# Serious Advise for Tank Environment Needed / African Chiclid



## leslieannmc (Mar 19, 2017)

I started a 45-gallon setup of African Chiclids some time ago. 18 fish... 6 different species.

They were very young when purchased... approximately 1 inch in length...
They have killed themselves off and I have replenished some. The surviving fish are now app. 4 - 5 inches in length. App. 10 left with many babies.
I have 3 large slate rocks that they burrow caves under with crushed coral and sand as a substrate, and with tall bushy green foilage for additional hiding places. 
They are producing babies often. I never expected live babies from them. They now range from newly developed fry to over an inch in length.

The issue is that they continue to kill each other off. I try to incorporate additional hiding places as suggested... it does not deter them. I have taken out who I thought were the aggressors... now I have a ten gallon in my kitchen with dividers to keep them separate. Acclimating them back to the tank has yet to be successful.

I contemplated removing all rocks and plants... but concerned with the babies.

What is the best living environment for African Chiclids??? They have outgrown the 45, and I need to invest in a 55 or larger for them. But until I can determine what environment is best for their temperament, I do not want to continue investing.

I'm looking forward to finding a solution...


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Do you know which species? Or could you post pictures?

A good tank to start with, is a 4' x 18" x 18", unless you've got very aggressive cichlids, but we'd need pictures as said.

I would probably put more than three caves...


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## leslieannmc (Mar 19, 2017)

http://s163.photobucket.com/user/leslie ... w/Chiclids

the tank you suggest sounds about like what I have... This is a 45gl tall tank


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## leslieannmc (Mar 19, 2017)

correction... my tank is not near the size you suggested...


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## leslieannmc (Mar 19, 2017)

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t290 ... G92571.jpg

This guy had to be removed from the tank this morning. He's just about 3". Smaller than the others


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

What are the dimensions of your tank in Length x Width x Height?


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## leslieannmc (Mar 19, 2017)

30" x 12" x 18"


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

The length of your aquarium is the biggest issue, just not long enough. Typically the fish that you have, chase for 36" ... and that means that the fish trying to escape, never gets away.... they will continue to get chased.

A 48" long tank, of at least 18x18" is going to be the minimum. The bigger in length, the better.

These are also rock dwelling cichlids, that do best in a heavily rocked tank, so while the plastic plants might help a little, ultimately they aren't the answer.

You've got a mix of Johanni type fish, some of which are hybrids, and Yellow Labidochromis types, some of which are hybrids.


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## leslieannmc (Mar 19, 2017)

Thank you for the information!

I also have a 90 gallon seascape (48 x 48 x 23)with only 4 Blood red parrots (chiclids) and 2 very large algea eaters. Not sure how to tackle the task, but it sounds like I had better get them switched. It's gruesome to see how violent and relentless the african chiclids can be, yet they are beautiful fish...  The one removed this morning is full of internal bleeding with every fin tattered. Not sure he will make it


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## leslieannmc (Mar 19, 2017)

correction... 48 x 18 x 23


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## Old Newbie (Feb 18, 2017)

That blue one with the vertical bands looks like a Pseudotropheus Demasoni or Pseudotropheus Elongatus; either way they are both very aggressive. I've had Demasoni beat on every fish in the tank despite their small size. How long is that one? Demasoni are a dwarf species that only get to about 3 to 3 1/2 inches; Elongatus get up to 5 inches.


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## leslieannmc (Mar 19, 2017)

The guy with vertical stripes... He is 4+ inches... and the largest one in the tank. I have a female of the same species the same size. The ones with the horizontal stripes seem like they are a smaller species in comparison. Yes, they are very aggressive come to find out. All were under an inch when I purchased them just over a year ago. The big guy with vertical stripes pulverized a fish just prior to changing their tank. The internal bleeding was extreme  and he did not make it come to see this morning. They went from a 45 to a 90 gl seascape tank. They are loving the room needless to say and the aggression is low. I now have more babies than adults come to find out from moving them. I will post another picture once the tank settles.

My blood red parrots and the 15" and 12" plecostomus's are not happy in the 45! Time to shop for another aquarium...


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## leslieannmc (Mar 19, 2017)

Fogelhund... You were right on!

The length of your aquarium is the biggest issue, just not long enough. Typically the fish that you have, chase for 36" ... and that means that the fish trying to escape, never gets away.... they will continue to get chased.

Watching them now, that is exactly what they do... I researched, read, and watched youtube videos galore.... Information overload... Thak you for the correct advise


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## XpensiveWino (Aug 4, 2016)

You will find when Fogelhund speaks, you listen. ; ) He's an awesome resource and very active on the forum.


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## leslieannmc (Mar 19, 2017)

The juviniles are lovin it!

http://s163.photobucket.com/user/leslieannmc/slideshow/

And of course my parrots were jealous of the attention, so there are a few shots of them in there 

Thanks again Fogelhund!


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## leslieannmc (Mar 19, 2017)

The above link was not correct... If anyone is still interested in seeing the correct slide show of the cichlids now in a 90 gl seascape aquarium the link below is correct.
All apologies...

http://s163.photobucket.com/user/leslie ... 20Seascape


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