cichlids????????

I Am getting the 4ft fluval roma for E.as you know.
Well last night I took the fluval roma 90 I bought off ebay,
back off sale
and decided to keep it as it will go in the alchove with E's new tank.
so will look like one Massive tank, and will fill the Alchove so will look great........

As much as I love E.
He is boring no colour not much movement
only his eyes l@@king at me sadly for food all the time,with his mouth wide open.wanting food.
to be honest he's just a pig..lol

now i was going to have shellies in the new fluval 90...
i have the sand rocks,shells etc...................
so i thought i should stay with the cichlids then.?

I like the lovely yellow coloured Labs.
so was thinking about them.say 4.
and 4 Otopharynx Lithobates
and one of those small cat fish,it has stripes on the top and spots on the bottom.?
don't know there name..but i know they are £20

now I have read these are "peacefull" fish.
so wise T.F.F.'er, how big do these grow?
and do they breed like Rabbits?
will the fluval 90 be big enough?
Thanks again........I know i'm a pain in the bum
but i want to get this right

Hiya chez, I dont know if you have read the info MC has done on Yellow Lab cichlids, but here's a link to it in case you havent -

https://tropicalfishfanatics.forumotion.com/fish-profiles-f27/yellow-labs-t167.htm

I am no expert with cichlids but do wonder whether a tank that size could house many of the ones you want (sorry!)

Mmmm thank Diane
looks like i'm back to the drawing board...

M.C..Help here please............................
what cichlids are small? and what mixes well? and how many?..lol
thanks

p.s.......... is this in the right thread?
sorry if not..

hi chez

yellow labs need a tank of 50galls or so, have you seen rams they are very nice
not too aggressive need a tank of 20 galls they only get to 3 in so not too big
or there is the bolivian rams they are peacful aswell, there are so many to chose from a trip to lfs may help, then again you see so many it mite confuse you even more, hope you get fixed up at dont for get pics,

by the way chez have you visited fish inc at handworth.they have a good selection of cichlids and are very helpful.


dekker

OK - Here is the deal - most cichlids are not peaceful - its not in their nature to be - what is meant by peaceful in terms of the Malawi/tanganika (sp.) is that their environment is so crowded that when you replicate this in an aquarium - the bullying is spread equally among all the fish - they are so busy quarreling all the time that no single fish gets beaten up.

So - Rams - yes - pretty fish - little characters - but again - not exactly active swimmers.

I think you could get two females and one male i na 90 tank - but be prepared to move the female that ends up a spinster otherwise she will be bullied (this goes on in my tank with this set up - but as its double your size - there is plenty of space for her to seek opeace).

IF you cant colourful swimmners - how about something other than any cichlids? what about the sort of thing im planning - a small species tank? With shellies n the like - you have to mess about with buffering and pH and all that - its all extra work and worry.

Rams breed quite easily as do Kribs and the others - if you go down the cichlid route be prepared for fry. They are highly successful fish in the wild for a good reason - they breed like bunnies on a viagra fuelled speed orgy.

Just an idea - but also remember that bigger water volumes make water chemistry easier to handle - thus in your 90 - your going to have to be careful and monitor quite frequently

Im not trying to put you off shellies etc - I just feel its only fair to warn you and Im also wondering if there is a reason why you are seemingly avoiding the easier and equally colourful & characterful fish out there?

Thanks Rich
lol.... yes I'm avoiding the usual guppys,neons ect,Like the plague.
I really don't want to go down that road again...........
many years ago in the early 80's
I had a 3 foot tank with above in and ended up over run with fish.100's of the bugg*rs
they died with all sorts,dropsy,white spot, if I looked at them the wrong way....
Now our local fish shop is not one for having them off you either.
so not wanting a tank full of fish i can't get rid of.
I thought if i keep to specis tanks i might not get that problem again,
plus i was fed up of getting up in the mornings and doing head counts.
with E its yep hes ok today..lol
.......................................

Yes Dekker been there.
but found Wharf Aquatic's more helpfull,To be honest.
and a very very nice man talked to me.

