i want to setup a cichlid tank. i know nothing about cichlids

[fleshgear]

i have 45 gallon tank that is currently not being used and i would like to make it a cichlid tank

i have been reading about them and i would like to put in java fern, i would like to get an assortment of colorfull fish

i would also like to keep all the fish 5" or less.

what sort of background should i put on the tank, painted black? or some sort of rock picture background?

as for gravel i would like to get black, but i have a lot of dark blue so that is probably what the color will be.

i wouldn't mind having a few electric yellows, and i also like some of the peacock cichlids.

any suggestions or ideas would be appreciated

[EowynJane]

An invaluable tool for me was the cookie cutter set ups on the cichlid site, then I came here and asked people for their experience and input. You really have to be careful when mixing them, not only do you have to make sure they're suitable for your water and tank size, you also have to worry about their temperments and proper stocking ratios.

It can get pretty confusing... which is why I suggested coming back and talking to the people here. Not only are they very helpful, they also have a good idea of what's available in Alberta and a wealth of experience.

As for gravel and back ground I think those are just personal preference... some cichlids like sandy areas and some like rocks (that's included in the cookie cutter). There's a link to a place with cheap gravel & sand in the general aquaria section and there was also someone selling black gravel in the buy/sell equipment area.

(oh, sorry, just noticed you're in Calgary, not sure if either of those options work for you)

Here's a link for the cookie cutter set ups, just click on quick reference at the top, scroll down a little and select your tank size.

http://cichlid-forum.com/articles/

Edited February 24, 2009 by EowynJane

[Boom]

fleshgear, your gonna want to do some reading about keeping africans. That'll help you make some decisions on where to start. Most african cichlids prefer a sand bottom to gravel.

The fish don't really care about the background, so just choose what looks nice. I have one 3D background, and one painted black. I prefer the more natural looking rock 3D background and plan to make one myself.

As for cichlid selection goes, your possibilities are so huge, getting an idea of what you want first is helpful. You could certainly do both electric yellows and a small group of peacocks (1 m, 2 or 3 females). Keep in mind the female peacocks are rather drab looking.

Boom :boom:

[Wingin' It]

As for cichlid selection goes, your possibilities are so huge, getting an idea of what you want first is helpful. You could certainly do both electric yellows and a small group of peacocks (1 m, 2 or 3 females). Keep in mind the female peacocks are rather drab looking.

Boom :boom:

Very drab looking, but the males certainly are cool! I have Albino Ruby Reds and Blue's in my tank with some Leleupi, Brichardi, Lamp. Transcriptus & Dickfeldi Seemingly wierd mix, but they leave each other alone.

[KTK]

I think Wingin' It has the right idea for fish. The tanganyikans are nice and if your looking for smaller african cichlids they will probably be your best bet. A lot of the shell dwellers are nice and with a tanganyikan tank you can have a good variety of different shaped and coloured fish like calvus, leleupi, cyprichromi, brichardi, julidochromiss and so on. With Africans its best to have lots of hiding places for them.

[fleshgear]

so here is what i have so far. blue gravel, its what i had i would prefer black gravel or sand. fluval 404 filter which seems to be having flow issues i just replaced the circle thing that holds the impeller in. the tabs were broken off the old one but i think the impeller may need to be replaced as well. i pulled the filter off of a cycled tank and 70% of the water is from cycled tanks. none of the rocks or gravel was cycled. i hav done this many times and put fish in right away with no problems at all. no background yet. i added all of the large rocks that i had, and i figured the driftwood would provide lots of hiding spots. i have not added any java ferns yet and i was also thinking about some giant vals that are in another tank. i read that vals are in the lakes where the cichlids come from.

[firestorm]

Shane, if you want sand, Homedepot or Rona should be selling playsand in their stores soon. It is harder to find in winter because it's more of a seasonal thing. I prefer the quikrete brand, I believe I bought it from HD, because I found there was alot less rinsing than the target brand, and sand is usually only 5-6$ a bag. Besides that most africans prefer sand over gravel. African cichlids like mbuna from lake malawi will probably munch on plants you put in, most tangs are better for not.

I would have to say either pick haps/peacocks or mbuna from malawi if going that route. Many people find that they don't tend to work out together in the long run. You can get many colorful dwarf mbuna that stay 3-4" like salousi, polits, cynotilapia species, etc. I actually have a female cyno chimate holding I have to strip tonight, she has been holding about 30 days now. With malawi's you will typically want to keep a ratio of 1M:3-4F, and when choosing species you have to be careful to choose ones where the males and females do not have the same color and patterns, or you could increase chances of cross breeding. In a 45 I would only go with up to 3 different species max, if going with mbuna. Haps and peacocks will probably prefer a larger tank, although many people keep their peacocks in tanks that size and smaller.

In a 45 I also think you would be best going with tanginyikans. Although they are typically not as colorful, they come in really cool shapes and sizes and are more diverse looking than malawi's. Currently I keep a nice little colony of tangs in my 55 gallon, soon will be moving into a 75. Will you be at the meeting tomorrow night? I checked out a book on tangs from the last meeting, when I bring it back you should see about checking it out and looking through it.

Or if you like planted tanks you can always try SA cichlids