Hi all! Im a pretty experienced fishkeeper IMHO (In My Humble Opinion) but i also know that i hardly know anything in the broad spectrum of fish keeping. Well to get back to the point i am currently in the process of re-vamping my 2 larger tanks (a 55 and a 95 gallon) just for a new feel in the tanks. My 95 im making into a community/angel tank, so my ?s concern just the 55. I've always been super intruiged by the Tanganikan and Malawi cichlids. I've just always been put off on keeping due to their water quality issues and the MIND-NUMBING difficulty of putting a name to a fish. So my main ?s are these; A: Due to the fact that the water i have locally is already extremely hard, would i be required to change over from gravel to sand? B: Im really considering either a single-species tank or a two to three-species tank. So my ? is what fish would be best suited in said tank setup? C: Lastly, what should i decorate with, and is there any ofther fish (other than more cichlids) that i can put in with them in the 55 gallon? Thanks a bunch for all your help i predict you'll send my way!
An "African Virgin" in need of advice...
- Thread starter Footballref50
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not all of them have water quality issues, some are obviously more hard to keep like tropheus, petro's or gobies, but your tank is too small for them anyway. 
, A 55gal would be nice with a heap of shellies, maybe some altolamprologus compressiceps/calvus, maybe julidochromis too. Theres plenty to pick from. You dont need to change from gravel to sand, imo sand looks better, but all to their own.
, A 55gal would be nice with a heap of shellies, maybe some altolamprologus compressiceps/calvus, maybe julidochromis too. Theres plenty to pick from. You dont need to change from gravel to sand, imo sand looks better, but all to their own.Thanks, yea i have no clue what those fish u named are! Hehe, now u see my delema! I just know i wanna keep these bright orange guys i believe to be "Orange Lelupi's"???? And these yellow guys called "Yellow Lab's"???? is that possible?
The fish you are wanting to keep are mbuna, they come from lake Malawi and would require alot of rockwork to help keep the agression down. The yellow labs that you are wanting to keep are rather calm so you should be able to keep them with most other mbuna.
hitemup4u;2669534; said:
, have you thought about maybe a colony of Pseudotropeus saulosi, you wouldn't want the labs too though cause the female saulosi are yellow and you would have a lot of hybridization, heres a link http://www.malawicichlidhomepage.com/panis/pseudotropheus_saulosi.htm
saulosi is a great suggestion.Most of the afra as well.lelupi could live in a tank that size.not all together of course.
Hey there. Awesome choice(s) for revamping. I recently re-entered the hobby after a 5 year break. I have always kept africans....mainly Tanganyikan's. You have so many options now a days with different interesting species. First order of business is substrate... make sure you get sand!!! Play sand from home depot works great. Pool filter sand is also good (from what I heard).
After you have established a tank, then debate what kinds of fish or what lake species you want. Most "purists" will not mix n match. I for one will not mix Malawi's with Tang's.
Good luck keep us posted.
Chris
After you have established a tank, then debate what kinds of fish or what lake species you want. Most "purists" will not mix n match. I for one will not mix Malawi's with Tang's.
Good luck keep us posted.
Chris