# 75 Gallon



## Filet O Fish (Apr 26, 2012)

Hello everyone, not exactly new to keeping cichlids here, but I've decided to go all out and make my new 75G into a Haps and peacock tank. My water parameters are good. 8.0ish ph and 0 ammonia. Got 65 out of 75 gallons out of my old 75g tank and kept the same filter media from my AC110 and my Bio-exclusive 350 magnum canister. I guess my big question is: Am I going to have to get rid of my existing Mbuna? The originals have made it with me for the past two years, even through a move. :thumb: It would hurt me to see them go, but it's time for me to move up in the world. Would there be a way, maybe with lots more rock (as I was planning anyway)? Let me know, I'm adding some pics in here just for a visual of what I'm working with. Either give me some criticism of what I have or treat it as a blank slate as well. This will be my tank for a long long time. Thanks. -Filet


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## Filet O Fish (Apr 26, 2012)

Oops, posted the wrong wide shot of the tank, big fake Petsmart rock is out. Just holy rock in there now.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

It would be helpful to know what species of Mbuna you currently have, including sizes and number of fish.

I see at least two N. venustus in the tank which may cause problems if you have opposite sexes and/or when the male reaches maturity.


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## Filet O Fish (Apr 26, 2012)

Deeda said:


> It would be helpful to know what species of Mbuna you currently have, including sizes and number of fish.
> 
> I see at least two N. venustus in the tank which may cause problems if you have opposite sexes and/or when the male reaches maturity.


Mbunas are: Blue johanni, Hongi, Albino Zebra and a Demasoni.

Number of cichlids are 9, and the Algae eaters are 2 Common Plecos, Red tail shark (That has been well for 2 years),and a BushyFace.

Unfortunately both the venustus are female.


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## NJmomie (Jan 17, 2013)

I like the clean look but not sure about the blue background. I think it would look nicer with a black background and maybe add more rocks on one side of tank.


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## Filet O Fish (Apr 26, 2012)

NJmomie said:


> I like the clean look but not sure about the blue background. I think it would look nicer with a black background and maybe add more rocks on one side of tank.


Thanks Nj. yep, a black background is something in consideration. Definitely gonna rock the tank out in the next few weeks by adding a bunch of lace, maybe some slate rock shelves too.


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## Filet O Fish (Apr 26, 2012)

Ok, after seeing all these great tanks with black backgrounds, I think I'm about %80 sure I want to change mine to black as well, gonna go plastic background at first to see which one appeals to me more. Glad I used acrylic paint, rolls off easier than it went on. I hit a landscaping place the other day, just playing around with a few ideas. Got some Slate chunks, Blue stone and they had a good selection of river rock and Mexican pebbles. My goal is to replace the remaining Holy rock cause I don't have enough... Sorry about all the glare.


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## NJmomie (Jan 17, 2013)

Black background is definitely the way to go and my OCD nature suggest that you pick one type of rock so there is more uniformity. That big black rock you added in the middle would be my choice. I would try to find more of those and build up that rock pile. I would also lose the grey slate on the right, it doesn't look very natural. Sorry if I sound too critical...just my suggestions.


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## Filet O Fish (Apr 26, 2012)

NJmomie said:


> Black background is definitely the way to go and my OCD nature suggest that you pick one type of rock so there is more uniformity. That big black rock you added in the middle would be my choice. I would try to find more of those and build up that rock pile. I would also lose the grey slate on the right, it doesn't look very natural. Sorry if I sound too critical...just my suggestions.


That's why I'm here  There's very little artist in me so all the suggestions are welcome. Actually I was thinking along the lines of more of that black slate in there. As far as the grey stone, some things are for me, some are for the fish :lol: But I get what you're saying. Gonna maybe try thin black slate steps or something on that side. Thanks NJ!


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## Randy_G (Nov 3, 2003)

I too like the big black rock in the centre. I would find some similar to it and use that to make some nice rock piles. Leave some blank sand areas for any peacocks you might have. The way I set up the rock in my tank, is to pile it up as if it collected there naturally. Look at a riverbed, or pictures of a lake bottom, and see how the rock has collected naturally. I try to imitate that look as best I can.


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## Filet O Fish (Apr 26, 2012)

Randy_G said:


> I too like the big black rock in the centre. I would find some similar to it and use that to make some nice rock piles. Leave some blank sand areas for any peacocks you might have. The way I set up the rock in my tank, is to pile it up as if it collected there naturally. Look at a riverbed, or pictures of a lake bottom, and see how the rock has collected naturally. I try to imitate that look as best I can.


Funny, I was just watching videos of Lake Malawi on Youtube and thinking the same thing.  I do usually like to leave the rocks in the background and have the full front of the tank all swimming space. As far as the big black rock, the landscaper, as far as I'm concerned, has an endless supply of those @ 15 cents a lb!!

