# Help



## Joe1986 (Sep 12, 2009)

So I started up a new tank around amonth ago. Bought some african cichlids from walmart (its all i have around here) and they keep dying. I have a 29gallon tank, the temp is around 80 degrees, ph is fine. i bought 3 of them, they did just fine for a while. i bought them a few small feeder fish to munch on and then one died. didnt know why, the other two were jsut fine. i figured it was a fluk. so i bought another ( I have three driftwood ornaments in the tank and each claimed one of them so i figured 3 ornaments, three fish). this new died, it was fighting with an orange one (i think, they kept swimming in circles like two dogs trying to sniff each others tails). i figured the orange one killed it, but then this morning i found another one dead. now instead of buying more to send to the slaughter i figured i would ask for help. the only thing that bugs me though, the orange cichlid is still doing great, and there are still two feeder fish left so the tank cant be killing them can it? as im sure you notcied, Im kinda a noob at the fish thing, I have had successful aquariums in the past but mostly with real hardy fish liek tetras and what not. someone please give me advice here, thanks.


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## Joe1986 (Sep 12, 2009)

oh and i have a few live plants that are growing, in case that is doing soemthign negative for me.


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## CrabbyMatty (Jun 30, 2009)

Do not feed live fish.


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## lotsofish (Feb 28, 2008)

Young African cichlids of all types can usually be kept together but watch out once they reach sexual maturity. The fish from the same Walmart tank may not get along once they grow a bit. Also, I doubt that any of the fish you find at Walmart are true piscivores. Many of the more colorful fish are herbivores and are prone to "Malawi Bloat" if they are given the wrong diet.

One of the more interesting aspect of raising cichlids is their variety and behavior. That is why it is important to do some research on the fish you plan to stock. Will they get along? Will the diet be right for them? Read more about the fish and you will understand better how to keep them.


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## ladybugzcrunch (Jul 26, 2009)

Did you cycle this tank or just fill it and add fish. These are most likely mbuna if you bought them in Walmart. Mbuna are vegitarians and will kill the feeders but will not or should not eat them. Walmart fish do not have a high survival rate as it is though. 29 gallons is really small for mbuna so if this is what you have, you should either reconsider mbuna or only house one. If they are Tangs (which I highly doubt from Walmart) that is a different story. A 29 would make an awsome planted tetra tank with little corys and ottos. I would alo through in a show fish like a male betta. All of these fish are sold at Walmart.


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## Joe1986 (Sep 12, 2009)

yah i cycled it, and after looking at some pics of mbuna it is. they all were. the one still living is the Metriaclima estherae. kind of upset that the walmart guy told me i could feed them fish and ghost shrimp. so these guys are herbivores and i should only keep 1? why only keep one though?


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## ladybugzcrunch (Jul 26, 2009)

Mbuna are harlem breeders that means one male and many females. Most mbuna get to be 5 or 6 inches long some bigger a handful smaller. 29 gallons is not a lot of room for 5, 6 inch fish. They will most likely beat eachother to death. I have a male kenyi mbuna, the one in the picture next to my screen name who is going to live in a 29 gallon by himself because he did not play well with the others in my 75g. Most would trade him in for another fish but I really like him which is the only reason I will make such accomidations for a single fish. Also, I can not put any other non mbuna in with him because he kills them too. As I suggested in my other post, I would make this into a planted tetra tank. But if you really want mbuna, you may end up with only one whether your choice or by the most dominant fish in the tank as demonstrated by the lone red zebra.


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## Joe1986 (Sep 12, 2009)

i hear ya. you think i could fit an oscar in the tank? just the oscar and the mbuna?


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## ridley25 (Jan 5, 2008)

That's a big N-O on the Oscar.

Check this out: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/c ... er_29g.php

Lots of cichlids you can try, but mbuna is not the way to go in a 29.

kevin


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## lotsofish (Feb 28, 2008)

To get some good ideas about stocking a 29 gallon, try the cookie cutter section on this site:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/c ... er_29g.php


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## Joe1986 (Sep 12, 2009)

now im getting mizzed reviews here. yes on the mbuna, no on the mbuna. to ask maybe a noob question, but wont the fish only grow the size they are comfortable in?


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## Joe1986 (Sep 12, 2009)

*** looked at those. the 20 and 29. but *** been told that crowding jsut a little is beneficial for the aggressivness fo the fish. truth to that? jsut looking at my options because my only fish supplier is walmart, and they only have a few fish that are compatable with the mbuna


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## lotsofish (Feb 28, 2008)

Most Mbuna are known for aggressive behavior. If there is not enough room for meeker fish to avoid the aggressors, they will be killed.

Fish also make waste. The bigger the fish, the more waste it produces. The environment becomes toxic to them. Fish can be stunted by being in too small a tank but they are stunted because they are unhealthy. In too small a tank their immune systems will fail and their life expectancy is much shorter.


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## lotsofish (Feb 28, 2008)

I don't know what part of Texas you live in but check out this link:
http://freshaquarium.about.com/gi/dynam ... Etcichlid/

Perhaps there are some cichlid hobbyists close by that you can buy fish from. They will be much healthier than the fish from Walmart.


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## Joe1986 (Sep 12, 2009)

what if i have good filtration to combat the excess waste? I cant cant belive that 29 gallons is only big enough for 1 fish (mbuna)... what if i got the oposite gender?


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## ridley25 (Jan 5, 2008)

I think the only "yes" you will get to mbuna in a 29 (especially if it's a Metriaclima estherae) is to one mbuna.
However, there are "dwarf" mbuna that might work in a 1:3 or 1:4 (m:f) ratio. Is it possible to tell us what fish your petsmart has available?
And in this instance, don't even consider anything out of a "mixed African" tank!


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## lotsofish (Feb 28, 2008)

Mbuna are harem breeders. Usually you need at least two females because the male may pester a single female to death--especially if there isn't enough room in the tank for her to escape.

A pair of angelfish would work in a 29 gal tank. A group of African shelldwellers would also work. These are both interesting fish to keep.


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## Joe1986 (Sep 12, 2009)

how do you tell a make from a female with mbuna? dingy color = male?


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## JLA (Sep 6, 2009)

Joe1986 said:


> how do you tell a make from a female with mbuna? dingy color = male?


Actually, just the opposite if they are dimorphic, or they appear the same if monomorphic. You really are asking for trouble with most mbuna in a 29 though.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/c ... .php?cat=2 The profile listings are a good place to start learning


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## ladybugzcrunch (Jul 26, 2009)

Angels was a good idea. Mbuna will not work in a 29g unless you want only one. Oscar, your kidding right. Oscars get HUGE. Would you stay small if we kept you in a bathroom or closet your whole life. Probably not and if you did it would be from lack of resources to thrive. Lots of filtration is good but no amount of filtration will make the footprint of your tank bigger.


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