# Stocking a 90gal with Cichlids



## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

Hello, I have put together a 90Gal tank. All sand substrate with large rocks. Lots of caves, nooks, tunnels. Lots of hiding places. There is a post in the DIY projects about it. Currently I have 7 yoyo loaches and a red tail shark. The loaches are very cool. Fun to watch and very active.

So here is the problem. So much info yet not so much info if you know what I mean. All scientific names, what can go with what. What can't go with what. These will fight, these won't. But, there is no help that I can see that makes it an easy thing to do. I have read and read as much as I can. So, I have decided to do it this way...I have looked at what i LIKE, now I will let you all tell me what will and won't work. Another issue I am having is that all the online cichlid places I have found are in the US and DON"T ship to Canada which is where I live. Does anyone know of a Canadian supplier or of a supplier in the US that will ship to Canada. I am going in this weekend to talk with the LFS guy to see if he can order specific cichlids in. It is not a chain, just a local guy in town with a shop. He is more salt water but he has a good cichlid section. He is the type that won't really say what might work and what won't. Don't think he wants me coming back all grumpy because some of my fish killed each other. My daughter has a betta and when I asked him if the betta would get along with shrimp his response was "some people have had luck with it" (BTW the betta ate the shrimp)

I am looking for yellows, blues, oranges. And as always as peaceful as possible although I understand that this is fish dependent. One might be just fine in my tank and a total jerk in your tank or vise versa. I am thinking of adding 15-18. I am ok with adding females to limit aggression and I am ok with the fact the many females are not colored. Ideally I would like at least half of the cichlids to have some "punch" to them. My rocks and substrate are a light brown with white and black mixed in.

II would like to go on the smaller size of cichlid, max 4-6" in that range. This way the loaches, shark, and cichlids will all be about the same size in the end.

Here are some that I like:

Labidochromis caeruleus (yellow)*
Iodotropheus sprengerae (Rusty)*
Hemichromis bimaculatus(Jewel)*

Placidochromis electra(blue)
Pseudotropheus sp. "Acei"(blue)
Pseudotropheus saulosi (blue)
Amatitlania nigrofasciatus (convict)


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/at ... 1479870351


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I would go with 1m:4f of these:
Labidochromis caeruleus (yellow)*
Placidochromis electra(blue barred)
Pseudotropheus sp. "Acei"(blue)
Aulonocara rubescens or German Red (red)


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Using fish exclusively from your list...

Iodotropheus sprengerae (Rusty) 1m 3f
Placidochromis electra(blue)1 m 3f
Pseudotropheus sp. "Acei"(blue) 1m 3f
Pseudotropheus saulosi (blue) 3 m 6 f... females are yellow


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

Thanks for the replies. If a person wants 1m:3f of a specific species how do I get to that point. I am hoping to buy the fish in the 1.5-2" range so that the tank mates are all approx. the same size. Do you buy more then you need and then remove them as they mature? My understanding is that they are hard to sex at the juvenile stage.


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## Aaron S (Apr 4, 2015)

Yes, that is how people normally do it. Most people buy 2x the number of females they want.


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

Thinking of going with this setup.

1m:4f of each
Labidochromis caeruleus (yellow)*
Placidochromis electra(blue barred)
Pseudotropheus sp. "Acei"(blue)
Aulonocara rubescens or German Red (red)
7x Yoyo Loach(already have)
1x Red Tail Shark(already have)

Total of 25-28 fish depending on how many cichlids I end up keeping.

So just to clarify for me. Although the Placidochromis electra(blue barred) and Pseudotropheus sp. "Acei" are both blue, the strips on the electra are bold enough that they will tell each other apart and therefore should get along?

I am going to get two species at a time. Can't really afford to do all at once and I think the bioload would piss off my filter system  Of this grouping which would be the better two to start with.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Yes the blue barred pattern is enough to differentiate from the solid blue. Also electra is a hap and acei is a mbuna. This helps but does not mean they absolutely cannot crossbreed, as ANY mouthbrooders can. But crossbreeding from this mix, as long as everyone has 4 or more females, is very unlikely.


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

So I am going to be ordering all my fish next week. 32 of them as listed above. That will put the tank to 40fish all in the 1.5/2" range. Question is this, what can I do (if anything) to prepare my tank for the massive bioload it is going to have on it. It is super happy right now. 7.8/8.0 pH, 78-80 deg, 0 ammo, 0 nitrite, 20+ nitrate.

I am a little concerned that the filter may not catch up to the bioload soon enough. I plan on doing WCs of 25% every 2 days for the first week. More if the ammonia spike gets bad. I know it is going to happen I am just wondering if there is a way to prevent it from going crazy?! I was thinking of adding Zeocarb to the sump, but that removes ammonia which could be counter productive as I want the ammonia so the bacteria will populate.

I have seen some peeps add ammonia to the tank 2days before they add the fish to allow the filter system to stock more bacteria. However, I have yoyo loaches and a red tail shark so I don't think that is an option, or could I??

Or do I simply just put them in, do WCs, check parameters and enjoy the chaos?

Cheers


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

How did you cycle it for the loaches and shark? How long have they been the only fish in the tank? I would not add 32 if your bioload as of now can only support 3-5 fish.

