New Cichlids.....what To Get?

[ryguy]

ok well as a biginner last year i made a few mistakes like most do in my african cichlid 55gallon tank. one is i have a frontosa, another mystery cichlid thats about 7 inches (yikes) and a terquoise jewel which doesnt belong in this habitat. i have about 200lbs texas holey rock and i have a syno thats unidentified which once i get a camera i will ask for identification. to get on with my point, i have alot of open room and i want to know what type of cichlids should i get... i want to have colorful cichlids around the 5inch mabye a little over max. i have a red zebra a few labs and other common cichlids so what do you suggest? all comments welcome and also what type of synos should i get? mabye more of what i have if i can get identified.


thanks
Ryan!

PS i will get a camera for christmas where i canstart posting pics again as i have very outdated pictures such as my picture to the left.

 

[WaterBender1995]

so all the fish you listed are in the 55 gallon now?

 

[ryguy]

yes they are in there now the frotosa is still a juvinile and the rest are doing great and they have been with me this whole year with only one small sickness thast was caught at an early stage so there are about 6 fish 7 if you include syno and im getting rid of 3(other cichlids i had before were given to friend because he begged for some

i also have to HOB filters made for 75 gallon tanks and a smaller canister so there is plenty of filteration and they now have sand substrate which they love and it feels empty but at least there is no aggression. so any ideas on other fish to put in would be great and for those who tell me it is overstocked because of frontosa, i am returning it and trading it in for another fish as well as the jewel and this other one i have to get back on the name of.

 

[WaterBender1995]

this is why I tell people to buy a book BEFORE buying a bunch of "pretty fishies".....

 

[dthoffsett]

Could you list which species and how many you are planning to keep? That would help us to give you suggestions. I also recommend writing down the names of all the fish at your LFS that you are interested in, then research them and post on here. I'll be happy to help you, just need more info.

 

[ryguy]

o i do have a book, but a was lied to at a lfs about frontosa(giving back) and lol the big fish like 5 inches so nvm on him. i have

1 yellow lab,
1 frontosa(giving back),
1 zebra fish,
1 blue scofoli,
2 copper (rusty)
1 Venustus (giving back)
and 1 Synodontis multipunctatus
and 1 turquoise jewel (going to be gone this week)

once i am done clearing the tank of uncompatible cichlids i am asking what types i should get because i want colorful but compatible species. i have done reading but i want other veiws.

3-4 yellow labs
3-4 rustys
2 powder blue scolfoli
2 Synodontis multipunctatus

any other ideas i will be able to fit about 5 more in due to the fish being smaller cichlids

 

[ryguy]

any ideas of what else?

 

[dthoffsett]

3-4 yellow labs
3-4 rustys
2 powder blue scolfoli
2 Synodontis multipunctatus

I'd go with:

4 l.caeruleus
4 i.sprengerae, 1m/3f
4 p.socolofi, 1m/3f
2 s.multipunctatus

You could add another species of mbuna if you want, I'd stick with something fairly peaceful since all of your other fish are. What species does your LFS have available?

 

[ryguy]

You could add another species of mbuna if you want, I'd stick with something fairly peaceful since all of your other fish are. What species does your LFS have available?
[/quote]


it depends but we have a whole aisle of like 30 different malawi species the only problem is exppense. i was also looking into getting a pair of peacocks but i know they get a little larger what do you think on them, and also my stores sell by breed, not by sex do if i can talk my parents to buy online, what r some good stores?

 

[dthoffsett]

I'd stick with mbuna rather than adding in some peacocks.

Oh lets see, if you can find them metriaclima estherae, cynotilapia afra, & pseudotropheus saulosi are all great species.

 

[ryguy]

i guess i will have to agree with you on the peacocks. i really like the cynotilapia afra, & pseudotropheus saulosi . also while searching what they looked like i came across this cichlid. what do you think about 4 Pseudotropheus demasoni.

 

[dthoffsett]

i guess i will have to agree with you on the peacocks. i really like the cynotilapia afra, & pseudotropheus saulosi . also while searching what they looked like i came across this cichlid. what do you think about 4 Pseudotropheus demasoni.

Unfortunately, in your case p.demasoni won't work. They're fairly peaceful towards other fish (meaning they tend to ignore them), however their conspecific aggression is so high, keepers have found they do best as a single specimen, or in groups of 12 or more. In smaller groups, the most aggressive indivduals tend to kill off the weaker, then your left with a couple of bullies, and in short time you have just one. I think adding 12 is going to overstock your tank a little too much.

 

[ryguy]

ok thanks, gald i didnt do that and lol 12 more is way to overstocked. i think im going to get 4 pseudotropheus saulosi . now the only question is where can i get specifically male or female cichlids?

 

[dthoffsett]

ok thanks, gald i didnt do that and lol 12 more is way to overstocked. i think im going to get 4 pseudotropheus saulosi . now the only question is where can i get specifically male or female cichlids?

Well, once p.saulosi reach sexual maturity males turn blue while females remain yellow. They generally reach maturity at around 2", so if you can finder older fish, it'll be easy to pic them out.