No, I wouldn't do a water change until you plan on adding the fish. That's usually the last step of cycling, one large WC - then begin slowly adding stock.
New 75 gallon (is it ready?)
- Thread starter Finthusiast
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Here is a pic of the ten gallon and my fish. The tank is set up perfect ime. He has made a nest and every day does something more in the sand. One thing I have been concerned with is the type of substrate I am switching to. He makes nest in sand by using his mouth. Will he be annoyed that I am switching him to a small almost gravel type substrate? Or will he do other methods to make a nest?
He'll be alright with gravel. He'll rearrange the tank the way he wants no matter what you do anyway, all cichlids do.
Not sure if you're going to put something else in the 10 gallon after you move your Mayan, but if you're not going to I'd suggest moving the HOB filter currently in the 10g over to your 75g with the fish to help with the bio-load. He'll create a little more bio-load than the ghost shrimp and the extra filtration should help avoid an ammonia spike while the BB continue to grow in the filter you cycled the 75g with.
Alright cool great advice everyone! I dont want to move him until I get the proper decor and plants added so I will not cause any stress while arranging stuff. He seems real comfortable in the ten gallon.
As far as future tankmates in the 75g go, I'll warn you that I have a friend that has a Mayan that lived happily in a 75G with a Jack Dempsey, Convict and Firemouth for about 5 months. The Mayan started getting aggressive towards the Convict and Firemouth so he removed them and the Mayan and JD appeared to be buddies for maybe another month but then he came home from work 1 day to find the JD shredded. It didn't survive. So all might seem good at first but I doubt you'll be able to keep anything else in with him long term.
I will do a water change and keep him alone that is fine lol thanks for that info very good to know this! I dont mind having one fish as long as he is happy lol he is making a nest so it makes me think maybe I can add a female eventually but not till I do plenty of research.
I used to have a huge Black Belt cichlid in a tank by himself years ago. I enjoyed having him, he was very interactive. He would follow me from one end of the tank to the other as I walked around the room. I miss having a wet pet like that but i don't have as many tanks running now and can't get myself to dedicate my 125g to just 1 fish and a 55g isn't big enough for something like a Mayan for life. Good luck with him.
Ha yes that is awesome I have been growing more fond of fishkeeping ever since I started. Crash seems to be pretty happy and very interactive like you are saying. I am looking into getting decor for my tank but this is the one thing that I have not really looked into much I will hope to find some rocks in local lake/river because I cant afford the cost of what I am trying to get (basically one large rock) any suggestions on where or what to buy that would be large and arrordable?
Edit: I have enough smaller rocks already lol.
Edit: I have enough smaller rocks already lol.
