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And the last one for the night...

heidi attached this image:


"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

Beautiful tank and fish Heidi!

I do happen to disagree with the 30g not suitable for Africans. I currently have a 30 with 2 socolofi, and albino socolofi, and a featherfin Syno. It's not as much fun to look at as a larger tank, but they all get along great.

DJTJ, if you're still looking for a catfish, I reccommend a Synodontis species. They predominatly come from the same lakes as Mbunas, and can get large enough to fend off the harassing cichlids. My fav is oviously the featherfin (Synodontis Eupterus aka Featherfin squeaker), but other Synos are great choices also. I find that mine does not eat algae (but he may just be spoiled), but rather likes frozen shrimp and floating cichlid pettets. If you're looking for an algae fighter, a pleco will be a great choice.

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/mochokid/synodont/121_f.php Featherfin Syno

Very nice set-up.

Best of luck, I know you'll enjoy them

actually,MR CICHLID, I agree completely. As much as I like Mawalis, a specis-only tank seems a bit drab. Especially since yellow labs aren't exactly my first choice and I could only have about 4 fish. Therefore, I decided to save Mawalis for another day and try my hand at Tangs.

With a good deal of help from LittleMousling, I decided that I was gona do a multi colony with a pair of julies and an alto. compresips (sp.). If anyone wants to elaborate on that, then check out African chichlids mixed tank 2. It's in the Tang. forum.

http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/Tanganyikan%20Cichlids/56830.html?200503232115

Thanks everyone for your help and I'm sorry I couldn't put your plans into action.

-DJ :88)

You might even consider, 1M:2F. As in a 30g it might be a bit cramped, especially around spawning time Lab. C(Yellows) are the best choice for this size tank as even the Acei can reach 5", where as yellow's are more like 3 1/2".

You could also consider some Lake Tanganyika species, Julidochromis, Neolamprologus, or shellies would all do very well in a 30g.

If you do want Malawi's, as said single species tank.

djtj, in a 30 gallon tank you're best off sticking to one species. Melanochromis and kenyi aren't really good choices, too aggressive. Electric yellows or others of similar temperament (acei etc.) are the best choice. Go for around 5 fish, 1 male to 4 females.

The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. - Oscar Wilde

Heidi I love your tank. What size is it and how many fish do you have?

UPDATE
It's a 30 gallon tank.
What are my choices?
I was thinking along the lines of electric yellow, Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos, and kenyi. Now that I have fish, can you give me numbers? Or will my setup not work out?

nope that isnt my tank, but i really like it and i find it to be a good "blueprint." so whatever...
im personally into americans so africans are like my "part time" thing........

Acei Variants,

1)Yellow tail- Purplish Blue w/ yellow fins and tail.
This is the most common, occuring in many locations.

2)Eccles Reef- Purplish Blue With bright yellow to fins and tail.
This species is the most recent and is much lighter than #1, with intense yellow fins. Found only at Eccles Reef

3)Ngara- Blk w/ White border to the dorsal and a white tail
Found only at Ngara, Malawi.

4)Tanzanian Blk- Blk W/ Yellow border to dorsal as well as ventral fin and tail.
Found only at Matema, Tanzania.

Heidi's are #1, and in very good condition....
Those in the link are the same, just smaller and not yet in their full glory.

I don't think I will get the measurements very soon, because I don't see the girl who the tank belongs to very often. I will be sure to check the tank out first chance I get, which might be in a couple of weeks. I understand that there is little that you can do without the tank size. But, I really appriciate the effort you made with my very limited information. I won't ask any more questions, or bring up the topic until I get the measurements. When I do, this is the first place I will post them on.

edit: as for heidi, your photo of the acei looks different than the one I saw on the other website.

http://www.malawimayhem.com/articles_acei.shtml

I heard that their are two color varations. Is yours a different one than the one on the website? I think I saw your version in the store.

Thanks for the help.
- DJ :88)

Last edited by djtj at 15-Mar-2005 14:42

Well keeping two Melanochromis species in ANY tank set-up is not a good idea.....

So if you eliminate one of those, keep the kenyi and add add maybe a zebra species if you can find them.

The prolem with those LFS tanks is that the fish are never there for long and never really exhibit their "real" behaviour. Which they will in time once you bring them home....This prolem is made harder, the more aggressive the species of fish the harder it is.
And Melanochromis are one of the most if not the most aggressive mbuna.
And the stress i mentioned often depends one the fish themselves.

If you can't find good m/f ratios get a few males of each species Keeping in mind,
1) Males of the same family name, ie Melanochromis should not be mixed.
2)Males that attain similar coloration should not be mixed .
3)The addition and/or presence of Any female, no matter her species. will send your tank into kaos.

If you can find suitable numbers, and want to try breeding. Melanochromis need 4-6f/1m. and the Kenyi 3-5f/1m.

But mostly, 55g is min. for these types of aggressive fish. The actual gallons of this tank will make your choice alot easier if some just can't go there.
Do you have the dimensions?

Good Luck

Last edited by mr_cichlid at 15-Mar-2005 13:12

My mom's friend has an empty fish tank in her basement that she hasn't used in a long time since she has cats. Naturally, she isn't sure what size tank it is, but I'm guessing it's between 30 and 75 gallons. 30 - 55 is most likely. The tank is in excelent condition and I'm thinking of asking her if I could have it. It already has a crushed coral substrate, and different caves and such.

