# 150cm Fake Reef Cichlid Tank



## lwl

Hi guys i wanna share my another new setup of cichlid tank in my restaurant,here are the spec:
Tank: 150x35x60
Substrat: Gravel small and large
Rocks: Sulawesi Rocks
Filter :JBL Crystal profil 1500
WM: 2x Jebo 2100
Lights: Aquazonic LED sirius 150 cm

Fish: Mix african and american Cichlid

FTS:

















Fish:

















































































































Please help me id my cichlid because i really don't know much about cichlid's name, Thanks...

Enjoy...


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## jd lover

way crowded and a bunch of random mixes. i suggest you do research next time


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## fmueller

lwl said:


> Hi guys i wanna share my another new setup of cichlid tank in my restaurant, [...]
> 
> Please help me id my cichlid because i really don't know much about cichlid's name


Welcome to CF! Obviously the tank looks great right now, and the customers of your restaurant will be delighted. Pretty much all juvenile cichlids can be kept together in the same tank, bu this is no longer true when the fish mature and show adult behavior. Knowing what cichlids you have is not only a fun exercise and a means to make conversation when folks ask what they are, but it is important to have that knowledge in order to make good stocking choices. Obviously for that purpose you need to have the knowledge _before_ you buy the fish! In your case one needs no crystal ball to see plenty of sick, injured and dead fish in your future. As a restaurant customer, I find sitting next to a tank of unhealthy and dead fish very off putting, and I have a hunch I am not alone in this.

As for IDing fish in your tank, sorry, there are simply too many fish in that tank and too many problems to be addressed in a single post. You have fish that prefer soft water and those that prefer hard, vegetarians next to those needing a high protein diet, hyperactive fish next to those that are very docile and shy, and plenty of fish that will outgrow your tank in a short period of time. I suggest starting to read in the library section of this site, or picking up any beginners book on cichlids. If you are not interested in fish so much, but just want a conversation piece for your restaurant, I would strongly suggest hiring a competent aquarium maintenance firm that can take care of the tank for you, including stocking.

I am sorry if all of this comes over as a bit harsh, but there is no point in skirting the truth since you are truly looking at a tank full of disasters waiting to happen!

All the best!


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## lwl

fmueller said:


> lwl said:
> 
> 
> 
> Hi guys i wanna share my another new setup of cichlid tank in my restaurant, [...]
> 
> Please help me id my cichlid because i really don't know much about cichlid's name
> 
> 
> 
> Welcome to CF! Obviously the tank looks great right now, and the customers of your restaurant will be delighted. Pretty much all juvenile cichlids can be kept together in the same tank, bu this is no longer true when the fish mature and show adult behavior. Knowing what cichlids you have is not only a fun exercise and a means to make conversation when folks ask what they are, but it is important to have that knowledge in order to make good stocking choices. Obviously for that purpose you need to have the knowledge _before_ you buy the fish! In your case one needs no crystal ball to see plenty of sick, injured and dead fish in your future. As a restaurant customer, I find sitting next to a tank of unhealthy and dead fish very off putting, and I have a hunch I am not alone in this.
> 
> As for IDing fish in your tank, sorry, there are simply too many fish in that tank and too many problems to be addressed in a single post. You have fish that prefer soft water and those that prefer hard, vegetarians next to those needing a high protein diet, hyperactive fish next to those that are very docile and shy, and plenty of fish that will outgrow your tank in a short period of time. I suggest starting to read in the library section of this site, or picking up any beginners book on cichlids. If you are not interested in fish so much, but just want a conversation piece for your restaurant, I would strongly suggest hiring a competent aquarium maintenance firm that can take care of the tank for you, including stocking.
> 
> I am sorry if all of this comes over as a bit harsh, but there is no point in skirting the truth since you are truly looking at a tank full of disasters waiting to happen!
> 
> All the best!
Click to expand...

Thanks for your opinion, can i ask which type of cichlid can be kept together with adult frontosa? because maybe in the future i prefer keep frontosa until they are mature with other cichlid that compatible....


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## Guest

oh my goodness!

you need to take that tank down asap, that's a disaster in a tank!

in the future, you're not gonna be able to keep anything in that tank


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## lwl

What should I do now?? I want to keep frontosa so which fish do can be kept together?


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## jd lover

correct me if im wrong (dont know much about africans) but dont fronts gets huge? (oscar size wise?) and not sure on the temperment of them but i would say a few fronts would be overcrowding your tank as is let alone tankmates


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## Guest

you need at least a 5-6ft(60"-72" inch) tank to at least keep them successfully cause they do get quite large.

not to mention, you have all those fish that grow out to be 6"+ in a 150cm tank...


