The First One!

[Suzy9mm]

Yay! I've gotten my first cichlid! I've finally gotten my tank set up the way I like, with the experienced help of my boyfriend (though he will admit he knows very little about african cichlids, and more about the tropical fish so it's a learning process for both of us) . We set up the decor about a day ago, so far it's three large texas holy rocks, and a lot of sand stone on black gravel - it may sound awkward or ugly, but I'll have to take some pictures of it so you all can see how nice it worked out. But I bought my first cichlid for the tank today, I know it's easiest to set the entire tank up and then buy the entire set of stock but I just can't afford that so I bought one fish today to let him start checking out his new tank.

He was the largest Daffodill at the pet store (about 1.75" - 2"), and the most active (and aggressive), but now he's hunkered down under the filter intake and he does venture out but it is a slow process and it is also very easily disrupted and ended, with him fluttering back under the filter intake when anyone walks by. You can sit there infront of the tank and he will slowly come out, but he really doesn't seem to want explore the holy rock and sand stone slabs and caves. Will I be able to feed him this evening or will it be pointless because he doesn't come out from under the intake long enough or far enough to get to the Hikari mini pellets I've gotten for him?

 

[rossyboy]

Yay! I've gotten my first cichlid! I've finally gotten my tank set up the way I like, with the experienced help of my boyfriend (though he will admit he knows very little about african cichlids, and more about the tropical fish so it's a learning process for both of us) . We set up the decor about a day ago, so far it's three large texas holy rocks, and a lot of sand stone on black gravel - it may sound awkward or ugly, but I'll have to take some pictures of it so you all can see how nice it worked out. But I bought my first cichlid for the tank today, I know it's easiest to set the entire tank up and then buy the entire set of stock but I just can't afford that so I bought one fish today to let him start checking out his new tank.

He was the largest Daffodill at the pet store (about 1.75" - 2"), and the most active (and aggressive), but now he's hunkered down under the filter intake and he does venture out but it is a slow process and it is also very easily disrupted and ended, with him fluttering back under the filter intake when anyone walks by. You can sit there infront of the tank and he will slowly come out, but he really doesn't seem to want explore the holy rock and sand stone slabs and caves. Will I be able to feed him this evening or will it be pointless because he doesn't come out from under the intake long enough or far enough to get to the Hikari mini pellets I've gotten for him?

I would try feeding him, just a little bit. If he doesn't take it then try again in the morning.

What filter do you have?

Also... is he the only tank mate?

If he is, you need to ideally be adding more Tanganikyans ASAP. Ideally you need to be adding them in groups or all together to help them all establish territories, etc at the same time.

I wouldn't suggest keeping him on his own for long. Also if you decide to add them slowly (which i wouldn't) then re-arrange things when you do to disturb the 'pecking order' as it were.

 

[kj23502]

I would try feeding him, just a little bit. If he doesn't take it then try again in the morning.

What filter do you have?

Also... is he the only tank mate?

If he is, you need to ideally be adding more Tanganikyans ASAP. Ideally you need to be adding them in groups or all together to help them all establish territories, etc at the same time.

I wouldn't suggest keeping him on his own for long. Also if you decide to add them slowly (which i wouldn't) then re-arrange things when you do to disturb the 'pecking order' as it were.

Um she shouldn't be adding other fish right away I sense this tank is uncycled if it was just setup?? If it's not cycled VIA fishless cycling chances are this fish will die and so could others if she adds more now. We need more info to better guide to Suzy9mm

 

[tangokitty]

Pictures please!?

 

[Suzy9mm]

It is cycled actually. It's been cycling since mid-May (it was an early birthday present and so we started it cycling as early as possible). By just set up I mean we just got the decor in the tank set up and ready for fish, I wanted to have a small amount of decor already purchased, cleaned and ready before I put any fish in it. My apologies for the confusion. I'll go take some pictures here and post them as well.

 

[Suzy9mm]

Here are some pictures, pardon the lack of a background on the tank, I would like to put a black background on it so that you don't have to look through and see the wood panel wall behind it but that will come in time. Also, I would have taken a picture of the Dafodill Brichardi that was in there but he was in the back, behind everything re-aquascaping some of the gravel.

The top photo is a full on of the tank, and then the last three are "detail shots".

In time, I'd like to really load this aquarium up with Texas Holy Rock - My idea thus far is to get more pieces and put them on the left side of the tank, so that the side with the sand stone can somewhat stay open. I really like the sandstone in there so I'd like it to be as visible as possible.

 

[kj23502]

ok, glad it's cycled. I don't like to assume anything(Although I'm occassionally guilty of it ) You should add more fish Most don't like to be by themselves.

 

[Suzy9mm]

Oh, no worries I wasn't offended.

I actually bought another piece of Texas Holy Rock today and then I also bought dither fish to sort of make the atmosphere in there happier (Zebra Danios) and then I bought a BlueBerry Peacock. The guy I talked to at the local pet store has raised and bred Cichlids for over 20 years and he actually owns the stores, and he told me that the dither fish would help my Brichardi because they make it seem less like there is a larger more aggressive, hungry, fish lurking around the corner and then I really liked this Peacock and he said he should be just fine. He also said these Zebra danios were fast and could get out of the way if they needed to, but he had never had a problem with them in all the years of keeping, breed, and raising Cichlids (he's also done a lot with Angels and Discus).

I ordered a book about Tanganyika and the cichlids there, it should be here tomorrow so I'll use that to better research my fish before I buy too many more.

I also re-aquascaped so that no one should be overly offended about the new fish coming into the tank.

 

[rossyboy]

Oh, no worries I wasn't offended.

I actually bought another piece of Texas Holy Rock today and then I also bought dither fish to sort of make the atmosphere in there happier (Zebra Danios) and then I bought a BlueBerry Peacock. The guy I talked to at the local pet store has raised and bred Cichlids for over 20 years and he actually owns the stores, and he told me that the dither fish would help my Brichardi because they make it seem less like there is a larger more aggressive, hungry, fish lurking around the corner and then I really liked this Peacock and he said he should be just fine. He also said these Zebra danios were fast and could get out of the way if they needed to, but he had never had a problem with them in all the years of keeping, breed, and raising Cichlids (he's also done a lot with Angels and Discus).

I ordered a book about Tanganyika and the cichlids there, it should be here tomorrow so I'll use that to better research my fish before I buy too many more.

I also re-aquascaped so that no one should be overly offended about the new fish coming into the tank.

Some people have success in mixing the different lake species, i.e Tanganikyans, Malawis, Victoria... from personal experience it works for a short while but it's not sustainable unless you have a huge tank- simply due to the differences in requirements from the various species: ie diet, environment, water chemistry, etc, etc.

I'm not saying it wont work... but just keep an eye out because I've heard of these experiments going horribly wrong. I tried mixing malawi and tangs which ended in misery so i decided to make an all tang setup which now works amazingly.

I would seriously consider researching all the fish and environments before adding more to be honest, because once they're in it's a lot more difficult to get rid of the unwanted fish than it is to buy more!

Sorry if i sound like i'm having a dig but yer... you'll see what I mean lol

 

[kj23502]

Mixing Malawi with the Victorian "mbuna like" fish should be alright. I myself have a pundamilia nyererei group that's in my tank w/mbuna. Yep you guessed it, the nyererei are victorian. Here's my write up on the nyerereis with pics of my dominat fish so far (they are still growing up), in case your interested: http/www.fishforums.net/content/Cichlids...rei-python-Is-/