Biggest tank so far, making it a cichlid tank!!!

[Wackinator]

The advice that Boom gave you was spot on.

Take it, leave it, your choice - but the dynamics will change once those mbuna mature, and you will soon find out just how small a 35 gallon tank really is with regards to mature mbuna. Sure, all cichlids get along when they are little pip squeaks, but as they become sexually mature the tighter the fit, the more severe aggression levels will become, even with yellow labs. I've had male yellow labs get along great for almost 2 years, only to have the dominant male kill one of the sub dom males for attempting to breed with one of the females.

And that was in a 6ft 125 gallon tank.

Now factor in all of the rocks that you plan on adding, and you'll be lucky if you have 20 gallons of actual water in that tank. The volume of water, and size of your tank, rules out everything but a few yellow labs, perhaps 1 male, and 3 females, at the very most. Personally I wouldn't even do that, IMHO all mbuna require a min of 48x12" to have any type of decent life in a glass cage.

Forget about adding red zebras, pseudotropheus acei, rusties, or anything else.

Thanks RD and unfortunately I cannot get a bigger tank, trust me I would love to get a bigger tank so that I could keep cichlids properly but its just not something I can get right now. I do appreciate your opinion though so thanks.

And I dont remember if I brought this up earlier or not but yeah I have changed my mind to only go with Electric Yellows, I am planning to start out with a handful and end up 1 male and 3-4 females so sort of close to what you suggested. I would love to add a dozen more fish in there but I understand that it's just not practical. If it doesnt work out I guess I will just get rid of the tank or turn it into a shell dweller community tank.

Thanks!

[JLake]

Cant go wrong with a shellie community

[Wackinator]

Thanks JLake and yeah thats my backup

I feel really bad for going ahead with it because of the couple of people that have warned me against it but I really want them and I honestly think I can keep a small group of Electric Yellows in a 35 gallon if I only stick with one male.

Thanks

[Wackinator]

The tank has been set up and an established filter is put in to help speed up the cycling, I had a couple more questions though, what should I use to cycle the tank?

2 thoughts came to mind, feeder guppies or goldfish?

Feeder guppies so that the electric yellows will have a snack as well, though they are only 2.5" big so maybe they wont be able to eat the feeders but their fry will be dinner I am sure.

Goldfish because the one in my 10 gallon wont mind staying in a bigger home for a couple of weeks.

Thanks

[JLake]

If you have a cylced filter you are practically there

[Vallisneria]

I would recommend fishless cycling. I don't like cycling with fish since it causes them harm. Put your established filter on the tank and add some ammonia. If your filter has enough bacteria in it fishless cycling should only take a few days, then you can add all your labs at once to the tank.

[jvision]

If you leave your established filter on an empty tank, it will soon become UNestablished. Those bacteria need food, which is fish waste or ammonia like Val suggests. If the filter truly is established, put your fish in - a slightly lower bioload than the tank the filter came from - and you're all good.

[JLake]

Again Jvision knows what hes talking about; thats how I start every new tank I get.

[Wackinator]

If you have a cylced filter you are practically there

Thanks JLake but maybe Ill give it a week or two before adding just to be sure, I migh add some danios that can go into my other tank after their job is done, or feeder guppies but I dont think the cichlids would be big enough to eat them yet.

I would recommend fishless cycling. I don't like cycling with fish since it causes them harm. Put your established filter on the tank and add some ammonia. If your filter has enough bacteria in it fishless cycling should only take a few days, then you can add all your labs at once to the tank.

Thanks Vallisneria, and from what I gathered I wouldnt be harming them since apparently the filter is pretty established already. I might add some feeder guppies anyways just to make sure.

If you leave your established filter on an empty tank, it will soon become UNestablished. Those bacteria need food, which is fish waste or ammonia like Val suggests. If the filter truly is established, put your fish in - a slightly lower bioload than the tank the filter came from - and you're all good.

Thanks Jvision but no the filter has been in continuous use, it was used for my 20 gallon planted tank, and when that tank died, it was added as a 2nd filter for my 10 gallon multies tank, and then when I got a goldfish from a fellow AA member it was used for the goldfish tank along with a DIY Sponge filter. The filter is established I am pretty sure but I will give it a week or two anyways. I am going to be adding another filter as well pretty soon, just need to find the medium for it.

Thanks, you answered a question that was in my head but seemed like a stupid question to post.

Again Jvision knows what hes talking about; thats how I start every new tank I get.

Thanks again JLake and yeah so far all the advice I have gotten from Jvision has helped me in some way or another.

[Vallisneria]

Thanks JLake but maybe Ill give it a week or two before adding just to be sure, I migh add some danios that can go into my other tank after their job is done, or feeder guppies but I dont think the cichlids would be big enough to eat them yet.

Thanks Jvision but no the filter has been in continuous use, it was used for my 20 gallon planted tank, and when that tank died, it was added as a 2nd filter for my 10 gallon multies tank, and then when I got a goldfish from a fellow AA member it was used for the goldfish tank along with a DIY Sponge filter. The filter is established I am pretty sure but I will give it a week or two anyways. I am going to be adding another filter as well pretty soon, just need to find the medium for it.

I"m a little confused.Are you planning on running the established filter on the empty tank for a week or 2? Because that will kill off any of the bacteria in the filter. You need to keep the bacteria constantly fed. You can't just stick it on a empty tank as the bacteria will quickly start to die. When you transfer the filter over you need to either add your fish, add fish to cycle the tank with, or add ammonia.

The way I do it is I transfer the used filter and the add some of my fish. If I plan to heavily stock it from start(like an african tank) I transfer over my filter and then I test it by fishless cycling it for a bit with ammonia. That way i'm 100% sure its fully cycled and can handle a higher bioload.

Whatever you decide to do just make sure you dont' kill off your "established filter" by putting it on an empty tank.

[Wackinator]

Ahhh crap, I didnt know that, I just put in 5 juvenile guppies in the tank as soon as I read your comment, it was running all of last night with a couple of guppies in there which I had thought would be enough but I just added the last of them.

Is it too late? did I already kill off the filter?

I think tonight I will throw in the goldfish after taking out the guppies.

I feel really stupid right now, but I really hope I didnt kill all the bacteria but I will throw in some feeders in there by wednesday/thursday as thats the earliest I can make a trip to pisces (2 unit tests wednesday)

any input is appreciated

Thanks so much Vallisneria!

Edited May 10, 2010 by blackbelt609