FishProfiles.com Message Forums

Yesterday I decided to add 3 medium sized goldfish from a 10 gallon I had set up to a 40gallon malawi cichlid tank i have with 12 cichlids in in (ranging from 2-4inches). Weel, today it seems kinda funny, but they're still swimming arround somewhat peacefuly without the cichlids looking at them much...I also added a couple 1 inch fiddler crabs that are hiding, but living.
Think they'll last?
I have also added a clown loach that swims around the tank. I do realize that he will outgrow the tank, but for now...

Hmmm... well, I see a lot of problems with this. What is the hardness, Ph, and temperature of your water? Malawi cichlids like hard, alkaline water in the high 70's to low 80's. Goldfish are usually found in much softer, more acidic, and cooler water. Same goes for the loaches, except for the temps. Aggression from the cichlids would be the least of my worries for those goldfish. So, either your African cichlids are staying in water inappropriate to their needs, or you've just put the goldfish into water unsuitable for thier needs. Either way, these are very incompatible species of fish. Goldfish are very hardy, and may do fine in hard alkaline water. I don't know. How long did you take to acclimate them?
The crabs are probably fine as far as water goes, but they will probably not last more than a few months if they can't reach the surface.

Hoping that there must be a word for everything I mean...

Warm water fish and cool water fish carry different disesses. Just something to think about...

55G Planted tank thread
19G Container Pond
[IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric

I see several problums with this setup:
1)You are mixing fish with different water requirements.
2)Mbuna are very, very agressive.
3)3 Goldfish can't stay in a 40 g by them selves! They require at least a 60g depending on your species.
4)12 Mbuna will over stock your tank and due to their agression will fight when they grow up, you will have a lot of fatalities.
5)Your crabs need an area where they can climb out of the water, and you have to be careful that its not too close to the top, as they are escape artists by nature. This would limit how many actual gallons of water you can add to the tank.

In my 46g I keep 5x Zebra Mbuna (of different colors) and I may add 2 more. I have a Rubber Lipped Pleco. They get along great you may want to try that. Keep in mind that most Mbuna chichlids grow to 5-6" and it is hard to follow the 1" fish/gal rule with them.

I'm very sorry, but I don't think your set up is going to work.

Inky

The fact that you find it funny for the goldies to still be swimming peacefully, seems to me that you are being a little cruel. I guess you expected the goldfish to be harrassed by the mbunas, so I dont know why you would put them in the tank in the first place.
If you want to keep the goldfish, I would buy a tank that is an appropriate size with water conditions that fit them.

*Kristin*

That's just cruel. You need to actually do some research instead of just tossing in whatever you like and finding it funny that they don't die. Majority of those critters are going to suffer alot and some will eventually die.

I didn't notice that in your post. That is very cruel to the fish. Also, Mbunas are herbovors so they wouldnt be too interested in feeder fish anyway. They will only harass the fish until the goldfish and the crabs die!

Inky

The loaches should be alright as they are poisonous and so things leave them alone.

Milkyboy

Just because it is poisioness does not mean that your Mbuna will not pick at it. MBUNA ARE VERY VERY AGRESSIVE.

Inky

from what I have heard & seen loaches do fine in Mbuna tanks, specifically clowns', for some reason they are not bothered & also manage to adjust to the water parameters. I think the gold fish would be alright only because they seem to live thru anything but like in the earlier post keep in mind that these two different types of fish have different diseases. I would be more worried about the Mbuna than I would be for the goldfish in that concern. Also Mbuna would eat feeders if they are small enough to fit in their mouth, they would just look at them as fry or babies. Also why mess up a Mbna setup with Goldfish. To me, your waisting space and not to mention the immense waste that goldfish produce plus the difference in diets. Its your tank though and if you walk into your house and enjoy your setup then, you go. Another thing, I dont think he meant "funny" as in HaHa, but more like, in an odd way. Doesent sound like he cares about the Goldfish & if he had them in a 10G to begin with what makes anyone think that he will go out and build a pond.

By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.
Socrates-
I happen to have become a philosopher