# 55 Gal cichlid tank



## Superfly724 (Sep 16, 2007)

Alright. I'm looking to set up a 55 gallon cichlid tank. I don't have the aquarium yet, but I'm working out a plan so I'm ready when I get it. 

The LFS sells oscars, and "assorted African cichlids." The assorted africans are just a jumbled bunch of Malawi Mbuna, mainly Red Zebras. In fact, the wal-mart nearby has a better selection of Mbuna =D.

Anyways, I was thinking of stocking it with 2 oscars, since they get pretty darn large. But then again, I love the coloring, and the fact that I can have alot in the 1 tank, so I was also thinking of, instead of the Oscars, putting between 12-15 Mbuna in the tank.

Thoughts, comments, preferences?

Also, Ive found out a nice trick to bring out some interesting colors in cichlids. With a 55 gallon with the 2 separate light strips, having 1 regular, and 1 actinic bulb makes the fish look real interesting. I've also noted, for some strange reason, actinic bulbs, I'm guessing from the intensity, make cichlids considerably calmer and less aggressive.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Oh, you're right here. Do not buy assorted Africans from PetSmart or Wal-mart! Go and look at fish at marine fish and reef on Johnson Ferry Rd near lower Roswell and other stores (atlantis and optimum at least) on this map http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U...4.01738,-84.357147&spn=0.471246,0.841827&z=10. Make wish list. Check out the fish you like here http://cichlid-forum.com/profiles/ Post revised wish list here: http://www.atlantaaquarium.com/forum/viewforum.php?id=3 . Join AAAA. Come to fall auction on Sept. 13 (you don't need to join to come). http://www.atlantaaquarium.com/ Look at fish on tables, make list of fish you want there are lots of. Stay until $1/bag sales at end. Go fill up tank for $4. 
Join the club and forum make friends into fish who drive and live near you.

I will give you yellow labs before I'll let you buy wal-mart fish. 

For a 55, look at labidochromis, pseudotropheus, other smaller mbuna. Avoid the bigger and meaner ones unless you see bigger tanks in your future. 

For tank shopping, craigslist has been full of 55s cheap. We've been posting the best and worst deals here: http://www.atlantaaquarium.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=478 scroll to the newest post on the end.


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## ron v (Feb 24, 2005)

To choose between oscars and mbuna, I would let my water decide. Oscars are a soft water fish. Mbuna are hard water. I think Atlanta has soft water. Is that correct EMC?


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## Superfly724 (Sep 16, 2007)

Yeah, Craigslist is looking real nice right now. Looking at a 55 gallon with full setup to get it running, a nice looking wooden stand and matching canopy all for $150. 

And thanks for all the info! It's very much appreciated.


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## Superfly724 (Sep 16, 2007)

Nevermind. Editing this post. You already gave me the info.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Atlanta has soft water. But adjusting pH and hardness upward is a piece of cake. SeaChem Malawi buffer and cichlid salts for those with money. Epsom salts, sea salts, and baking soda for the DIY/types. Far easier than getting rid of 8" oscar thats too big for a 55. But there are lot of wonderful cichlids that thrive in the water out of the tap, including discus and apistos. Come to a club meeting and bid $1 on BAP (breeder's award) fish and you will get something that will definitely thrive in our water.


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## Superfly724 (Sep 16, 2007)

Yeah, I've purchased some PH-up chemicals. Also, the gravel I have in there (I think it was meant for saltwater) raises the PH. According to my PH meter, I'm sitting at around 8.6 so my Lamps are well suited.


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## ron v (Feb 24, 2005)

I have the same water EMC. I live about a hour south of Atlanta on the Chattahoochee River. That's why I am into apistos, etc.... Those BAP auctions are great too. I'm going to the one in August. The first for me in about 3 years... Can't wait. 
Pssss. don't tell too many people about it. They may bid against me. LOL.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

The main thing new in the last 3 years is the plants. Our club has always sold plants for more $ than fish. But now there is HAP (like BAP for plants). So the plants make the mini-auctions go on and on. The club is really getting too big for the venue, get there early or risk having to stand.


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## Superfly724 (Sep 16, 2007)

I've heard that Mbuna cichlids like to uproot real plants, and it's less trouble and less costly to just use fake plants. Any ideas, or suggestions?


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## ron v (Feb 24, 2005)

Yes. Mbuna and plants don't mix. They will even kill fake plants. LOL. Mbuna like to dig. It is even recommended that rocks in a mbuna tank be placed directly on the glass bottom of the tank and then the sand added. So that the fish won't dig under the rocks and cause a "rock slide".


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## Superfly724 (Sep 16, 2007)

ron v said:


> on the glass bottom of the tank and then the sand added.


So you would recommend sand substrate for a cichlid tank?


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## ron v (Feb 24, 2005)

Well... sand is OK but that was not really the point. Something dark would bring out the colors of the fish better. But they do like to dig in the small grained sand. A small grained gravel is OK.


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## Superfly724 (Sep 16, 2007)

Yeah, I was just curious. I've never really studied up on types of gravel and what works best with what. The gravel/substrate I'm using for my lamps is rocks and crushed coral. The coral helps to raise the PH. I was planning on using the same gravel for the 55 gallon, but then adding something darker on top of it, since the amount I have won't be enough to cover the tank, and to bring out the colors.


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## ron v (Feb 24, 2005)

That sounds like a good plan to me...


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Sand is fine, but so is crushed coral, limestone, gravel, etc. The real lakes have sandy areas of bottom. I have hornwort and javafern in with mbuna and they are usually floating or stuck to the filter intake. But thats where the plastic plants end up, too.