I would put the shark/loaches in a hospital tank and cycle the tank with ammonia for six weeks or however long it takes to process 3ppm ammonia in 24 hours.


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

Currently there is 22 fish in the tank. I bought a bunch of feeder goldfish and have 7yoyo loach and 1 red tail shark. The tank has been running since November 3. Cycled in 23days. I had media from kids tanks etc etc. Goldfish will be removed and cichlids will be added. So, basically doubling the stocking load.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Risky but it might work. What will you do with the feeders?

I would still lose the feeders, move the loaches/shark and cycle to 3ppm in 24 hours to be sure.


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

LFS said he will take the feeders back. Unfortunate I don't have a hospital tank unless I can find one cheap. Have to mail order Cichlids so I want to get them all as the shipping will kill me otherwise.


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## Aaron S (Apr 4, 2015)

If you are vigilant then you are probably OK in my opinion (but DJ's opinion holds more weight). Make sure to keep an eye on ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates and keep them to reasonable levels. Remember doing larger water changes is more effective than more water changes ( I can do the math for that, but I don't think anyone cares).


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

So it would be more beneficially to do a 50% every few days then 25% daily. I am prepared to watch the tank like a hawk for a few weeks. If I have to do 50% changes daily I will. Like I say I kinda have to buy them all at once.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

What if you buy another batch of feeders so you have 32 and wait another two weeks to verify no spike? Then you can order them all at once.

If doing the water change thing, I would plan on 50% or more daily as required to keep ammonia and nitrites under 1ppm.


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

That's not a bad idea. Stuff it full and let the cheap fish possibly die...poor goldfish. I will see.

Other thought I had was to buy half now and then the other half after Christmas. Maybe go with the Rubens and acei first. Then the Electra and electric labs second. Would that work out aggression wise. I think the Rubens and acei are more passive. Or would there be a better way to split them in half.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Haps and peacocks first...then mbuna.


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

So that would be the Eletcra and Rubens first then the Acei and Yellow labs second.

Might be the way I go. Put in half next week then wait awhile to add the rest.

Thanks for all the help.


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## Aaron S (Apr 4, 2015)

I don't understand the logic in splitting the fish given your situation... It makes sense for someone who has no fish in the tank currently but not here.

Currently: tank is cycled for 22 gold fish. End goal is 32 fish.

Scenario 1: order in two separate batches... You order the fish, they come in and you net all the 22 goldfish and replace them with 16 cichlids (half the order). The bio-load is fine. You wait a few weeks and the bio-load is now sufficient for 16 fish. You dump in the next 16 fish and you will need to watch your water to make sure the ammonia/nitrites don't spike from the extra bio-load because you are now above what the tank is capable of handling.

Scenario 2: order in two separate batches... You order the fish, they come in and you LEAVE all the 22 goldfish in the tank and add 16 cichlids (half the order). The bio-load is too much. You will need to watch your water to make sure the ammonia/nitrites don't spike from the extra bio-load because you are now above what the tank is capable of handling. A few weeks later you get the rest of the fish and remove the goldfish at that time leading to no cycling issues.

Scenario 3: order in one batch, now... You order the fish, they come in and you remove all the 22 goldfish in the tank and add 32 cichlids. The bio-load is too much. You will need to watch your water to make sure the ammonia/nitrites don't spike from the extra bio-load because you are now above what the tank is capable of handling.

Scenario 4: order in one batch, later... Right now you get more goldfish (like 10/15) to poop in your tank and feed them like crazy (this is when your ammonia spike is happening now). You order the fish in a few weeks, they come in and you remove all the goldfish in the tank and add 32 cichlids. The bio-load is ok.

There is a 5th scenario where you remove everything from the tank and just add ammonia for a fishless cycle. This is the only option that does not involve exposing fish to a potentially dangerous situation on purpose. However, if I were going to expose fish to ammonia I would rather it be 20cent feeder goldfish than my cichlids. I think scenario 5 makes the most sense followed by scenario 4.

What am I missing?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I had not thought of scenario 2, that should work. I have found that doubling the bioload might cause problems but adding 16 when it is cycled for 22 I'll bet would work. I think the tank could handle that and there would be no spike. You would watch any time you add fish though.


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

I have decided to go with scenario #4. I am picking up feeders tonight and I will wait for 2 weeks until the tank settles down again before I order the cichlids. I will do 50%WCs daily if nessasary to make sure the spike is manageable. I talked with the LFS and they will take the goldfish back at the end of all this. Or I do have a friend that will feed them to his tank. This way I can get the tank cycled to the number of fish I will be getting in the end. I can order the whole lot, remove the goldfish, and then have a happy tank. As mentioned earlier, the big set back to doing small orders is its costing around $60-$80 shipping whether its 5 fish or 50 fish.

This is the most patient I have been with a fish tank, ever....but in the past the fish cost 1/10th the price. Before I drop $300+ on fish I want to be sure it will go well.

Thanks for all the input.


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## iamabug (Oct 14, 2013)

Put the new fish(dirty goldfish that is) in last Friday night. Puts my total fish @ 35. I did a test for ammonia Sunday night and got <=0.25ppm. Did another ammonia test last night, the readings are <0.25ppm. The test tube had a very very slight green tint to it. I would guess its in the 0.1-0.15ppm range. So far so good. Its on the decline which is fantastic.


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