# Heres my story



## skinnyrose (Oct 29, 2010)

Hey there, I`m new to the forum and to Cichlids. We recently changed over our 75g from a fancy gold fish tank to a cichlid tank.

Well I`m guessin I should have done some research before we started because now I have a tank full of fish, I do not know what type most are...I know I have 3 female peacocks and one male...
I did not however know that there are different cichlids from different areas and lakes, and that some species can not live with others. Our LFS had a tank full of Assorted African Cichlids and we picked out the prettiest...

After setting up the tank I noticed one of my females had a mouth full of fry, and I think because of the change in tanks or maybe her tank mates she released them early as they still had their egg sack attached to their bellies.....unfortunately we lost them all, even after rescuing some and putting them in a hatchery.

I can not post a thread with pics until I atleast post once...so here it is.
I have read that you should over stock your tank to prevent agression, but I Have no idea what to stock now....as I don`t know how many I can put in a 75g or what actual type of fish I have...having said that....after we determine what I have...how many fish can you put in a 75g and have a successful happy tank...I should mention I have 3x the recommended filtration, and I do have the required specific sand substrate, a fully cycled tank, and perfect water prams.

Also everyone in my tank seems pretty happy so far...I think some will eventually need some mates....sooner rather than later...lol as the boys are starting to get frisky.

Thanks 
Elaine
I will post a thread immediately following this with my pics...


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## skinnyrose (Oct 29, 2010)




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## christopher1325 (Aug 26, 2010)

pic 
#1 maybe ob zebra
#2 Metriaclima estherae 
#3 Pseudotropheus sp. "Acei" 
#4 Metriaclima lombardoi


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## skinnyrose (Oct 29, 2010)

So we still don`t have a name for the 5...

Is this a good mix...

Currently I have 3 female, and 1 male ob zebra, 2 Metriaclima estherae 1 confirmed male, 2 Pseudotropheus sp. "Acei" uncofirmed sex, and 1 Metriaclima lombardoi sex unconfirmed....

How many would you suggest to have in a 75g and what would you add.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

5 is a Neolamprologus brichardi. Tang cichlid not unable to live with Mbuna (your others)

Good mix depend on tank size and numbers but not unfixable mix so far I think.
Prob just need more Mbuna.
Though the lombardoi can be an over agressive problem in a 75g.

Can you give more photos of No 1? Not convinced it is a pure Mbuna I think it is one of those hybrid OB peacocks http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=1372 with a lot of Mbuna blood in it.

And I am not confirming No 2 as it looks wierd for Metriaclima estherae to me.

All the best James


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## skinnyrose (Oct 29, 2010)

I agree regarding the OB Peacocks, that what I was told he was....

given the info you have and if the 2 fish in question are what you think they are...what kind of Mbuna would you suggest. and how many. I have 9 in my tank so far...


















He hates his pic taken...


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## skinnyrose (Oct 29, 2010)

I was going to reply to this ad, and go pic up some new fishies, our LFS sell Cichlids for 14-19 dollars each...
what do you think would be good or not good to pick up

OB Peacocks: some are getting very big, 3 inches. Most are around 2"/2.5". About 3 months old. Lots of colour coming, some males showing egg spots. I have about 30 to sell. $1.50 each or 5 for $5.

Cherry Red Haps: 
(group 1)
Some serious colour starting here. A good handful of males starting to show their colours and egg spots. One male is about 3 inches, most of the rest are about 2"-2.5". 3 months old. I have ~20 to sell. $1.50 each or 5 for $5. 
(group 2)
showing some striping already. About .75" - 1" long. 1.5 months old. ~30 to sell. $1 each or 5 for $4.

Red Zebras: Nice deep colour, about an inch long. Very healthy and active. 1.5 months old. 7 to sell. $1 each, $4 for 5, or $5 for the lot.

Jewels: Absolutely beautiful already and growing like weeds. The big guys (3) are 3" long now. Two smaller ones are 2". Awesome colour. 3 months old. $1.50 each/$5 for the lot.


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

How many kenyi do you have? The Met. lombardoi (blue-barred). You need to have 1m 5f to help aggression--same with the Met. Estherae (red zebra). Acei get big--6"--you should have 1m 4f.

Normally, in a 75 (*what is the foot print?*) you can have 4-5 Mbuna species, but you have haps in there too which get much larger...I would get the correct ratios for the kenyi, zebra, and acei, as well as the peacocks <- once someone tells you how many to have, and then call it stocked.

_I would not add more species._

If #5 (the white) is a tang, you may want to remove it...it could be OK...but you're tapping out on room in the tank. The Mbuna need rock, the haps like open water...you'll have to be careful setting up the design of the tank with clear defined territories.

But, going in blind, you didn't do too badly IMO. I got kenyis by mistake for a 40b :roll: Suffice to say I had to get rid of them! But you could do OK with that size tank. Hopefully, you don't have a "high" tank.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Of those you could get more

OB Peacocks

more
Red Zebras: but again not sure about yours being a true species variant but then these sound like the man made double reds to me.

I would prob drop the brichardi not saying it will not survive it prob will but prob be better in a tang set up and yep may well grab a territory.

Depends on what you want.
The cooky cutters could help if you want to breed but you could go for just one of most Mbuna and have a very mixed tank of colours etc.

