ID please

[greenearthlawns]

Heh, that's the everlasting LFS problem. Mostly kids working for pocket money. Once you put a question online you have thousands of fish dorks jumping onto it to help, or boast their knowledge. Works both ways

I still cannot believe you have 420 cichlids, and you didn't show any pictures of your setups. Come on, I promise I'll take it easy on you

lol I know I am a terrible photographer thats why, but I will start a thread to show what I got so you can critique me I only have about 30 that are adolescent/subadult = over 4 in. the rest are wrigglers, and first and second graders lol

 

[mukundam123]

Research the species you want first.
Research the source after, there's many, many solid vendors and sources around US, your LFS does not necessarily mean it is a bad source, you just need to make an educated one, and make sure you identify them first, before taking them home.

Let me know what size of the tank you want first, and if you really want to breed them, or just have a show tank.

Yeh I should have done that - I usually go and ask them in the LFS for advice on what to buy, since Im still a bit of a noob, but am getting better.

At the moment, I've got a 55G (48x15x18). Am looking to make a bigger one myself, hopefully in a few months. Am looking to breed the peacocks, but am still trying to figure a way around cross breeding, and making sure I get pure females....any thought?

 

[Marius]

Yeh I should have done that - I usually go and ask them in the LFS for advice on what to buy, since Im still a bit of a noob, but am getting better.

At the moment, I've got a 55G (48x15x18). Am looking to make a bigger one myself, hopefully in a few months. Am looking to breed the peacocks, but am still trying to figure a way around cross breeding, and making sure I get pure females....any thought?

That tank is too small for multiple spawning groups of Aulonocaras.

Here's an idea, buy a 6' long tank, 135 minimum. Research the peacocks you want to breed, and put all the males in the 135 gal... all male peacock tank

Now, females, 3 for each specie, buy 20 gal long tanks for them (preferably 33gal ), each specie/1 tank. When you want to breed them, get one male out, put him in the female tank, let them get a mouth full of eggs, then scoop the male out and back into the community.

Might be too complicated and if you've only gotten space for one specie, then do one specie at a time, it will be more rewarding to see males in full dress, than having them constantly harass and beat each other up in multiple breeder group tanks.

Does it make sense?

 

[mukundam123]

Yeh definetly! I like the sound of that! I've got a 6ft long, but its an 85G, and I've got no space to set t up at the moment...its sat in the back yard. I'm going to have to make some space for it!

Thanks for that. Sounds like a good plan!

 

[mike dunagan]

That is best idea. The only problem is often you will enjoy the setup so much you will almost never pull the males. lol

 

[Marius]

Yeh definetly! I like the sound of that! I've got a 6ft long, but its an 85G, and I've got no space to set t up at the moment...its sat in the back yard. I'm going to have to make some space for it!

Thanks for that. Sounds like a good plan!

It will work. What are the dimensions, btw... Keep it open, not a lot of rocks, lots of filtration and you'll get some nice colors in there. As much as possible introduce all the males at the same time, or monitor closely newly introduced males to avoid them being overly harassed by more dominant ones.

...anything else?!?

 

[greenearthlawns]

That tank is too small for multiple spawning groups of Aulonocaras.

Here's an idea, buy a 6' long tank, 135 minimum. Research the peacocks you want to breed, and put all the males in the 135 gal... all male peacock tank

Now, females, 3 for each specie, buy 20 gal long tanks for them (preferably 33gal ), each specie/1 tank. When you want to breed them, get one male out, put him in the female tank, let them get a mouth full of eggs, then scoop the male out and back into the community.

Might be too complicated and if you've only gotten space for one specie, then do one specie at a time, it will be more rewarding to see males in full dress, than having them constantly harass and beat each other up in multiple breeder group tanks.

Does it make sense?

I like that idea I might steal it lol we've been thinking about how to add an all male tank to the equation possibly our 125 do you think by having all males the different types of peacocks and mbunas would all color up better and not fight or would it still be bad to have mbunas and peacocks in the same tank even if all male? what about having 2 of the same type of male mbunas like red zebras do they get along fine without females in there?

 

[Marius]

I like that idea I might steal it lol we've been thinking about how to add an all male tank to the equation possibly our 125 do you think by having all males the different types of peacocks and mbunas would all color up better and not fight or would it still be bad to have mbunas and peacocks in the same tank even if all male? what about having 2 of the same type of male mbunas like red zebras do they get along fine without females in there?

Damn, had I patented the idea I would get some nice royalties already. Serves me good I guess.

No Mbunas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I tried it and failed miserably. All male Mbuna tanks are just bloody battlegrounds. All male Aulonocara setups, or Haps can work.

 

[mukundam123]

Cheers mateys! sounds like a brilliant idea. The 6fters 72x15x18 inches, but I've not enough room to put it anywhere at the moment. Will have to hold onto the idea for a few months, until I can get a new tank built!