Cichlid Newbie

[yabadaba]

Hi guys, I have a 5ft tank that is nearing the end of a fishless cycle and I've pretty much decided that I want to stock it with new world cichlids. I'll be doing as much reading as I can over the next few days, but I'd just like to get a few basic/newbie questions out of the way first.

From what I've read so far, it looks like a planted tank is not worth bothering with - most cichlids will rip plants up, so best to stick with wood & rocks. Is that pretty much correct or does it apply more to the African cichlids? Not having plants is no big deal to me, just want to be clear.

My tap water pH is somewhere around 7.4 to 7.6, which I understand to be around the right level to accommodate most of the new world cichlids (though too low for old world ones) - is that correct?

I have 2 x clown loach in my 110 litre community tank and one of my initial plans linked with buying the 5 footer is that they would move into it once it's cycled. Would they be okay in a cichlid community, or would it limit my choice of fish too much? The other option is for me to return them to my LFS - a shame, but the tank they are currently in is too small for them.

Any other advice, on things like tank setup, water chemistry and stocking ideas would be very much appreciated. I'm currently trying to work out which fish will go well together as I really want to avoid any newbie stocking disasters!

 

[SBL]

1)True not really worth it but, if you feel like keep replanting plants alot, go for some of the toughies like Anubias, Vallisneria(Spelling?), Java Fern, and Crypts. Uarus will try to eat these though.

2)Maybe smidge high but, won't make much difference. Also, wood with unrealeased tannins lowers it but, make sure it goes down at a slow pace.

3)Really depends, how big are they now? What NW are going in, and at what size. I say the Clowns can make it if they are bigger or similar in size, plus they have spines under their eyes, so that helps alot.

4)Set-up really is up to you. Stocking? I have a few ideas I'll wip up.

Idea I
2x Clown Loach
1X Chocolate Cichlid
6x Silver Dollars (dithers)
1x Oscar(may be probs here though)

Idea II
2x Clown Loach
1x Texas
6x Silver Dollars
1x Green Terror
1x Amphilophus Festae I think

 

[Joller]

1) agree with SBL
2) yeah 7.5 is fine
3) i've seen setups with 1' long blackbelts that had 3" clowns aswell, so i'd say it would probably be fine (with most but not all cichlids)

good fish for this sized setup would be slightly aggressive community fish like severums, nicaraguan cichlids, rainbow, geophagus or maybe firemouths

you could also go for a peaful setup with angels, rainow cichlids, acaras, t-bars as well as dwarf cichlids like keyholes, bolivian rams and apistos

or very aggressive with an oscar, GT and convict

 

[Wills]

Depending on the footprint, which idealy would be 5x2x2 so around 150 USG In there I would probably do something like:

1x Red Spot Severum
5x Geophagus Tapajos sp Red Head
2x Crenchila Compreciseps (spelling might be wrong)
3x Golden Panchax (for the top)
8x Red Rainbows (maybe more? Minxyfish is good with mixing cichlids and rainbows)
4x Clown Loach
8x Brochis Cats or 3x Hoplo Cats(to zip around the bottom, but a bit too large for the pikes to see as a snack)

As said bog wood will help to slightly lower your Ph but most of the common SA fish are quite adaptable. What kind of filter you having on this? Its quite important for you to have a lot of power as they are quite messy fish .

Wills

 

[yabadaba]

Thanks for the stocking ideas....something to kick start my research. The clowns are about 3", so looks like it might work out.

I definitely need to start learning some more about the different levels of aggression and figuring out what can live with what. I've already got a pair of Bolivian Rams in my existing community tank and although I really like them I think I'd prefer to go for something a little less 'tame' now, though not massively aggressive. Having said that and given that the severums and firemouths I've seen on here have always captured my interest, I guess I'm leaning towards the semi-aggressive cichlids right now.

 

[yabadaba]

Depending on the footprint, which idealy would be 5x2x2 so around 150 USG In there I would probably do something like:

1x Red Spot Severum
5x Geophagus Tapajos sp Red Head
2x Crenchila Compreciseps (spelling might be wrong)
3x Golden Panchax (for the top)
8x Red Rainbows (maybe more? Minxyfish is good with mixing cichlids and rainbows)
4x Clown Loach
8x Brochis Cats or 3x Hoplo Cats(to zip around the bottom, but a bit too large for the pikes to see as a snack)

As said bog wood will help to slightly lower your Ph but most of the common SA fish are quite adaptable. What kind of filter you having on this? Its quite important for you to have a lot of power as they are quite messy fish .

Wills

My tank is exactly 5x2x2 (ND Aquatics), so it's good to hear those are the favoured dimensions. The filter is an Eheim 2080 - do you think that would be sufficient? If not then I would consider adding another filter, though that would be an awful lot of pipework in the tank!

The stocking suggestion is much appreciated. Thanks.