fish_tank0311 Posted July 23, 2010 Report Share Posted July 23, 2010 Ok so im changing my 90 litre planted tank to a african cichlid tank, and i have LOTS of questions. Firstly, i need help on stocking. I want to get some electric yellows, and then im not sure what else to get? I need some cichlids, african or SA that would mix altogther with e yellows, and can stay in a smallish tank. I heard that dwarf cichlids would work for a small tank, but they dont mix with africans do they? Also, how do i keep the pH up so high? I have given up on normal JBL 'pH Up' and 'pH Down' because both those powders dont work, and they are too risky and have to be put in almost every day to actually work, but its just complete rubbish, so is there some pH buffer or something that i can use, like marine tanks have, because my normal tap water is flat on 7, as im on tank water. Also how do i keep the water hard? I heard if i buy some limestone that will make the water hard, but hard enough? And how much limestone? Does it also raise all the different measurements (ie kH, gH and all those) Also where do i buy lime stone from? Or can i find it outside somewhere somehow? I would like a few plants in my tank however so just let me know on fish that can and cant go in my tank with or w/out plants. Also im planning on using Silica sand. What do i need to know about that? I am a complete noob with cichlids so anything and everything would be good. Thanks all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malevolentsparkle Posted July 23, 2010 Report Share Posted July 23, 2010 generally SA cichlids need very soft, acidic water and african cichlids need very hard, alkaline water, so you will not be mixing them in the same tank. also, while ive never keept africans, I always thought they needed a large tank (min 300L). I could be wrong there may be a way to do a small african tank. The general idea with pH is that you use a buffering agent like proper pH, i guess for africans proper pH 8.2: http://www.hollywoodfishfarm.co.nz/product_detail.php?id=279 hardness is a bit trickier. I think limestone would be the way to go but Ive not used it. all the best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish_tank0311 Posted July 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2010 Well i know that electric yellows can be in a reasonably small tank, just as long as there arnt too many of them. I would also like some stocking suggestions now. Thanks all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reptilez Posted July 23, 2010 Report Share Posted July 23, 2010 you can have them in a smallish tank,just don't over stock it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish_tank0311 Posted July 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2010 Thanks, yea i was gonna be very careful about not over stocking the tank. So im guessing some kribs are good tankmates. What else can i get? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted July 23, 2010 Report Share Posted July 23, 2010 I wouldn't stock Malawi cichlids in a tank that size. You can however have kribs or go down another route and get some shellies like the ones in last months POTM. They are not expensive at about $40 each retail and are suited to small tanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navarre Posted July 23, 2010 Report Share Posted July 23, 2010 Not all africans are the same you generally need to decide on if you are keeping lake ( and then which lake) or riverine fish some of the riverine fish are more suited to a tank your size but so also are some of the smaller lake fish. once you have decided that you can then look at water chemisty most of which can be dictacted by the substrate and background and filter contents. For example instead of silca sand you may choose coral sand or a mix of both to change your water pH and hardness. In a 90l tank you could consider such diverse fish as kribs ( many types now available here) Dwarf cichlids ( apistos are most common), lumpheads or even some of the lamp., neolamp., or julidochromis species available depending on budget. This may mean you can even keep some of your plants HTH Nav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish_tank0311 Posted July 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2010 Thanks for all the help and suggestions, but are you saying i cant keep electric yellows at all? I am a bit confused. At my LFS there is a tank which is just over 100 litres, just a little bit bigger than mine and they have 4 electric yellows, and some catfish and plecos and stuff. Whats riverine fish? Cant i keep different lake fish together? If i absolutely have to get rid of the plants to do get my e yellows, then so be it, i just want my yellows and some friendly tankmates. I dont suppose i could put in electric blues? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoon Posted July 23, 2010 Report Share Posted July 23, 2010 riverine means from a river in this case rather than a lake the majority of african cichlids come from 3 lakes malawi, tanganika and victoria. malawi cichlids are by far the most common . you can keep cichlids from other lakes with them but you have to still be careful of size and aggression differences. rivereine cichlids i can think of are lumpheads and red jewels and kribs and can be kept with less aggressive lake cichlids (though people will tell you about aggressive jewels, kribs and lumpheads ) perhaps an option for you is to have a male only tank with a few yellows and some peacocks but the size of your tank limits numbers some what Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish_tank0311 Posted July 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2010 Males only!?!?!? If anything it would be females only?!? Isnt males only complete SUICIDE? Also wont peacocks get too big for my tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoon Posted July 23, 2010 Report Share Posted July 23, 2010 males arent too bad until they have a female to compete over and there is no point just keeping females as they are normally very dull as for size well it just depends on how many you have and i guess footprint of the tank like a 90l that was not very deep but a large bottom would be better that a tall tank with a small bottom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish_tank0311 