger tank.

I also suggest getting only mbuna or only peacock for this tank. Mbuna are much more aggressive especially the kenyi and pseudotropheus that you have. They also require different diets.

 

[itiwhetu]

It is not great to introduce cichlids to an established tank. If you are going to add fish change things around and confuse the fish that have been in the tank.

 

[Jamesthecat]

I moved from a 100 litre Malawi Cichlid tank to a 450 litre whilst the fish were still only 1 - 2 inches long.

In my opinion the sooner you can start planning for and then buy the bigger tank the better, I did find it useful having a smaller tank as i was able to learn what to do and any mistakes made with equipment or livestock didn’t break the bank.

I did read that you should have 8 litres of water for every inch of fully grown fish.

Personally, I started of with 3 cichlids in my 3ft tank and then bought another 5. Now im in the big tank ill be stocking based on water quality and them having plenty of space to swim without any aggression.

At the moment ive got around 30 juvenile cichlids, 6 plecs and a frog or 2.

 

[Cosmiclover1]

I moved from a 100 litre Malawi Cichlid tank to a 450 litre whilst the fish were still only 1 - 2 inches long.

In my opinion the sooner you can start planning for and then buy the bigger tank the better, I did find it useful having a smaller tank as i was able to learn what to do and any mistakes made with equipment or livestock didn’t break the bank.

I did read that you should have 8 litres of water for every inch of fully grown fish.

Personally, I started of with 3 cichlids in my 3ft tank and then bought another 5. Now im in the big tank ill be stocking based on water quality and them having plenty of space to swim without any aggression.

At the moment ive got around 30 juvenile cichlids, 6 plecs and a frog or 2.

Ok thanks so much!

 

[Jamesthecat]

Ok thanks so much!

I’m sure there’s more experienced people who might have a different view, but i always go by water quality being spot on and the fish having plenty of space without any aggression.

If those 3 things are being met then you cant ask for much more

 

[itiwhetu]

With Africans just give them as many hiding places as you can. Make caves for them and give the tank structure so each fish knows it's boundaries.