# Cichlid Mix/Tank Setup



## jellis (Aug 7, 2013)

Hello all, I am new to the forum and hope someone can help me with all the questions I have. Let me begin by describing my tank setup, I have a 55 gallon "petsmart special" that has been established for close to a year now. I am running 2 aqueon hang on filters and do a partial water change at least every other week. My water always tests great. (I will attach a few pictures tomorrow).

Here is what I have in the tank:
(1) Melanochromis Auratus -male-(super healthy)
(1) Labidochromis-Yellow Lab -male-(super healthy)
(2) Tropheus Moorii-unsure of sex-seem healthy, but one has not grown since we got it.
(1) Red Zebra-male, I think. Started out bright orange, now has lost a lot of color, almost opaque and hides constantly.
(1) Kenyii. Male, I think. Used to be bright blue, but has turned much lighter-seems quite healthy
(1) Pseudotropheus Crabro or "Bumblebee-Unsure of sex, but super healthy
(1) Nimbochromis Livingstonii-Unsure of sex, but seems very healthy

Is this a good mix? I have read that the Tropheus may not be in the best environment with all the others.

I would like to add more Yellow Labs, Melanochromis and Livinstonii in hopes of getting some females, would that be overcrowding my 55 gallon tank?

As I said, I will post some pictures tomorrow and I would gratefully welcome any comments or suggestions on how I could improve or upgrade my tank/setup.


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## Cichlidman14 (Jul 17, 2013)

U should be okay as long as u add more females but watch the auratus and kenyi. They're highly aggressive


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## peterock44 (Jul 3, 2012)

livingstoni in a 55g? not a good idea, the thing will eventually be 9-10.5+. in a 55g i would not do kenyi, crabro, or auratus. if you add more yellow labs, your supposed male red zebra will likely dominate the yellow lab males and steal his girlfriends. i think you need to completely reconsider your stock and start over keeping only the red zebras or yellow labs then stocking more suitable tank mates such as an afra group or rusty group.


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

In my opinion, the following fish are not recommended for a 55 gallon tank

(1) Melanochromis Auratus -male-(super healthy)
(1) Kenyii. Male, I think. Used to be bright blue, but has turned much lighter-seems quite healthy
(1) Pseudotropheus Crabro or "Bumblebee-Unsure of sex, but super healthy
(1) Nimbochromis Livingstonii-Unsure of sex, but seems very healthy

Additionally, most people advise not to mix tropheus with mbuna - especially not in small groups, and especially not in tanks less than 6 feet.


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## jellis (Aug 7, 2013)

Okay, well I guess I'm gonna have to get a photobucket account set up before I post any photos......Thank you so much for the responses...not exactly the answers I wanted, but great information all the same.



Kanorin said:


> In my opinion, the following fish are not recommended for a 55 gallon tank
> 
> (1) Melanochromis Auratus -male-(super healthy)
> (1) Kenyii. Male, I think. Used to be bright blue, but has turned much lighter-seems quite healthy
> ...


Kanorin and Peterock, how big of a tank would be acceptable for the fish you are recommending NOT to keep in the 55 gallon? 
Would these same fish coexist in the same tank, assuming it was big enough?
I have an extra 20 gallon being set up right now, would that be sufficient for at least the two Tropheus?

Again, I will set up a photobucket account and get some pictures posted very soon

Thanks again guys!


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## jellis (Aug 7, 2013)

Here are a few pictures of my tank.....I know it's old school and I want to change a lot of things, but that's why I am here......





My plan is to get rid of the gravel substrate and use coral or sand, then take out the petsmart "toys" and replace them with something more real

Again, I know it's horrible, but any advice or constructive criticism would be highly appreciated.


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## peterock44 (Jul 3, 2012)

to sucessfully mix kenyi, auratus, crabro, and livingstoni long term you are going to need a much much bigger tank (think 6 footer). i wouldnt try it, those happen to be 3 of the most notoriously aggressive mbuna commonly kept. as for your 20 gallon and 2 tropheus, that is also probably not a good idea. tropheus do best in large group species tanks. i do currently have 2 different tropheus in with some of my mbuna (wife wanted to try them) that do fine, but i'll be the first to admit it probably isnt optimal for them.

this tank has been setup for close to a year though, so if there is relative peace, why rock the boat? its definitly not an ideal stocking, but if its working then you might consider leaving it as is (with the exception of removing the livingstoni once it gets to large). adding more fish at this point would probably unleash a war in this tank, especially if there are females added.