I would realy want iether one of each or a group (male plus a bunch of females) to reduce agression. More difficult to keep together twos and threes as most agression centred on own type.

I can not advise trying the jewels (prob Hemichromis bimaculatus or the usual hobby cross of such) or the Cherry red Haps (I guess a Vic Astatotilapia brownae or one of that crowd but you need the proper name to know for sure, dunno these hobby names varrie from place to place as to what species and species mixes they are) as these sorts of multi lake tanks can work for some folk but often fail for beginners.

All the best James


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

I agree, the "red zebra" isn't pure. As far as the brichardi, chances are a single isn't going to create issues. I've had them as singles in mixed tanks without issues many times.


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## skinnyrose (Oct 29, 2010)

Well it seems I got away from Gold fish keeping because it was so difficult....I just wanted a tank full of color and easy to look after fish, I liked the idea of Cichlids because they are very close in colors to Salt Water fish.....ohhh boy was I wrong....lol

And again I will say, I should have done my research first......which is what I would normally do!!!
Thank you for all your help.....everyone seems to be getting along fine so far......the tang has been hanging out in around the rocks....I haven't built the rock wall that everyone seems to do, I have however set up 4 different rock areas, I picked up some Gecko Caves and flat rocks and built around them....some plants, because I love planted tanks, so lots of hiding places and lots of areas just to swim around uninhibitated....
The little blue guy...I think will prob have to go, I can see some agression already and hes not even matured yet..I"ll stock up on some female Red Zebras, I agree I think they are hybrids too, the LFS like to buy alot of fish from the local area, the Black guys with yellow fins are from such a place and I would safely guess they are hybrids also....I think my whole tank is full of hybrids...lol

We measured the tank this morning and the tank is 4 1/2 feet long and 1.5 feet wide and 1.5 feet high...

Thanks again,
Elaine


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Fogelhund said:


> I agree, the "red zebra" isn't pure. As far as the brichardi, chances are a single isn't going to create issues. I've had them as singles in mixed tanks without issues many times.


Thanks
Same here even brichardi pairs can be OK if you remove the young but singles more reliably not much of a prob most of the time. Lots of folk keep em together. Same with Vics plus Mbuna but each extra variable you add kind of makes it more of a guess what will do well together. But then so do hybrids. Guess I am overcomplicating things, it kind of depends on what you want. A slice of lake Malawi biotype or lots of pretty fish. Me I would go for a slice of nature in my living room tank but lots of folk see things different and have success. Just I can not predict with much accuracy how these mixes will turn out, as I have not kept the exact same types in the exact same tanks.

All the best James


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

Yes, kenyi (the blue) can cause trouble--it's also probably the most aggressive species in your set up. If you remove him/her, the zebras will probably be the dom fish, but they're not as bad as kenyi IMO. However, if/since they're hybrids, you never know how they'll behave--they could be more aggressive than purebreds (the downside to hybrids is unpredictability as far as behavior).

If you have a 4.5ft tank, you should do well with what you have once you get the right ratio of Acei (black with yellow fins--should brighten up to a light blue body) and Zebras. In a four ft tank, think 4 species (normally I'd say 4-5 but you have peacocks which get bigger).

Rock set up sounds great, just make sure the peacocks have some open space to swim around. 

Good luck :thumb:

PS- I have goldfish too...I didn't think they were too difficult to take care of. They are just SO messy, and require a large water:fish ratio <- I have 3 1-2" fish in a 29H, and I'll still have to upgrade soon (at least a 55). I've had them for nearly a yr, but they've been growing slow since they're almost maxed out on the water ratio. :? They're so cute though--and they beg like puppies, :lol: If you don't mind...what species did you have? And what was your set up?


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## skinnyrose (Oct 29, 2010)

PS- I have goldfish too...I didn't think they were too difficult to take care of. They are just SO messy, and require a large water:fish ratio <- I have 3 1-2" fish in a 29H, and I'll still have to upgrade soon (at least a 55). I've had them for nearly a yr, but they've been growing slow since they're almost maxed out on the water ratio. :? They're so cute though--and they beg like puppies, :lol: If you don't mind...what species did you have? And what was your set up?[/quote]

I have a 75g for them also.....and have Orandas, I have 2 Calico's, Red Cap, Blue, Orange, and Chocolate, I find they are deffinately messy, you have to be very careful what you feed them, when you feed them as they tend to have swim bladder issues. 2 that I have, suffer swim bladder issues constantly, no matter how well they are looked after.....I"ve also dealt with Hole in the Head disease.....although I love them dearly, Jacob my Orange and Bella my Red Cap I"ve had since they've been juvies, they will sit in the palm of my hand to eat.....they constantly beg for attention, bella suffers from the swim bladder and has taken to flipping upside down and swimming in the current of the fliter..."Backwards and UPside down" shes a riot....but they are alot of work.....

My female Peacock had a mouth full of fry, and I think released them too early they still had their Yolk Sac....I tried to resuce them as the others were gobbling them up as soon as she would release them, unfortunately the 8 that I was albe to get into a hatchery didn't make it....any advise in the future.....I have another thats probably ready to release any day??


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

You should remove the holding mother to her own tank (make sure its cycled)--usually a 10g works. You can wait for her to spit naturally or strip her.

You can post this in the Malawi thread for more answers.


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