dezemer

I can build them but I live in Edmonton. Kinda far for you...

There is a person on facebook market place and kijiji that is selling driftwood. They have a whole pile of it. I believe they are on an acreage south of edmonton. They had some pretty large pieces.....

I would actually like to start a Tanganyikan community similar to jvision though.

I have quite a few. All malawi cichlids with exception to my multi shell dwellers. I have a range of different mbuna species... cyno afra, some purlmutt, demasoni, soulosi, white top hara, elongatus....etc... I think 7 or 8 different aulonoca and 4 or 5 types of haps. This is all spread throughout 6 aquariums, biggest is 150 gallon. I can't really say which is my favorite but I do really love mbuna. I suppose it would be a toss up between the hara and afra because they can change their color so fast. literally within seconds a male can go from blend in mode to I am the boss mode. I have never seen any fish change color so fast as cynotilapia.

I'm glad you were able to fix it. Should have seen the look on my face when I saw my 150 gallon front panel bowing out over 1/2"....hahaha

Snails are actually one of natures best housekeepers. If your snails keep reproducing it is because there is enough left over organic waste/food to support them. They will die off on their own as the food source is depleted. Unless of course your tank gets over fed or has very messy inhabitants. I myself like to see the numbers increase and decrease because this shows me that they are doing their job.,

I should also add that many tanks that size without braces are in fact terrariums being sold second hand as aquariums. I too found this out the hard way after buying what I thought was a 40 gallon breeder. I didn't even bother to fill it after I saw the hidden "do not fill with water" sticker on the bottom.......lol

If it is an older tank many of them were designed for no brace. I have researched this a lot as my center brace actually broke on my 150 gallon!!! A general rule of thumb that seems to be common is that if the amount it bows is equal to roughly half off the glass panel thickness you are ok. Bowing is actually normal on nearly every aquarium wether it is braced or not. If you do feel you want one then silicone in a glass brace as you had already mentioned. You can however do it in a fashion that you can reinstall your plastic frame after it is in.

If you think you have MTS now, wait until some of your favorite fish have babies.....lol At one point in time I had 13 tanks. Now I am down to 7 running (4 empty in basement) with the largest being a 150 Gallon. I did downsize in number of tanks but increased my livestock.....lol Tricking my mind into thinking it's not as bad as it is perhaps??lol

I know a local breeder that has good strains. Big al's prices are pretty heafty most times. Aquarium central is awesome store but he doesn't like africans much so only stocks a few species. The local breeder I know sells juveniles for $3 unsexed or $12 for a male.

My little 1/4" demasoni will take swipes at full grown peacocks when they swim by. It's hilarious to see. It will take a swipe at the older demasoni too but quickly retreats back to his spot nobody else can fit into. Hahaha I have saulosi fry that were nipping at a 4" synodontis petricola tonight too. The courage of cichlids never ceases to amaze me!!!!!

I think you are doing the right thing right now. Keeping them within the same water parameters is smart. When I was breeding Lwanda I also just crushed up NLS and they fed on it very well. The one thing I am wondering is what your water temp is at. I keep mine around 29 celcius when growing fry and juveniles as this speeds up metabolism and they will grow marginally faster.

I have to chuckle to myself although it really isn't that funny I suppose. The excitement I sense for 5 days of no casualties.......lol You are not alone in your venture as I am sure most experienced fish keepers have had their fair share of mishaps and untimely fish deaths. I am happy you haven't lost hope. Many do give up and cudos to you for keepin on keepin on : )

That is almost exactly how it went for me when I tried discus. Also they were raised on frozen food and for the life of me I could not convert them to pellets. I tried soaking the pellets in blood worms and shrimp. Nothing worked..... A few months later I was back to my trusty Aulonocara........

I myself have a 150 gallon with both adult and juvenile africans in it. Peacocks, haps and mbuna. I aim mine toward the surface for better oxygen exchange and it does make a difference in activity levels. No they would not see that kind of current in the wild but they are also not confined to a glass box. Think of it as a treadmill....... I know they like it.