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## jellis (Aug 7, 2013)

Thanks Peterock, that's great advice. I think what I would like to do though is get a bigger tank for another area of the house (75-120g?) and move the livinstonii, auratus, crabro and kenyii to that, then start a more suitable tank stocking in my existing tank as you had suggested earlier. Does that sound like it would work?


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## Austinite (Jul 27, 2013)

Jellis, you asked for advice, so here goes.........I think the skull must go, it's tragic, LOL! Also the fuschia fake plants. You mentioned that you would be changing alot of things......are you going to change the gravel to sand?


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## jellis (Aug 7, 2013)

Austinite said:


> Jellis, you asked for advice, so here goes.........I think the skull must go, it's tragic, LOL! Also the fuschia fake plants. You mentioned that you would be changing alot of things......are you going to change the gravel to sand?


Austinite....that is FUNNY! Thanks for the input, and I completely agree. The skull and the horrid plants are definitely going away, I just went to the LPS (not Petsmart) today during lunch and picked up some great limestone and river rocks. I started getting the awful gravel out last night, but it was kicking up such a mess, I decided to give the fish a break for a while. I'll get back to it tonight. I am also picking up two 50 pound bags of pool filter sand on the way home to replace the gravel with.

I'm thinking I will also switch out the HOB filters for a good canister filter. And I am going to switch out the stock hood with a clear one then go to marine white and blue bulbs.

Have I missed anything?


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## jellis (Aug 7, 2013)

This is how far I got last night....all the plants are gone, and the garbage is still in there for shelter until I can get the sand and rocks in.....



This is ultimately what I am kinda shooting for......


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Backgrounds are very cool and can make a tank come alive. Adding one to an existing tank could be problematic... I can only imagine.

I would be concerned about having an entertainment center and tv surrounding my tank. Lots of bass and vibration running through the tank...


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## jellis (Aug 7, 2013)

Iggy Newcastle said:


> I would be concerned about having an entertainment center and tv surrounding my tank. Lots of bass and vibration running through the tank...
> 
> Backgrounds are very cool and can make a tank come alive. Adding one to an existing tank could be problematic... I can only imagine.
> 
> I would be concerned about having an entertainment center and tv surrounding my tank. Lots of bass and vibration running through the tank...


Thanks Iggy, I appreciate your concern with the additional noise....I did take that into consideration when we built the room though. All of the speakers are run through the ceiling and quite far from the tank.

Here is what I accomplished over the weekend.....still have a ways to go, but I think it is a huge improvement so far.

Comments or advice as always are quite welcome.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

I think it looks a lot better. You should consider adding more rock, though. How's the red zebra? Still hiding?


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## jellis (Aug 7, 2013)

Iggy....I agree (so does my wife) I definitely need more rock.

Yes, he (she?)is still being chased by everyone. She is still trying to hide....here you can barely see her in the back corner.....


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## smitty814 (Sep 27, 2012)

bg's do look awesome in larger tanks. In a 55 I think a bg takes up too much space. You only have 13" to begin with. I would just cover with black paper or paint the back of your tank.


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## NJmomie (Jan 17, 2013)

I agree with smitty about the background. Save it for the larger tank you plan to setup next. As for your progress, wow...what a difference the sand makes to the overall look of the tank. It's looking rather nice. I think you are going in the right direction.


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## jellis (Aug 7, 2013)

NJmomie and smitty, thank you both! I wouldn't have made the change without all the input from you guys. I have a black paper background on there right now, but no matter how many times I scrape the thing flat, I always end up with condensation or (?) behind it.



Iggy Newcastle said:


> How's the red zebra? Still hiding?


Iggy...here's the best pic I could find of the Zebra (If that is what it actually is)


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## NJmomie (Jan 17, 2013)

jellis said:


> NJmomie and smitty, thank you both! I wouldn't have made the change without all the input from you guys. I have a black paper background on there right now, but no matter how many times I scrape the thing flat, I always end up with condensation or (?) behind it.


Strange you would be getting condensation on the background... is your HOB filter leaking? When I have used the "paper" background before, I remember them being a laminated thicker type of posterboard paper which should hold up ok. Can you get access to the back of the tank to paint it?


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## jellis (Aug 7, 2013)

I'm fairly certain none of the filters are leaking, I think it is just cheap background paper.....guy at the LPS just gave it to me, no charge.

I had planned on painting it soon anyway


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## smitty814 (Sep 27, 2012)

I used to use the black construction paper that kids use in elementary school. Just tuck it in under the plastic edging around the top of the tank. I would just change it out when it started to look bad. If your paper is getting wet it's probably from the fish splashing.


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