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## newforestrob

I would keep all the male haps and peacocks (from lake Malawi)no two of the same and the yellow lab,post pictures in the unidentified folder of the ones you may be unsure of,I was at a restaurant the other day with a great looking all male tank,that I asked to sit next to :thumb:


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## jd lover

newforestrob said:


> I would keep all the male haps and peacocks (from lake Malawi)no two of the same and the yellow lab,post pictures in the unidentified folder of the ones you may be unsure of,I was at a restaurant the other day with a great looking all male tank,that I asked to sit next to :thumb:


so how many of those bad boys did you manage to sneak home? =p


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## AulonoKarl

Trophs, mbuna, haps, peacocks, blood parrots... yeah just not a great idea. It's a shame, because you've got some beautiful fish in there!
To answer your question about keeping the frontosas... this tank is about a foot wide. Frontosas get to be about a foot long. I prefer to give my fish at least enough room to turn around.

As has been mentioned, do your research first. I personally think an all male peacock/hap tank would be nice for a restaurant, and you already have some beautiful ones, but you really have to keep an eye on this type of tank and know what you're getting into. Really any tank, especially any african cichlid tank, requires a lot of attention. You have to be aware of what kind of behavior is going on in the tank.

I think you did a wonderful job with the rocks, lighting, and overall layout. It really looks nice, even the fish look spectacular, but if there is peace in the tank right now, I wouldn't expect it to last very long. The tropheus would be my primary concern. Haps/peacocks are pretty peaceful. Their aggression is pretty much limited to chasing and mild fin nipping. Tropheus prefer to grab another fish by the mouth and try to tear it off. You need to have fish that are all pretty much on the same level.


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## AulonoKarl

Also, I'll help you out a little bit with the fish. I only know some of them.

1st is Nimbochromis venustus
2nd I was thinking is a blue neon that isn't showing much yellow, but I'm not sure.
3rd is a blood parrot 
4th looks either like some sort of Labidochromis caeruleus hybrid, or just one that is very unhealthy. I'm not sure.
5th is some species of Tropheus
6th is a Labidochromis caeruleus
7th... I'm not great at mbuna. Not sure.
8th is a jewel cichlid
9th and 10th I'm not real sure.
And 11th is obviously a frontosa.


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## skwerl

9th Dimidiochromis? (Malawi Eyebiter)
10th CA/SA - JD or Acara maybe?
12th Neolamprologus cylindricus
13th Convict


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## fmueller

lwl said:


> Thanks for your opinion, can i ask which type of cichlid can be kept together with adult frontosa? because maybe in the future i prefer keep frontosa until they are mature with other cichlid that compatible....


Frontosa grow to about 15 inches (about 40cm). They do best in groups of 1-2 males and the more females the better, 3-4 at least. To house them adequately, you need a tank of at least a 6 foot (about 180cm) length that is wider than the fish are long, so they can comfortably turn around. If you want to keep tank mates in addition to the Fronts, the tank needs to be a lot bigger. Also keep in mind that:

- Fronts might try to eat any fish that fits into their mouth, so any small fish in the tank with them is at risk;
- Fronts are slow moving, docile fish. Any hyperactive fish like Tropheus or Mbuna will stress them out, and a stressed fish will be prone to illness;
- Fronts prefer a protein rich diet, which makes veggie eaters like Tropheus and Mbuna sick.
- Fronts are deep water fish who will dart off in reckless abandon when they are spooked for some reason. They will crash violently into rocks and glass, which might make them less than ideal for a restaurant environment.

For an active and colorful restaurant display tank, I would stock an assortment of mbuna. They are easy to maintain and a always offer stunning looks. They might not be your most exotic choice, but in my view you really couldn't do wrong with them.


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## Charden

Why? Just why would you do that?


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## lwl

i'm becoming really confused, which fish are not belong or not compatible to my aquarium?? can you guys name it so i can separate them so my tank will be great when they are adult.... :wink:


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## BigTuck STL

I hate to break the news to you bud, but you are almost going to have to get rid of all of them. You could keep the yellow Labs and add another species of Mbuna or you could keep some smaller sized peacocks. I wish you were close I would definetly take some of those off your hands. You have some nice looking fish but they just can't be kept like that. You would not even want to keep the Frontosa in there by himself.