I've seen the same setup at my LFS in a mixed African Chichlid tank. I finally found out the names of some of the fish, and I was wondering if they are compatible. It looks good in the pet store, but I just want to be sure.

The fish I've seen are:

1 Labidochromis caeruleus "Yellow Lab"

2 (Albino) Psuedotropheus socolofi

3 Melanochromis auratus “Golden Mumba”

4 Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos “electric blue johanni”
I love this fish ^

5 Maylandia (Metriaclima) lombardoi “Kenyi”
A close second ^

6 Maylandia (Metriaclima) zebra “OB Zebra”

7 Maylandia (Metriaclima) callainos “Cobolt Zebra”

8 Maylandia (Metriaclima) greshakei “Ice Blue”

9 Labeotropheus fuelleborni

10 Aulonocara hybrid OB “OB Peacock”

11 Nimbochromis venustus “Giraffe Cichlid”

Numbers 3 4 and 5 are my favorite. I would like to build a tank around them. Is there any kind of catfish that can go with them? I was thinking along the lines of syndontis or pleco. I know plecos are amazon and don't go with my theme, but I'm not really looking for a purist tank. The syndontis are nice, but many I've looked at like acidic water/ school/ and might get picked on by the chichlids.

For those like me who are scientific name inclined, all these fish are listed at this site:

http://www.malawimayhem.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3107

I’m gona check out the size of the tank soon and I’ll keep updates. Thanks

- DJ :88)[/font]

Last edited by djtj at 12-Mar-2005 18:51

This is one of my favorites, it is posted as the picture for the acei's in the profiles here on fp.
Gotta love that big mouth on him




heidi attached this image:


"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

Ok dj you asked for more pictures I'll post some tonight

<<<<<of course that is the one I call Bubba, I had a frozen blood worm that he was trying to get at:%)



heidi attached this image:


"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

if u like the cyanhabdose there really nice fish i raise them n keep them with yellow labs
if u want a cummunity the first 4-5 choices will mix readily the others its a guess on the fish
cyanhabdoes there is no easy sexual dimorphisum in the sexes, they r aggressive but only to there own kind
they go great with yellow labs the 2 leave each other alone
u could also add in the golds if u wanted
a well rocked setup is best n nessecary for them
to control aggression over stock but u must make alot more water changes n stay commeted to them
nuffin worse then a bunch of fish all dead in ur tank
a 30 is pretty small but if its a 55
go with
3 cyanohabdose
4 yellow labs 1m/3f
3 golds 1m/2f
n bushy nose plecos r a good addition
there must b alot of rockwork n caves as well as very good filtration for this to work
n yes it is over stocked slightly but it will work jsut fine

Thanks for the help mad. Nice tank, is it yours?

But the big question is can I safely mix those species? I've gotten alot of maybes, and if you do this... I'm just asking yes, or no. I'm trying to decide on an overall tank, the details, I'm saving for later. But I appriciate what your doing, thanks.

I think I just understood what MR CHICHLID meant. I was taking "they" as the fish, not the store. If i do happen to mix these fish, is one of each ok? Or do I need groups?

HEY!!!! here is a good pic of an african community tank:http://www.cichlids.com/gallery/tankgallery2/C_1. it is a good example to work off of. on another sit it is ranked 4th outh of over 200!!! so yeah its pretty darn good to use this one. Also you also have to consider overcrowding the tank! you might be thinking "WHAT?!" but it sometimes calmns them and reduces stress and aggressiveness.

"It will work if you keep as they do, nothing in the tank except the fish."

I'm cool with that. The only other fish I was thinking was a small pleco, but I wouldn't mind dropping that. What do you mean by keep as they do?

"Rather stressful on the fish in my opinion. You can try what you like but your really better off with one of my last 2 suggestions"
AAAAA I hate replies like that they make me feel guilty. By stressful, do you mean having a few chichlids that are annoyed that they have to behave themselves? Or is it deadly stress. I don't want to hurt the fish by any means. I just saw them all interactive perfectly at the store. It looked like a great mini-ecosystem, and I don't think I would get the same feel with only a few of those species. I really like that setuop, and if it can work, I'm willing to put a little more effort to do so.

I like your suggestions, but many of they consider very specific planning and such. They only place I've ever seen these fish is in "Assorted African Chichlids" tanks. It's really hard for me to do one species, because, I've only seen one or two fish in each tank. The electric blue jonahhi is the first one i've seen in months.


1) All Male show tank, 1-2 males of several species.
I thought an all male tank would look less bright than a mixed one cause they don't have to impress any ladies? And aren't the males the aggressive ones?

2) Mix tank, 2-3 species depending on which species, with 1m, 3-4f ratio.

That I'll go with. Could these 3 species go together? They are all “aggressive”:

Melanochromis auratus, Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos Maylandia lombardoi?

BTW say this doesn't work out. Could I do a a malawi eye biter / pleco tank?
Thanks for the help
- Tom :88)

Last edited by djtj at 14-Mar-2005 17:43

It will work if you keep as they do, nothing in the tank except the fish.

Reason that works is the fish have nothing to mark territoies with, etc. Rather stressful on the fish in my opinion

You can try what you like but your really better off with one of my last 2 suggestions