I think it's time to give up a few of my Algae eaters. I have 5 (3 were "rescues") They like to claim a bunch of hiding spaces that could be better utilized for the 'Bunas Anyone can chime in on this, but how many should I have in a 75G? I have one of two good mom and pop LFS that would take them in.

thank ya, randy


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## Randy_G (Nov 3, 2003)

It's all good. :thumb: As long as there are places to hide, and area to swim in the fish should be happy. Then you just have to satisfy your own personal preference. There is _almost_ no real wrong way to aquascape. :wink:


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## Filet O Fish (Apr 26, 2012)

Well, I scraped the blue paint off and threw on a Vibran plastic black background to see how I like it. Well, I like it and am going to go ahead and paint it within the next few weeks. Water's cloudy cause of a filter cleaning and/or me just starting to feed the tank NLS again. I do do water changes every week. Got some more of the Quartzy black rock and big mexican pebbles. Decor isn't quite finished yet. Adding a little at a time.

Sent the two N. Venustus packing (to the LFS) as they were getting aggressive on the new Peacock juveniles I added a couple of nights ago. Will post more pics when i can get this water to clear.


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## jcabage (May 29, 2012)

Peacocks and Haps are more open water swimmers and won't need a bunch of rock. In a 75 gallon tank, you will want somewhere around 12 fish that mature at or under 6". Especially in a 75 gallon tank, it will be difficult to mix mbuna with haps/peacocks without some issues in the long term.

Are you shooting for an all male tank? You cannot mix breeding groups of Aulonocara, and you should not attempt to separate out the females into different species once you have mixed them together. They all look the same, and you couldn't make the distinction with confidence. I noticed you seem to already have peacock fry in the tank. This will be something to consider.

If you plan on an all male tank, your stock list will be determined more by the personality of the fish that you choose than anything, so long as you don't have any look-alikes. Any female in the tank will cause trouble, so you will need to remove all of them. You will need hospital/timeout tanks to remove fish who are overly aggressive or getting picked on.

Trying to formulate a list of potential fish to stock would be the best first step in this case, IMO.


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## Filet O Fish (Apr 26, 2012)

jcabage said:


> Peacocks and Haps are more open water swimmers and won't need a bunch of rock. In a 75 gallon tank, you will want somewhere around 12 fish that mature at or under 6". Especially in a 75 gallon tank, it will be difficult to mix mbuna with haps/peacocks without some issues in the long term.
> 
> Are you shooting for an all male tank? You cannot mix breeding groups of Aulonocara, and you should not attempt to separate out the females into different species once you have mixed them together. They all look the same, and you couldn't make the distinction with confidence. I noticed you seem to already have peacock fry in the tank. This will be something to consider.
> 
> ...


Right, I get everything you're saying, mostly. What you said here actually was the plan, The Mbunas are going to go to the fish store one day, but what I don't get is what you said about not separating the females?? Why is it that I can't do that? Are you saying now because they look the same _now_, or for some reason later on...? Thanks for the feedback


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## Filet O Fish (Apr 26, 2012)

Here's what I recently added:

Aulonocara Stuartgranti 'Rubescens x4

Aulonocara Stuartgranti 'Flametail Red Ngara x4

Aulonocara Stuartgranti Maleri 'Sunshine x6


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

I believe what cabage is saying is that you have different species of peacocks, and the females are hard to distinguish between species. You have a high risk of crossbreeding. One day a female will be holding, and you won't know who the father is or you may not even know what species the holding female is.


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## Filet O Fish (Apr 26, 2012)

Iggy Newcastle said:


> I believe what cabage is saying is that you have different species of peacocks, and the females are hard to distinguish between species. You have a high risk of crossbreeding. One day a female will be holding, and you won't know who the father is or you may not even know what species the holding female is.


Yes, thank you, that's what I kinda thought. So, how _*do *_people tell them apart? And what do I do now that I have already mixed them? And the if fish can't tell themselves apart, what do they do in the wild?


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## jcabage (May 29, 2012)

You cannot tell different species of peacock females apart at all. Once you have mixed them, it's sad to say it, but you are kind of at a loss. Any female peacock can breed with any male, and the babies will be no indication of a proper match. Basically, you should salvage your males and cut your losses IMO. Since you already have three species of peacock, I would try to keep your best looking male from each group and round out the tank with 10 or so more hap or peacock males that mature at or under 6". The Sunshine and Rubescens may not get along in the long run.

If you want to see breeding, you will essentially have to start over completely. That is of course unless you get a group of synos and be sure no fry from your group ever leaves your tank. Even still, you will likely have dominance issues in the long run with a breeding tank of three species of peacock. Normally people that keep these fish in an aquarium for breeding purposes will either keep them with a different genus of fish (normally haps) or give them their own tank to breed in.

The lake is much different than the confines of a 75 gallon tank.


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