Posted July 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2010 Well my tank is sort of a cube, not a perfect cube, but sort of give or take 5cms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted July 23, 2010 Report Share Posted July 23, 2010 i would suggest you stick to dwarfs until you have a larger tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish_tank0311 Posted July 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2010 i would suggest you stick to dwarfs until you have a larger tank. Well i dont plan on getting a larger tank for a VERY long time, im only 13 and have a lot of fish and tanks to look after, i even just got a 120 gal marine tank, which is very time consuming and $$$ consuming. And the whole reason im starting this cichlid tank is because of the electric yellows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firenzenz Posted July 23, 2010 Report Share Posted July 23, 2010 get 1/2 dozen young yellows to grow out to get small breeding group, but that would be tops for that size. E yellows will outgrow that tank so bare that in mind If it were peacocks then maybe trio( iM 2-3F) of small variety like blue orchid-you would have to be picky on what sort, and definitely not big enough for male tank- you need multiple males to dissipate agression and you dont have space I'm in agreement with rest with dwarves- tang shellies if you could find them, or a small group of tanganyikan cavity brooder like julies, leleupi, brichardi, altos(expensive) to grow out and get a pair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted July 23, 2010 Report Share Posted July 23, 2010 then i wouldn't plan on getting the yellows for a VERY long time there are other option to the yellows for that sized tank, some shell dwellers like some lamprologus ocellatus would be sweet in there i think. http://cichlid-forum.com/profiles/category.php?cat=14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish_tank0311 Posted July 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2010 Well everyone thinks that its too small for yellows. So lets just say i was a rebel and put yellows into the tank (like 3 or 4) with some kribs or something, whats gonna happen? Surely a small group is fine in a tank like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firenzenz Posted July 23, 2010 Report Share Posted July 23, 2010 'Starting A new 90 Litre African Cichlid Tank - Lots of Q's' All rhetorical? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish_tank0311 Posted July 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2010 'Starting A new 90 Litre African Cichlid Tank - Lots of Q's' All rhetorical? No? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trophy_malaw Posted July 23, 2010 Report Share Posted July 23, 2010 "" generally SA cichlids (kribs) need very soft, acidic water and african cichlids need very hard, alkaline water, so you will not be mixing them in the same tank. "" . . . really dont know what you are doing do yeah? read up buddy advice has been given to you. please listen to it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish_tank0311 Posted July 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 23, 2010 I did read however that kribs were very hardy and could "live in a very wide range of water qualities" on some websites said that. So what fish can i have with e yellows, thats what im after. Once they get too big i will sell them again and buy some more babies, for the tank. I just want some tankmates. If need be even when they get too big i will move them to my 4 foot, i just dont want to turn my whole 4 foot into a cichlid tank because i grow a lot of plants in their and i sell them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REEVESTA Posted July 23, 2010 Report Share Posted July 23, 2010 Last time i checked Kribs were african? :roll: "They are found in Africa inhabiting waters of southern Nigeria, the drainage area at the mouth of the Ethiop River" There is quite alot of people keeping kribs in high ph with africans peacfuly. But i would suggest not keeping them with the more agresive munba species as one can take over 260l tank :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malevolentsparkle Posted July 24, 2010 Report Share Posted July 24, 2010 Last time i checked Kribs were african? :roll: I used to think they were south american too. like similar water chemistry though so unless your a purist like me :lol: they might as well be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish_tank0311 Posted July 24, 2010 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2010 Ok well i went to hollywood today to look at limestone and sand and rocks and stuff, and heres what i was told (ill use smily faces for bullet points. I asked about limestone, and was just told to get aragonite, wasnt told anything about actual rocks that are limestone, so im guessing i will get aragonite and silica sand to mix. I asked about mixing e yellows with kribs, and he said that e yellows can get quite territorial, so i need to get lots of rocks and make a good setup, so they can have their own territory and dont hog it up, if done so correctly, kribs will mix with yellows The e yellows will be fine in my tank, as long as the tank is not over stocked, the man suggested 2 or 3 yellows. Cichlids will only eat the plants and unroot them if they are hungry, therefore if fed regularly and arent hungry, they will leave the plants alone. This may just be pointing out the obvious to all of you, but this has opened my eyes lots, and i now know what to do. If the e yellows arent happy in the tank for their whole life, i will move them to my 4 foot, or possibly sell them again. Anyone wanna sell me some cheap dead coral rock? Thanks all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
REEVESTA Posted July 24, 2010 Report Share Posted July 24, 2010 Keep in mind that some pet stores just say that any thing is ok for the sake of the busness and making $$$. some have no idea what you are asking. Using animates as an example down here in chch they sell small goldfish bowls (only about 10L :evil: ) and about 4 comets and say they will be fine Some stores have very little knowledge of fish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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