So we have our 55 up and running and fish are doing great. We were gifted a brand new 75 gallon tank with 2 Seachem Tidal 110 filters and a heater. Will be getting light and aeration this week. Questions are do cichlids need sand or would eco complete work (we have 4 bags extra already). As far as fish go we were thinking male peacocks along with a couple bn plecos then really have no idea what else would work so any ideas? Also if females are added how bad is aggression?
75g cichlid tank
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i’m only novice with the african tanks...
i have sand in all mine to buffer ph...
i only have 2 species and my ratio is very bad.... 9m/2f and maybe 12m?
mine are pretty aggro...
some of the others will chime in...
GL!
i have sand in all mine to buffer ph...
i only have 2 species and my ratio is very bad.... 9m/2f and maybe 12m?
mine are pretty aggro...
some of the others will chime in...
GL!
Nice pick up. Sand substrate is currently very popular & looks awsome when well maintained. Personally, I use small grain rounded river gravel. IMO, the gravel offers a better environment for benificial bacteria to grow.
Bristlenose Plecos are tough little guys, but
smaller varieties of Synodontis Catfish or certain species of Botia would likely make better scavangers.
Limestone hardscapes do well to raise & stablize the PH.
Bristlenose Plecos are tough little guys, but
smaller varieties of Synodontis Catfish or certain species of Botia would likely make better scavangers.
Limestone hardscapes do well to raise & stablize the PH.
I also use sand with cichlids (African and other) Bristlenose will work but as Stephen said, Synodontus would be more appropriate.
They are geographically correct, so prefer the same hard water, and coming from the same lakes, have an evolutionary kinship.
Below is a dwarf Synodontus (sometimes sold as petricola) that would work in your size tank, and coexist with your peacocks.
They are geographically correct, so prefer the same hard water, and coming from the same lakes, have an evolutionary kinship.
Below is a dwarf Synodontus (sometimes sold as petricola) that would work in your size tank, and coexist with your peacocks.
I would get some buffering substrate for the cichlids, unless your source water is already quite high in pH and hard, as the fish thrive in these conditions. It's possible to use normal substrate and use products to raise hardness and pH, but it is more of a PITA and you need to keep testing and fiddling with additives, wheras if you had a crushed coral base subtstrate or similar, it would maintain your high pH and hardness for you.
Most people keep peacocks in all-male tanks because of the aggression and because the females are a drab gray color. It's possible to keep females with the males, but if breeding, aggression becomes much higher and sometimes fish are killed. Peacocks are often quite expensive so people try to avoid this.
Most people keep peacocks in all-male tanks because of the aggression and because the females are a drab gray color. It's possible to keep females with the males, but if breeding, aggression becomes much higher and sometimes fish are killed. Peacocks are often quite expensive so people try to avoid this.
The problem with adding female peacocks to a mixed male tank is you'll end up with cross species since you won't know which male spawned with which female. As already posted, females are more silvery in color for the most part.
It can also be difficult to get different colors males to fill the tank so some people recommend adding some smaller male Haps to round out the stocking.
It can also be difficult to get different colors males to fill the tank so some people recommend adding some smaller male Haps to round out the stocking.
My advice would be unless you plan on breeding the peacocks, get rid of the females. Females will make the aggression worse and females are not colorful. I would go with argonite sand and a few rocks, enough to break the line of sight. Go heavy on the stocking 25-30 and do not mix mbuna or vics with the peacocks. I’ve mixed them with success but you need to have a timeout tank if you do and mbuna need a different diet.Also use a food with metronidazole since Malawi bloat can be an issue. Go heavy on water changes, keep temps up around 80-82 and you should have an awesome peacock tank.