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## sandandrocks

I think what everyone is trying to tell you is this:

- With the size tank you have right now you can turn it into a Mbunas tank
- Turn it into a small all mall Hap/Peacock tank
- If you want to keep the Frontosas you will have to start all over and get a larger tank (preferably 6 feet) and sell everything off

However, since you already have lots of nice fish there i think you should just turn it into a Mbuna tank simply because you can overstock them (so you will have lots of colors) and they are very hardy. They would love the constant attention from your customers and would not be frighten to dash towards rocks or glass from loud noise (foot steps, tapping on glass, etc...)

People on this forum are more than willing to help you, you just have to ask the right questions. I would start out by researching your opinions on what you could do based on what everyone has told you and than start a new thread with detailed questions.


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## fmueller

The basic question you have to ask yourself is if you want to take up fish-keeping as a hobby, or if you just want a eye-catcher/conversation-starter for your restaurant. There is nothing wrong with the latter, but unless you can devote the time to research every species of fish you want to keep, you are better off hiring a professional to look after the tank for you. It will save you money in the long run, because those fish you have in your tank don't look cheap, and they won't live long in that setup.

If you are seriously interested in fish keeping, and have the time to do it, google the names of your fish or find them in the profiles section of this site. People have already provided a list of names of the fish you have in this thread. There are articles about every single one online. Many people have started in this hobby in a similar situation you are now. The ones who stay have learned about the needs of the fish they want to keep. Others have supported the hobby by putting their tank on Craigslist or at the curb 

EDIT: OK, just in case you want to do some research, I'll put in a few more names of fish I believe I can see in your photos: Dimidochromis compressiceps, Neolamprologus cylindricus, Nimbochromis venustus, Labidochrmomis caeruleus, Melanochromis johanni, Frontosa, Tropheus, Convict, Severum, Parrot Cichlid, Jewel Cichlid, Clown Loach.


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## lwl

Thanks all for your great suggestion, i think maybe later i will keep it more simple by keep mbuna species and male hap/peac as long as it's came from same lake....am i right??CMIIW....hehehe


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## fmueller

lwl said:


> as long as it's came from same lake....am i right?? CMIIW....hehehe


Your assumption that all fish that come from one lake can be kept safely in the same tank is only correct if your tank is the same size as the lake. In that case you can also ad an hippopotamus or two!


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## zquattrucci

do i see a couple of eye-bitters it there from my research they are a predator fish should be by them self looks awsome now wont in a couple month


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## mok3t

My advice to you is to take back those fish to the shop that sold them to you and ask them if they'll pretty please give you some credit back for them. learn a little more about cichlids if you really wanna keep them and start again on the right foot. Plenty of ppl in this community more than willing to help someone begin in this awesome hobby.

I work the cichlid section at a very busy store and i serve ppl with tanks like yours all the time, everything's working out fine NOW cos all the fish just wanna eat and grow. When they start looking to claim territory, breed or just come of age things will get very nasty indeed. Some ppl heed my advice and have a wonderful time with the guidance i give. Others come back a few months down the line with battered fish begging me to take them in saying how they should have listened.

which are you?


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## cantrell00

fmueller said:


> lwl said:
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks for your opinion, can i ask which type of cichlid can be kept together with adult frontosa? because maybe in the future i prefer keep frontosa until they are mature with other cichlid that compatible....
> 
> 
> 
> Frontosa grow to about 15 inches (about 40cm). They do best in groups of 1-2 males and the more females the better, 3-4 at least. To house them adequately, you need a tank of at least a 6 foot (about 180cm) length that is wider than the fish are long, so they can comfortably turn around. If you want to keep tank mates in addition to the Fronts, the tank needs to be a lot bigger. Also keep in mind that:
> 
> - Fronts might try to eat any fish that fits into their mouth, so any small fish in the tank with them is at risk;
> - Fronts are slow moving, docile fish. Any hyperactive fish like Tropheus or Mbuna will stress them out, and a stressed fish will be prone to illness;
> - Fronts prefer a protein rich diet, which makes veggie eaters like Tropheus and Mbuna sick.
> - Fronts are deep water fish who will dart off in reckless abandon when they are spooked for some reason. They will crash violently into rocks and glass, which might make them less than ideal for a restaurant environment.
> 
> For an active and colorful restaurant display tank, I would stock an assortment of mbuna. They are easy to maintain and a always offer stunning looks. They might not be your most exotic choice, but in my view you really couldn't do wrong with them.
Click to expand...

I absolutely second the mbuna for a public setting. They will thrive in that enviroment... They can't get enough attention..


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