New To Cichlids

[fisshboy]

Hi all, recently acquired a juwel vision 180 and someone have given me some cichlids as i thought id give it a go. I know theres 2 bolivian rams for sure, i also ave 2 that look like rams but are bigger have bigger heads look like threadfin acara to me and also i have a Malawi ciclid thats bright yellow. I know the rams and acara looking fish are community cichlids. The yellow malawi keeps swimming with them but then having a little nip then swimming with them again. Is this anything to worry about? I also have a small common pleco in there can they co exist?

Also my PH sits around 6.8 - 7.0 which i know is low for Malawi's im planning on getting some crushed corals to put in my sump to raise it a little, do the effects of cruahed coral last forever or do they become exhausted? How much would i need for my 180L with a 60L sump and is there anything else that would work better than crushed coral?

Thanks in advance

 

[Tuxyu3]

Old World Cichlids require pretty much the opposite requirements (on a few different levels) to New World Cichlids, i don't i have ever actually seen anybody keep them together successfully longterm. Not to mention a lot of Rams are shy and easily dominated, certainly not something you want to mix with Malawi's as they would be stressed and ripped to shreds. I personally would choose American or African Cichlids and get rid of the other(s), then build the tank from there.

 

[fisshboy]

Thats hat i thought, i only have one malawi with 4 american at the min so its not too bad, i have a 200L community tank that allready has a bolivian and german rams in so ill move them to there and just have malawi. Can tanganyika mix with malawi? A few sites selling them both say they can mix?

What would be the best Malawi for me im wanting blue and red and yellow ? And how many can i get in my 180L? Iv read that you should over stock a little with cichlids,

 

[onidrase]

Don't mix lakes, tanganyikans need totally different community styles and diets from most malawis.

 

[fisshboy]

so iv taken the american's out of the tank and put them in my 200L community, iv decided on just Malawi and been given a a few today that someone local has bred and wanted to get rid of heres what hes given me :
 
1 x Venustus (Giraffe Cichlid) 
2 x Eleongatis Chailosi
3 x Melanochromis Chipokae
1x Lemon Blotch 
1 x Orange Blotch 
1 x Yellow Lab 
1 x Unknown in the picture i have attached (- if anyone knows what it is could they please tell me

 
will all these get along together in my tank? its heavily dense with rock and hiding places.
 
if someone knows any more common names for any im happy to hear them to as the long ones are a mouth full and i cant find anything about the 2 x Blotch's i have 
 
many thanks

 

[fisshboy]

so here it is fully set up, has a 60L sump underneath running as the filter as well as a fluval 205 and a Marina sp15 HOB filter and a UV steriliser. I know theres a lot of fish in there by the way.
 
my Nitrates are sitting around 80ppm 24 hours after a water change is there anyway i can keep them down a bit ?
 
http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=44Tp7kwLCPU

 

[sebn]

What is the nitrate ppm out of your tap water?
 
I dont know about stocking levels for african cichlids (although overstock to compensate for agression) but from the video, that seems like an awful lot of fish in 180l of water (less if you count displacement) the 200l in your signature sounds like an interesting combo, hows that tank doing?

 

[bullit]

With that amount of bio load you need to do 50% water changes a week at least. if its still high, keep changing it unitil it is down. Also most of your fish are gonna outgrow that tank. You have some big ones already. Your venustus will get massive. cheers

 

[fisshboy]

my 200L is doing fine, always had been! all fish get along and i test water every week its perfect. i know the venustus is gonna get big now although i wasnt told this when i got him, im gonna keep hold of him for a little while then give him to a friend with a 6 foot malawi tank.
 
as far filtration its got a 60L sump thats the filtert thats far bigger than any power or external for that matter everything tests at 0 just a high Nitrate, Iv started using Seachem Matrix and De-Nitrate in my sump which has brought the Nitrates down so its all good now