# new cichlid tank



## acemcawesome (Mar 7, 2012)

I recently aquired a 55g tank and was thinking of setting it up with cichlids. I have never had cichlids before and don't know much about them. I'm looking for suggestions of how to set it up and what fish to put in it, how many, etc. I like lots of color and activity. Any help would be appreciated.


----------



## acemcawesome (Mar 7, 2012)

Can I put German blue rams with electric yellow labs and demasonis? If so how many and what combination?


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

no. They have opposite water requirements. In general, don't mix new and old world cichlids.

What is your water like? Hard and alkaline, you can do the Malawi Mbuna, labs and demasoni are reasonable together. Soft and acid? Do a couple pairs of rams, some cories, & tetra, or one pair of a bigger S. american cichlid like festivum.


----------



## toddnbecka (Jun 30, 2006)

The yellow Lab's and demasoni would be fine in a 55, but you'll need at least 10 (more would be better) demasoni to start with. Also excellent filtration, I'd run 2 aquaclear 70's on the tank.


----------



## acemcawesome (Mar 7, 2012)

Not sure what my water is like. I just did a water change in my 56g today. I will try to test it tomorrow and get back on that.

I saw an electric blue at petsmart today. Would that go with any of those?


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

If you mean a melanchromis, I'd avoid them. The are a bit bigger that demasoni and meaner than labs. If you wanted to do them anyway, you'd want about 8 or 10 all the same species.


----------



## acemcawesome (Mar 7, 2012)

Ok I tested my water and it is almost 0 on the hardness scale and between 7.8 and 8.4 on the ph scale. This is in the 56g community tank that I did a 50% water change on yesterday.

The electric blue I saw was a sciaenochromis fryeri.


----------



## toddnbecka (Jun 30, 2006)

S. fryeri are Hap's, grow pretty large and don't mix well with mbuna. A 55 limits your options a bit, smaller species of mbuna OR a group of smaller peacocks would work well in the long run. Just avoid the "mixed Africans" sold cheap everywhere, they're nasty and/or large-growing species that aren't suitable for a 55. They're cheap because they're mass produced by FL fish farms. You'll get color and activity, then dead fish when they start maturing and killing each other.
As for your water, crushed coral (either in the tank or a handful in a filter) will raise the hardness and buffer the pH. Chunks of coral in the tank will do the same thing if you prefer to use some, African cichlids do best in setups with loads of rocks for cover. Check out some pics of tanks on the cichlid forums and read some stocking threads for specific species that will work in a 55.


----------



## iheartfish:) (Jan 19, 2011)

I was gonna suggest multies but... The hardness is too low  haha


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Much easier to add stuff to water. Multies would be cool in a 55, but add some of dwarf "cyps" to the top.


----------



## iheartfish:) (Jan 19, 2011)

Well, if you were willing to add limestone and stuff to the water you could definitely do a beautiful tanganyikan set-up. 
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=tang...t=30&ndsp=37&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:30&tx=163&ty=14
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=tang...bnw=189&start=30&ndsp=37&ved=1t:429,r:14,s:30
It's good if you like a rocky look, not if you're the colorful frilly person. It's also kind of gothic looking.... I think a good question to ask is what kind of look are you going for?


----------



## acemcawesome (Mar 7, 2012)

I was thinking of having a rocky theme for hiding places and caves. Is there any reason I couldn't use stone tile to put on the back wall of the tank for a background?


----------



## acemcawesome (Mar 7, 2012)

toddnbecka said:


> As for your water, crushed coral (either in the tank or a handful in a filter) will raise the hardness and buffer the pH. Chunks of coral in the tank will do the same thing if you prefer to use some, African cichlids do best in setups with loads of rocks for cover. Check out some pics of tanks on the cichlid forums and read some stocking threads for specific species that will work in a 55.


I asked about crushed coral at petsmart and they looked at me like I was asking for uranium. Lol. I know petsmart isn't the best place for this stuff but there isn't really anything better around me.


----------



## toddnbecka (Jun 30, 2006)

Baking soda will also work, just not as convenient as coral or limestone because you have to keep using it with water changes.


----------



## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

ace.......look in your phone book or google for local landscape supply companies...or gravel yards........call the closest one and ask if they have #10 or smaller crushed limestone......grab a shovel and a couple of 5 gallon buckets and go get it...might cost you 5 bucks..i have been using crushed limestone for rift lake cichlids for more than 35 years....it buffers the water to a PH of about 8.4 and increases the hardness as well..
it also works quite well for saltwater substrate....


----------