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## SouthernBelle23 (Mar 24, 2009)

I just wanted to add, that I'd probably do around 10-12 Mbuna for a 55g and not more than that. My experience was that more than 10-12 and you will have aggression issues, even when planned carefully. I even overstocked the tank, which is usually recommended for Mbuna and had issues. Don't want that to happen to you! 

Definitely take emc7's advice and don't buy from a mixed mbuna tank. I would research the types that the lfs sells and see which ones fit together better. Some Mbuna are less aggressive than others, so its best not to keep those with really aggressive ones. And some are just super aggressive and really need a larger tank than a 55g (believe it or not). 

Good luck with your tank!

You live in a great place for buying Mbuna.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

You go to PetChain and they have these nice, helpful signs saying that 3" is the max size for 'mixed africans'. Then you bring home cute little Red Zebras, Kenyi, and Venustus, Auratus and in 5 years they are 8" and one fish has all the others in the opposite corner and won't let them eat. 

Atlanta doesn't have as many serious cichlid keepers as the midwest or the east coast, but there are enough of us active in the club that we can get you set up with better than pet store fish at less than pet store prices.


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## Superfly724 (Sep 16, 2007)

EMC, you ever been to Pets Unlimited on Powers Ferry Rd? I've been in there a couple times myself, and one of the first things I noticed was the beautiful planted tank they have on display. I think it's a 75 gallon. Anyways, another thing that caught my eye was the fact that they keep all the cichlids in separate tanks with individual names. Electric blues were in separate tanks than the yellow labs and the names were on each tank. I'm just wondering if you've ever been there and can refer that as a good spot to do cichlid shopping. Only problem is that even the smallest sized electric blues were like $8. I don't know much cichlid pricing, but that seemed a bit much.

Thanks again for all the help.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Thats a pretty typical retail price. You can compare to online, http://www.petsolutions.com/Assorted-African-Cichlids+I90000+C40001552.aspx , but please don't mail order. Fish in the club go for wholesale or less. I haven't been to Pets Unlimited, but I'll go look next time I'm over there (always looking for a place to take Hemichromis). Cichlids have a nasty habit of hybridizing, so keeping them separate is a good thing. Planted tanks are apparently easy in our water. They do take more money (both initial and ongoing) than cichlid tanks but less than saltwater. The aquatic gardeners convention came to Atlanta last year, and ever since a segment of the club is plant crazy. If you want to go that route, there is lots of local help and clipping to be had. You can have kribs, or angels (the favorite fish of mothers) or apistos or other small S.A. cichlids in a planted tank. They do some aquascaping but are not as aggressive about digging as the Mbuna are.

What did you see at PU that you really love. Which electric blue? The jack demsey, the "hap, ahli"/Fryeri or the M. Johanni? I hate common names.


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## Superfly724 (Sep 16, 2007)

Yeah, the reason I mentioned the separate tanks was because it was nice to see someone who actually took the time to pick out the individual fish so people could know what they were buying. It wasn't just "assorted Africans" which is what I've seen at just about all other stores.

As for the type of electric blues, I'm quite sure it was the Johanni.

Thinking I'll still probably go with the rocky, fake planted Mbuna tank.

Sorry, another question:
Just using slate or something like that for the caves and habitat for the fish will do? I've tried using rocks from my creek, after boiling, cleaning, and soaking, but they don't stack very will since they're natural rocks.

Sorry for asking so many questions. I've just encountered alot of problems in my past when starting new tanks and I don't want such an expensive project to go to waste.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Some people use slate (its great for Tanginikans) other use found rocks, I use 'river rock' because it is around http://www.thestonecenter.com/georgia/contactus.html and affordable. Its pretty round, so it doesn't stack great. Limestone pavers, holey rock, go look at pics of cichlid tanks. The fish aren't picky. Please yourself and your family.

If you haven't been to Marine Fish and Atlantis, take a look. Atlantis is scuzzy looking but they have a bigger selection of freshwater fish than most of the others. Aviarium is worth a look if you are near Gwinett mall for any other reason. All of these are non-chain. So fish are pricier, but healthier and better labeled. Make friends and its possible you will be able to trade your fry for store credit someday.


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## Superfly724 (Sep 16, 2007)

I like the Creek Flats they have on their site.

Just found a promising fish shop from the list you gave me. It's pretty close to me. You can check out the website that has some nice photos of the shop. http://optimumaquarium.com/storeinfo.html


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Oh, I've heard of that one, but haven't been there yet. I'll have to take a day soon and check out a bunch along 75. Post your impressions (and any great deals) on the local forum.


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## Superfly724 (Sep 16, 2007)

Alright. I may have made a new decision. How well do Peacock Cichlids from Malawi work in a 55? If they do work, which fish work best? Found a nice supply of some great looking Peacocks. 

Thanks!


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## SouthernBelle23 (Mar 24, 2009)

Peacocks should work nicely. I would choose species that stay 5" and less....which won't be hard. As far as which work best, probably any of them. Depends on what you have available.

One thing I'm not sure about though, is that females lack color and the different species of females probably look similar. This might cause some inbreeding. EMC7 will be able to shed more light on this.

Perhaps you could do an all male tank.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Choose either breeding with 1-2 males and 3-8 females all the same kind (species and collection location) or a bachelor tank with many males, no two alike. There are some small Aulonocara that are really awesome in a 55.


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## Superfly724 (Sep 16, 2007)

I'll probably go with all males since they're more colorful and I'm not really into breeding yet. That is, if I decide to go with Peacocks. Thanks for the advice!


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