# 55 gallon African cichlids



## vdavidguerrero (Sep 3, 2015)

Well this is my first post 

I have a new 55 Gallon that has been running for 2 weeks now with 3 goldfish in it and it has:


Black background.
Black stand/canopy.
Pool filter sand as a substrate. 
10G DIY sump wet/dry filter with a 290GPH pump and 3/4" overflow.
2 H.O.T magnum HOB Canister filters

Everything started as a peacock and haps project, but after reading and reading I'm not sure anymore. My options and their pros and cons are:

*Peacocks and haps:*

Pros:
_ - I don't need to much rock work, I already have a few rocks that I think will work. Really like OB Peacocks!._
Cons:
_ - I don't want to have all male tank, and don't know who bad it will look with females on it (Pictures or mixed tanked will be helpful )_

*Mbunas:*

Pros:
_- Like the colors, and like the fish .
- They have several types on my LFS. _
Cons:
_ - Don't know how put/get so many rocks (pictures will be highly appreciated)._

*Tanganyika Tank:*

Pros:
_- I like the frontosa and Altolamprologus calvus, Tropheus. _
Cons:
_- Don't know to much about the fish and for frontosa it will only be a grow out tank... _

*Discus Tank has been crossing my mind lately too... *

Please I would like some advice on this.

Thanks!


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I'd choose mbuna given your tank size and go to a landscape supplier for inexpensive rocks...anything inert...no need for lace rock or anything fancy, in fact I would advise you to choose smooth granite like river rocks. You want fist size and up...no pebbles.


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## vdavidguerrero (Sep 3, 2015)

Thanks for the input djransome! I think mbuna will be a good choice. This are the rocks I have until now:










And this is how the tank looks now (SAD)::









Do you think those rock will be enough, I was thinking about getting some smaller ones and use them too..

Are the haps females like the peacocks? with no color?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Generally no color on female haps. Those rocks look good but get a lot more.


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## vdavidguerrero (Sep 3, 2015)

I think I'm gonna go with an all male peacock/haps, will buy them small unsexed and see how it goes.

I really like them OB Peacock and venustas.

any advise on it ? stocking list ?


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## vdavidguerrero (Sep 3, 2015)

What do you think about the rockscaping so far? I like it minimalist, not too MUCH rocks.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

55G is small for all-male but not impossible. Venustus needs a 72" tank.

When you start small before the fish can be sexed, ideally you would put each species in a separate tank and grow them out until you can ID your male...then sell the leftovers.

If you mix them as juveniles, you will not be able to ID the separate species for resale, especially the female peacocks.

I'd shoot for 8-10 individuals.


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## vdavidguerrero (Sep 3, 2015)

What if I do Mbuna, can I mixed them as juvies?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Yes. But they are pretty feisty for an all-male tank and it's hard to find 10 species that look nothing alike.


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## vdavidguerrero (Sep 3, 2015)

Yeah you're right I've been looking. I'll go with Peacock and haps, just don't know how to grow out the juvies with only one tank?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Most of us buy adults. You could do one species at a time, but it would take forever. Or a couple at a time if the females look nothing alike (like a hap and a peacock), but that could still take years.


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

Local fish clubs are a good source of adult male African cichlids. Many clubs have public auctions where single adult male cichlids show up frequently, and can be reasonably priced.


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## vdavidguerrero (Sep 3, 2015)

Yeah I'm thinking on getting them as adult, although. what's a good size to buy them? so they're not fully grown, but already with the colors?


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## Samadhikash (Jun 16, 2015)

I don't want to derail the train, but just a quick reminder....

Doing a fish-in cycle with 3 goldfish will result in enough bacteria to handle the ammonia and nitrite of 3 fish the size of those goldfish.

If you then add 6 or 9 cichlids, you are effectively doubling or tripling the demand on your bacterial colony. A strong, healthy bacterial colony will multiply to handle the additional demand; but it will take days, not hours. Can be very frustrating to watch $100 of fish get sick or die from poisoning by ammonia or nitrite spikes.

Don't mean to offend if you know all that already.  Just a friendly drop of the 7 P's.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

True. I'd take out goldfish and switch to ammonia now.

You may not have a choice on size...the vendor will decide when they are sexable. 3" works for many species that will work in a 55G. I don't worry about buying them young...might get you another 6 months of lifespan but not years unless you buy an elderly hobbyist fish.

Also having them grow up together has never improved the aggression in the adult tank for me so if that's your reason, no advantage there.


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## vdavidguerrero (Sep 3, 2015)

Samadhikash said:


> I don't want to derail the train, but just a quick reminder....
> 
> Doing a fish-in cycle with 3 goldfish will result in enough bacteria to handle the ammonia and nitrite of 3 fish the size of those goldfish.
> 
> ...


Thanks for this, I hadn't thought about that. I guess I will take the fish out and put the ammonia in. Do you know where can I get it btw?

Thanks,


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Grocery store, store brand, no surfectants (pure ammonia). Commonly on the bottom shelf in section for cleaners.


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## vdavidguerrero (Sep 3, 2015)

So I took the goldfish out, and put the Tetra Safe Start to add more bacteria to whatever it already had, then added 3 cichilds and they are already eating!. This is my first African Cichlid Tank and I already love how the juveniles look.

I got:

1 Venustus
1 blue hap moori
1 Assorted Peacock that looks like a fire blood dragon.

These guy have some color on them already, and they go from 2 - 3.5", does that mean they're males?  ?

Here's the picture:


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## vdavidguerrero (Sep 3, 2015)

I've added a few more rocks. Do I have to many for peacocks and haps? Is this something more like for mbuna?

THanks!


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