IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

[p1ngu]

Hi all, i was wanting to know a few things -


* I have one 3ft tank with Convict Cichlids and Red Devils which has been running for about 6months.

I have another 4ft tank with 5 pairs of hongi and 1 pair fuelleborni. This has been running for about 1 year.

I have another tank, which is 2ft long and has 2 hongi and 2 fuelleborni.

and 3 or 4 bristlenose catfish, 1cm long. The 2ft tank has only been running for about 3 days.

I was wondering, if i was to start up another tank, such as another 4ft or 2ft tank, would it be possible to add fish without cycling? ie. take water out of the existing 4ft tank etc then put the fish in? Or isn't it possible?

Also, the 2ft tank with the hongi and fuelleborni thats only been runnning for 3 days, is that suitable to keep fish in there?

Help needed, thanks.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi p1ngu

When you refer to a tank being "cycled," it usually means that there have been sufficient beneficial bacteria cultivated in it to consume the waste ammonia the fishy inhabitants produce and convert it to nitrite, and then to nitrates. To meet this criteria, it doesn't matter how the bacteria get there, just that they are there.

Very few beneficial bacteria are free floating in the water, so adding water from an established tank does little to help. The gravel on the bottom of the tank and the filter media are loaded with them, however, and if you move some of that into a newly set up tank, it will indeed work.

Since you have several tanks running, it wouldn't be much of a problem to move part of the bacteria from each of them into the new tank, and then replace the gravel and/or media with new. It will rapidly reproduce to its usual numbers, and the new tank will be off to a great start.

The only thing to be careful of is overstocking the new tank. If you start small and gradually increase the size and amount of fish in it, the bacteria will have time to reproduce to the level needed.

If you add fish to your newly set up tank without adding enough bacteria to remove the wastes they produce, you will actually have to go through the whole cycling process from the start.

 

[Opcn]

I don't know much about your fish (although I think you may need to read the pinned topic about cycling) But I do know that you will get a more posative responce if you cut out the Caps, Many of us have a great deal of trouble with them.

 

[Torrean]

bio-spira

 

[Inchworm]

bio-spira

Hi p1ngu

Torrean is right. Bio Spira is a commercially sold bacteria that is said to cycle a tank immediately. This product must be bought at one of the better lfs (local fish stores) and be kept under refrigeration until used. I've heard very good things about it, although I've never used it myself.

Take care to avoid other products that claim to help cycle tanks though. Most of them do very little.

 

[Torrean]

guess I should of said a bit more. It will cycle a tank immediately as long as you add a medium stock after you add the bio spira. If you drop it in with no ammonia then your gonna have dead bacteria. Also If you add it to a partially cycled tank then it will only speed the cycle not complete it immediatly. For example, say you've just stocked your 55 gallon. It's been about a week and your ammonia is skyrocketing. You add Bio-spira and in a week you will have a cycled tank. It takes the biospira longer to deal with an ageing tank than a new one if that makes sense. I also should of said that I speak on hearsay. I have heard several LFS employees talking about it aswell as some tff members and have never heard anything bad. Unlike stress zyme and equivilant, so I assume it should be pretty good stuff. If your in a tough spot go get some ammo lock to save your fish from ammonia poisoning. Bio spira can be a bit tough to find but ammo lock should be in your local wallmart.

 

[gixer]

while you already have so many cycled tanks, buying bio spira seems a little pointless IMO.

Water from your other tanks only contains waste.. waste of time that.

you will have enough filter media in your other filters to add to a new filter easily = instant cycle.

or failing that. run the new filter in your most heavily stocked other tank for a couple of weeks and again..fully cycled filter.

as already mentioned. gravel, plants or anything else from an established , disease free tank will help too.

 

[p1ngu]

Thanks, alot, it seems alot clearer now for me.

Do any of you keep hongi or fuelleborni? i havent run into anybody as yet that keeps those species.


Also, any good in-depth caresheets for fish ? I was wanting to know about some fish before i purchase them.

*Electric Blues
*Blue Dolphins
*Green Terrors
*Acei

Thanks

 

[gixer]

i have kept hongi before. lovely fish.

are you planning on keeping all these together?

 

[p1ngu]

No, i am thinking of keeping electric blues with electric yellows when i get some.
Blue dolphins and Acei im not too sure of, The green terrors are going to go with some convicts in another tank.

DO you have any caresheets?

Also, im wanting a bit of info in breeding Green Terrors, theyre beautiful fish.

gixer kept hongi before?

Are they a good fish ? i was wondering, do they breed easily? mine bred once, i didnt do anything to induce breeding it just happened, 17 babies where spat out. Is that average?

Anyways thanks for the help, hear from you soon.

Thanks

 

[gixer]

they breed like rabbits...like all mbuna. there is no average really for fry. but i regularly got 30+ from a batch.

when you say electric blues, do you mean hap ahli? or melanochromis johannii ??

the dolphins (Cyrtocara/ haplochromis moorii) would not do well with johannii at all i'm affraid. they grow pretty large and best kept in groups, needs lots of free swimming space and would not do well with overly agressive mbuna (like johannii)


Can't really comment anymore untill i know which fish your are talkin about, best to try and use scientific names when talking about african for this very reason as they are so different.

 

[p1ngu]

"Often called "Electric Blue Ahli" or "Electric Blue Hap", the fryeri shouldn't be confused with the Sciaenochromis ahli a much rarer, and more expensive, fish in the hobby. "

I got that from a site, this is the fish if it makes things easier http/petfish.net/pix/electic_blue1_blair.jpg

How did you get your hongi to breed like rabbits? My convicts breed like rabbits, getting eggs every week from all different pairs. How often will hongi breed?

Have you kept fuelleborni before? I need a bit more info on those, a good site with a detailed caresheet on them would be fantastic.

Thanks, hear form you soon.

 

[gixer]

no i don't keep fryeri as they shouldn't really be mixed with agressive fish like mbuna.

you don't need to do anything for hongi to breed like rabbits. all mbuna will breed easily kept in the right conditions.


i have never kept fuelleborni either. but i'm sure most who post in the african cichlids forum will have. they are a pretty popular fish.