My New Project For A Local Charity.

[Akasha72]

I've just done some quick research and there is a site online called African cichlid that you could look on and identify these fish
 
I've also had a better look at the early pictures and there looks to be a Juwel cichlid there (5th picture down, next to a yellow mbuna cichlid) there also looks to be an apistogramma there aswell ... both of these fish are SA cichlids so there's two different types both needing the complete opposite water requirements - old world cichlids (African) need alkaline water and New World cichlids (South American) need acidic water. 
 
Juwel cichlids are also on the aggressive side and you need to be careful what you keep with them. The apistogramma tends to be a shy fish and so how that's coping living with the more aggressive types I don't know.
 
Do you have an option to re-home some of these fish?

 

[NickAu]

I found a new home for injured fishy, My LFS took it and will put it in a hospital tank when its healed it will be sold. So will the other one.
 
They are Peacock Cichlids.
 
R&J Aquatics in Lismore NSW have also said they will help me with setting up the tank @ cost.

 

[Akasha72]

Hi again, I realised later that the cichlid that I said was a Juwel isn't - Juwels are red - there are so many different types of cichlid that I get em all mixed up! It's more likely so be a firemouth going by the shape.
 
I'm pleased to hear you've found a good home for some. This tank would be lovely as a purely mbuna tank - you already have a few in there and as far as I know they live in groups happily. All the mbuna tanks I've seen aswell are all just rock - no planting or other decor. I'm not sure why that is but that's how they've all been.
 
Good luck with it  

 

[NickAu]

That's those yellow ones? They are nice and there is a few babies in the tank.
 
Yes the plan is to get rid of the other Peacock Cichlid

 

[fluttermoth]

I pretty much agree with what Akasha has said.

There are hundreds of different Rift Valley cichlids, and it can be very difficult to identify species as they're all so closely related and look similar, not to mention the fact that many of these fish will hybridise and those fish can get into the trade/LFS as well

Unless you choose your species very carefully, you will always have problems as African cichlids, especially Rift valley ones, are pretty much all very aggressive fish.

Mbuna are the most aggressive type, and not all Lake Malawi cichlids are mbuna. Most of these fish need to be kept in very high numbers (severely overstocking the tank, by normal standards) to reduce aggression towards individual fish, so you need big filters and an 'over the top' water change/maintenance regimen.
 

All the mbuna tanks I've seen aswell are all just rock - no planting or other decor. I'm not sure why that is but that's how they've all been.

It's because the specific rocks chosen help buffer the water to keep it hard and alkaline, and because that's the environment they've evolved to live in. Their territories are based on the hierarchy within the group; more dominant fish will have territories near the bottom of the tank, whereas less dominant individuals get territories near the top, which are less 'desirable'. There are no (or very few) plants in the Rift Valley lakes, so they don't form part of the fish's natural home. Most Rift Valleys (my mum used to keep mbuna) will rip up plants anyway, so there's not much point in doing nice planting for them

 

[Akasha72]

Thank you fluttermoth for explaining that for me. My knowledge of African/rift valley cichlid is quite limited and so now I know something more about them
 
If you head to the Old World Cichlid section Nick you'll find a lot of info there regarding these types of cichlid and then there's this that will help too
 
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/314138-all-about-mbuna/
 
If you have any questions about these fish the old world section is probably the best place to ask as the people in the know will be hanging out in that section

 

[RobRocksFishTank]

A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. Because of the diversity of cichlids, generalities cannot be made about them all, Africans Cichlids especially. They cover the entire spectrum of the ecosystem from top predators to scavengers. Meat eaters and those that require a diet of mostly veggies. In addition, there are also the riverine cichlids which include the Jewel Cichlid referred to above. They are redder at breeding time. That looks like a Jewel. It is definitely not a Firemouth.

 

[BiggTexx]

First glance, that large fish appears to be what they call an Orange Blotched (OB) Red Zebra.  The caudal fin looks more rounded in comparison to a Peacock which is more emarginate / semilunar.
 
Zebra cichlids are extremely aggressive to their own and other species.  A dominant male would continually harrass and kill off smaller / weaker members of the tank.

 

[RobRocksFishTank]

I think you are right on that not being a Peacock. I didn't pick up on it before because there are Peacocks with similar coloring. The mouth is wrong for a peacock, too. Zebra would explain the extreme aggression that caused the injury.

 

[NickAu]

Firstly thank you all for the great advice so far.
 
This cichlid thing is just too dam hard.
 
Here's my plan. I am getting rid of them all, My LFS will gladly take them, then I will get rid of most of the rock, Stick in lots of nice live plants, Some drift wood. cycle the tank properly, Then put in about 8 Fancy male guppies  and 18 females. I like guppies and that tank stocked with Fancy Guppies will look great.

 

[Akasha72]

you know Nick ... I think that's a great idea. If you are finding cichlids too hard (and they can be and it's the reason I'd never suggest them to a beginner) then move along to something you feel you can deal with. 
 
The only thing I'd point out - and it's not a critasism - is guppies breed and I mean breed 

 .... with 8 males and 18 females your gonna have hundreds and hundreds of fry week in week out. So long as you are prepared for that then go for it! I just wanted to mention it in case you wern't aware of how randy they are 

 
If coping with millions of baby guppies each month isn't your thing then stick to just males or just females - although be aware that any females you buy will almost definitely be pregnant when you buy them and they call hold sperm for around 6 month too ... 

 

[NickAu]

Oh yes there is that...... Looks like a all male tank.............
I am also open to suggestions on easy keep fish.
 
I want plants, and nice fish. As I already have lots of rock I could re stack it into to piles and add some plants. Kind of like this.

 
 
 
I wonder how my Betta would like to live in such a big tank all on his own lol

 

[Akasha72]

hahaha he'd be lost in a tank that size!
 
That photo is nice - not sure what the fish are though ... 

 

[fluttermoth]

Oh yes there is that...... Looks like a all male tank.............
I am also open to suggestions on easy keep fish.

Is your water hard or soft, and what are the dimensions of the tank?

 

[NickAu]

Tank size.  170 cm Long, 50 High, 45 wide. For a grand total of 383 Litres. 84 Imperial Gallons, 101 Us Gallons.
 

 
Is your water hard or soft

No idea really, the ph from the tap is about 7.4
 

 
That photo is nice - not sure what the fish are though ...

Yes as I already have rocks all I need is some plants and I can almost duplicate that look.