new african cichlid setup

[jimk]

10-15 fish would be good. That Red Zebra is pretty aggressive and could be trouble later on. Often times, you will end up with one dominant fish and a bunch of ripped up, cowering victims. If you get a synodontis, get one as they tend to quarrel with each other. Be careful buying from mixed African tanks. The fish tend to be among the most agressive of the malawis and are almost always hybridized, making ID pretty tough. Some less aggressive Africans include the Yellow Labs(Labidochromis) and the peacocks(Auloncara). And yes, you do need a lot more rock. You want almost the whole tank full, especially if you are going with the mixed tank cichlid. Also, you may need more than a sponge filter as you increase bioload.

 

[arowana man]

yes it is the only one right now. and i will ad more rock. texas holey rock is $3.50 a pound. and the stuff is heavy.

 

[tarheels910]

No auloncara with the mbuna. They are not aggressive enough for the mbuna. Some less aggressive mbuna include yellow labs, acei, and perlmutts. I wouldnt put that many in there. I was thinking more like 9-10.

 

[fsc46]

No auloncara with the mbuna. They are not aggressive enough for the mbuna. Some less aggressive mbuna include yellow labs, acei, and perlmutts. I wouldnt put that many in there. I was thinking more like 9-10.

I have only one sponge filter in my 50 gallon and now issues. Of course you will run into problems if your tank isn't cycled yet.