I dont head count - i look at the surface for floaters and the visible substrate for sleepers - if any are dead elsewhere - the catfish have them anyway (assuming the snowball hasnt picked em up whilst they are weak)

I didnt mention livebearers - as im over run with them now.

But a shoal of tetras would be nice me thinks - and will give E something else to look at as well

ok i'm going to have arun to wharf aquatic's very soon,looking forward to it really
have'nt been to a different aquatic shop for a while.



dekker

Don't forget your Wallet.!!!!!!!!!
its fantastic, and the fish are all together in isles, like ciclids down one side
shellies another, and so forth, and about 30 staff all eager to help
look out for the big guy on the door,he's into cichlids

chez, as rich says you dont have to have livebearers in a tank. I started with all them when I first set up my tank - guppies, plattys, mollies etc and had loads of fry. Fortunately, my local lfs took them all off my hands so I easnt too bothered but its so much easier now I dont have to keep worrying about fry.

You can have a nice, colourful tank of that size without being bothered about little baby fish.

Thanks All

Right this is for you lot then....
you have seen the tank so off you go pretend you are now stocking it..........
write a list of what livestock is going in there..
the fish I pick most of from the list, the winner gets a prize

thanx for the tip i will be taking my O.Hs purse, lol.

thats some challenge you've set everyone chez.just going to start up the grey matter now.


dekker

chez wrote:

Thanks All

Right this is for you lot then....
you have seen the tank so off you go pretend you are now stocking it..........
write a list of what livestock is going in there..
the fish I pick most of from the list, the winner gets a prize

Ok, here's mine.

Bottom - Panda Corys - active little fish, and although bottom dwellers mainkly do swim all over the tank. Mine also like to sunbath on various rocks and ornaments for hours on end - I used to worry they had died but now I know they are only kidding

Middle - There is a huge selection, but how about a largish shoal of a single fish - Neon or Cardinal tetras. Lovely ccolouration, active, abd look great with some greenery to show off their colours (dont have to be real plants btw!)

Top - a Group of Hatchetfish - Unusual, attractive and give interest at the top of your tank.

There you go.

Now............................wheres my prize??!

Thanks Diane looked up the Panda Corys on you-tube
awww lovely little fish.
how many do you suggest?
so thats the bottom sorted..lol

thinking about 1 dwarf Gourami too?

well the recommended for them is 5-6. I did have that number initially but lost 2 unfortunately so am lefty with 3 who all seem happy enough though and are growing, eating, active etc. They are great little fish though.

dwarf Gourami's are great. They need quite a bit of floating cover I think. You could have either 1 male or female in a tank of that size I think, but personally I would go for a shoal of something to give you more movement and more to look at, but it's all down to personal preference.

dwarf Gourami's are great. They need quite a bit of floating cover I think.

I Have a plan.!!!!!!!!!!
I was thinking of asking Mary if she would be kind enough to post me some of that she has in her
Gourami tank.
cheek or what.!!!!!!!!!!!
but at least i know i wont get dreaded snails

Oh, dont worry about snails, they do no harm, and if you do get them they would make a nice treat for the big fella (Elvis that is....not Mal!! )

chez wrote:

I was thinking of asking Mary if she would be kind enough to post me some of that she has in her
Gourami tank.

Ask and ye shall receive. Just PM me your address chez and I'd be happy to oblige. I can't guarantee they'll be snail free though as I have Zebra Loaches to keep my snail population under control.

where does the cheekiness end - free software free plants - youll be wanting a free 4foot tank next

on a serious note - my 'surface' cover plants (fakes) were from P@H for £10 a shot - my gouramis and my ABS love it

hey chez!
i know this sounds crazy (and has been said before) but if you wanted to go for more cichlids why not give elvis some new friends.........

Have you thought about Kribensis?

Another fish that i have that is the Ctenopoma - also known as the Spotted Climbing Perch, beautiful fish, huge mouths.

NO NO NO Elvis is a LONER
and i have the other 90L on ebay yet again
but i have got E another tank that goes with the room better
watch this space

watching and waiting chez.



dekker

collect it thurday night

great stuff bet your really looking forward to it.



dekker