Brianemone Posted March 7, 2005 Report Share Posted March 7, 2005 My wife loves electric yellows, and so Ive decided to setup a malawi tank for her i was just after some advise before doing anything first of all a cant imagine a malawi setup been heavily planted???? substrate would be crushed coral and sand some kind of rock background with some wood here and there with the feature of the tank been the fish themselves what size would you all reccomend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted March 7, 2005 Report Share Posted March 7, 2005 Malawis need territorial space. I would recommend 4ft at least but, if only a few you could get away with a 3ft. They destroy plants (Lake Malawi itself doesn't have any) but I have seen tanks with Java fern surviving the high pH and fish munching. My substrate is a bit of sand from the local beach. Only a little as they throw it around and dislodge the rocks above. Will it just have yellows in it? They are a sriking sight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted March 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2005 i was thinking a family of yellows and may some blues (electric) one male of each with three females, i love the blue yellow contrast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted March 7, 2005 Report Share Posted March 7, 2005 If you have electric blues and yellows they will interbreed and the colour of the fry are yucky - sort of electric blech. :roll: If you want blue, try Sciaenochromis ahli. I have these with my yellows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted March 7, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2005 ewww muddle fish. :-? would leluepi go well with yellows??? (i know they are not malawi) what are some other possible tankmates?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted March 8, 2005 Report Share Posted March 8, 2005 If you have electric blues and yellows they will interbreed and the colour of the fry are yucky - sort of electric blech. :roll: If you want blue, try Sciaenochromis ahli. I have these with my yellows. :-? Caryl - any ideas of what species the electric blues you're refering to are? as I refer to S. ahli as an electric blue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted March 8, 2005 Report Share Posted March 8, 2005 It was my understanding when people refer to electric yellows and blues they mean Haplochromis sp. Mind you, come to think of it my yellows are actually Labidochromis caeruleus. :-? :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malawi_man Posted March 8, 2005 Report Share Posted March 8, 2005 do a google image search on "labidochomis freibergi" these are what i think are electric blues, although i think electric blue is a very broad term. how about those johanii?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted March 8, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2005 the johanii are very cool, i think i would get them for me and the yellows for Claire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livebearer_breeder Posted March 9, 2005 Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 What happened to killies mate? Shae Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAZA Man Posted March 9, 2005 Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 electric blues are pseudotropheus socolofi. These fish are very agressive and should not be kept in groups the same goes for melanichromis johanni. If you ever visit the stores and see munched fish I,ll guarantee they will be with socolofi or johanni yellow can be beautiful in large groups witha green plants and white rock I have seen some amazing setups like this. keep 3 females for every male you have yellow boys can be real promiscuious and stress a single female to death. Yellow females will breed easily from a young age . good luck RAZA Man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted March 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 What happened to killies mate? ehm, they are not readily available and there are people around that want them more than me. the same goes for melanichromis johanni from what i read they are supposed to be more peacefull than most others Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAZA Man Posted March 9, 2005 Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 They are reknowned for being able to mix with a variety of cichlids. This makes them easier to keep . They will not show aggression to other fish but will also hold their own when needed. However give a yellow guy a single girl and he will hassle her constantly the secret to keeping cichlids is to keep compatible varieties and lots of them. often aggression will be reduced by a busy tank as the agressor loses the victim in the crowd. Plenty of nooks and crannies are required they are territorial and will require breeding spots. keep feeding to 3-4 times per day in small amounts this will also keep aggression down and will minimise bloat. Cichlids are always hungry even when they are full. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted March 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2005 Cichlids are always hungry even when they are full they sound alot like me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malawi_man Posted March 10, 2005 Report Share Posted March 10, 2005 lol brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herefishiefishie Posted March 10, 2005 Report Share Posted March 10, 2005 Common names :lol: Over here electric blues are Sciaenochromis fryeri. These will go with electric yellows, which here are Labidochromis caeruleus. Yellows breed better in a colony of 5 or more.(look better to) Electric blues 1m 2 f is enough but can go more females. It's a shame the females here are a dull grey colour. I used to keep Pseudotropheus aceii , with my yellows.(when I hade malawis) these are docile for a zeb & wont cross breed. Great contrast of colours. These are blue/black bodies. Caudal fins are white or yellow depending on variant. If you want to breed something different, colour wise try a member of the Protomela genus, steveni tiger, red empress, similis.... I'd reccomend a 4 foot tank more room the better for the fish & your peace of mind. Gives females somewhere to hide, gives an area for each species to call there own. Plants as said java fern works well, Anubius is tough, Attach onto driftwood so the buggers dont dig them out. I only ever fed them once a day, fish as said are always hungry. Spirulina is good for them. Frenchy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted March 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2005 the new tank is coming down from auckland tonight its 105cm long by 40 front to back by 50 high Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malawi_man Posted March 18, 2005 Report Share Posted March 18, 2005 yay brian...........what sort of filter did you end up getting?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted March 20, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 still dont have one. the tank is setup with water/heater/fish and shark filter from the two footer. now onto the next lot of questions, i want a rock face type setup. questions is what type of rocks??? i was thiking coral rock but that would cost quite a bit or just use some other type??? any suggestions?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted March 20, 2005 Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 I have limestone in mine. Helps with the pH. Schist is flat and very stackable, good to silicone together too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted March 20, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2005 limestone sounds like a good idea, do you have any pics of what it looks like in the tank?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted March 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2005 should be doing some work on the tank on monday, the zebra's i have are very personable and friendy whereas the yellows are still being scardy fish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianemone Posted March 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2005 heres the malawi tank so far i still need to do a bit more rock vertically but the idea is there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joze Posted March 28, 2005 Report Share Posted March 28, 2005 what about those gorgeous marble rocks and boulders that are on the beach in coromandel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted March 28, 2005 Report Share Posted March 28, 2005 What's the Bol. Ram doing in there Brian?? Alan 104 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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