# how many cichlids should i keep in my tank?



## jetz (May 27, 2013)

Hey guys, i recently got a 75 gallon tank. Currently i have 5 fish in it. 3 yellow labs (two a little more than an inch and another one about an inch or little less), 1 albino (not sure exactly what kind. he has red eyes and light yellow shade towards the tail and top fin. he is about 1.5 inch., and the last one is either a blue zebra or a cobalt blue. not really sure which one and he is also about 1.5 inch.

how many more should i get? i plan on mixing some peacocks in there. i know people advice not to do that but the owner of my lfs said its okay as long as the peacocks are bigger than the mbunas.

also what other fish can i keep in the tank? i was thinking of a pleco but those get too big for my taste. any other good oddballs?


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## smitty814 (Sep 27, 2012)

Check out the cookie cutter set ups in the library section of this forum. Some good suggestions. As for taking advise from lfs....they do tend to want to sell inventory.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Welcome to the fourm!

Some useful info here on the forum and the cookie cutter setups mentioned above(under quick reference)...
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/

Build around the yellow labs. If you want peacocks, remove the albino and your blue fish. Only do one species of peacocks(1m:several females), or all male with the labs.

If no peacocks, buy at least 5 more labs and more of what you have. Post pictures of your current fish to try and get a proper ID on them.

Bristlenose plecos are a popular choice, and do not grow large.

How did you cycle the tank?


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## jetz (May 27, 2013)

thanks guys. i cycled the tank using "quick start" and i also vacuumed the gravel from my other tank where i had my 5 cichlids and poured some of that water in there. i also took the hob filter from that small tank and ran it on the 75 for a while.

edit: i was looking through the profiles and i figured out that my blue fish is Pseudotropheus socolofi. and the albino is most likely Metriaclima greshakei but i am not sure about this one.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

How long did you have the filter on the 75? Do you know your water readings(ammonia, nitrite and nitrate)? Just to be sure it's cycled...

You can try posting pics of your fish. There are some members on here that can tell you what they most likely are, or if they are hybrids.


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## brinkles (Jan 30, 2011)

Socolofi and greshakei are both very common fish, so that's likely what you have. I'd start with 8 of each of those species, and increase the yellow labs to 8 also. A group of synodontis petricola or multipunctatus would be a cool oddball addition, but they're going to be a few bucks.

A problem with peacocks is that they tend to be big wimps, and they might not be very colorful if they are with an aggressive fish like the greshakei. Also, many of them are nearly impossible to tell apart when young, so you shouldn't mix them. They may also hybridize. Some people keep a bunch of males together, but I wouldn't advise a beginner to try this. There are some more peaceful species you could mix a group of peacocks with, though.


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## jetz (May 27, 2013)

Iggy, probably for around 16 hours but not straight.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

You should get yourself a test kit. One that has the liquid droppers and test tubes. Gotta know for sure.

Beneficial bacteria does not exist in the water column. I have not used Safe Start, so can't comment if it works or not. Most do not. You would have wanted to run the established filter on the 75, simultaneously with whatever new filters you have on the 75, for at least 2 weeks.

Here's some info on cycling: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=239823


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## jetz (May 27, 2013)

thanks a lot, Iggy!


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## jetz (May 27, 2013)

Hey Iggy, i went out and got myself an api master test kit. i just did a test and all the results were good. high range ph was 8.2 (i added a buffer when i started the tank), ammonia was between o ppm and 0.25 ppm. nitrite was around 0 ppm and 0.25 ppm. nitrate was around 0 ppm and 5.0 ppm. 
i am kinda confused because these results indicate that my tank is fully cycled right?? but the tank is only like 3 days old. i took the water samples from top of the tank while both new emperor 400 and the old 20 gallon tank filter were running.

please let me know whats up with my results if you know. i took a picture of the results. i will post that later


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

I have trouble reading the ammonia. I usually test some bottled water at the same time. But your tank should have ammonia, since you just set it up. Any trace of ammonia indicates an uncycled tank, or one experiencing a mini cycle. Your nitrate reading will not be accurate if you have a nitrite reading.

A tank that is cycled will have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and a reading of nitrate. The only way(without products like Purigen) to remove nitrate is through regular water changes. Once you reach that point, try to keep it under 20 ppm. Weekly water changes will usually do the trick.

Be sure to be in a well lit area when reading test results. It may help to look down the bottom of tube rather than through it.


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

Iggy Newcastle said:


> I have trouble reading the ammonia. I usually test some bottled water at the same time. But your tank should have ammonia, since you just set it up. Any trace of ammonia indicates an uncycled tank, or one experiencing a mini cycle. Your nitrate reading will not be accurate if you have a nitrite reading.
> 
> A tank that is cycled will have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and a reading of nitrate. The only way(without products like Purigen) to remove nitrate is through regular water changes. Once you reach that point, try to keep it under 20 ppm. Weekly water changes will usually do the trick.
> 
> Be sure to be in a well lit area when reading test results. It may help to look down the bottom of tube rather than through it.


+1 It may help to look down the bottom of tube rather than through it.

Never thought to do that, going to try that, thanks.


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## jetz (May 27, 2013)

thank you, i will try again tomorrow probably


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