55g Cichlid Tank Project

deman3

I completed the setup today check out the pic. The tank currently has 2 BN Plecs, 2 Otos, 1 High Fin Syndontis. I am waiting to add cichlids until I know for sure the tear down and resetup doesnt launch me into a mini-cycle. I will be testing the water daily.

Tell me what you think.

I am probably going to do Africans and have decided on Yellow Labs but not any others. Any suggestions?

Attached Images

Aquarium 320.jpg (44.6 KB, 112 views)

gmyers0203

Nice rocks!

JasonI

Very nice substrate is that eco-complete sunset gold. It really looks nice and those rocks are very nice did you get these locally, would look nice for some Hillstream fish that I'm working on in a river tank set up that I have. Good luck on your set up with whichever fish you decide to bring to this tank.

deman3

Substrate is el-cheapo Play Sand from my local farm store. Rocks are from a lawn and garden supply place locally. All of them tested good in the vinegar except one and its still sitting on the kitchen sink.

redchigh

actually, if you want to keep african rift lake cichlids, then calcerous rocks are probably fine to use.

Byron

Veryu authentic, Lake Malawi. Well done. You might want to stick in a couple bunches of Corkscrew Vallisneria. It grows in Lake Malawi, loves hard water, and the Mbuna graze algae from its leaves.

Byron.

deman3

I have lost 5 of the first six fishes. The water is testing fine both by me and the LFS. Lucky for me they have a 14 day return policy. I am getting store credit as I think its a shipment problem with their fish. None of the previous fish are exhibiting any signs of problems.

Byron

Assuming ammonia and nitrite are zero, you still can only add a fish or two at a time. You have no live plants to handle ammonia so the bacteria has to catch up with each addition, and this takes up to 24 hours. It may still be the fish, but just in case, so you know.

deman3

I am going to guess you are correct. The fish all lasted almost a week, unfortunately I am traveling a lot so I am only home on the weekends. This is making the problem of me not being to care for my fish, my wife has to do it. That all said, the fish I had previous to the ones that I just got all seem fine. I tested ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates yesterday and they were 0/0/5ppm respectively. I also show 7.8ph.

Byron

Water seems OK. I would only add one or at most two cichlids, wait a few days, add another, etc. That should handle the nitrification issue. Beyond that, it may be something with the fish themselves. Any chance you can aquarantine in another tank, even a cycled 10g will handle one new fish at a time.