Stocking Help

[jjohnwm]

Your tank seems not to have much in the way of buffering capacity; no coral or calcite gravel, very little calcium rockwork...and you are intentionally adding magnolia leaves?

With the stocking levels everyone is discussing here, you will need a well-cycled biofilter...of which I see no mention...that can cope with the large biomass. You will have lots of ammonia leading to lots of nitrate and a strong tendency for the pH to continually drop; IMHO the last thing you want is to add leaves which will further acidify the water. Many types of driftwood will also push the water in the wrong direction for these fish as well.

If you plan on going from zero-to-overstocked in five weeks on a newly-set-up aquarium, I hope you are addressing the filtration issue in particular.

 

[_bsafarijoe]

If you want to do a small breeding group you could try a 40G breeder. Then since Metriaclima is a fairly aggressive fish I would do 1m:4f. Probably easier to manage aggression with 2 breeding groups in the 48x12 tank.

Alright, that sounds okay, do you have another species to add? I was thinking another zebra color.

 

[_bsafarijoe]

Your tank seems not to have much in the way of buffering capacity; no coral or calcite gravel, very little calcium rockwork...and you are intentionally adding magnolia leaves?

With the stocking levels everyone is discussing here, you will need a well-cycled biofilter...of which I see no mention...that can cope with the large biomass. You will have lots of ammonia leading to lots of nitrate and a strong tendency for the pH to continually drop; IMHO the last thing you want is to add leaves which will further acidify the water. Many types of driftwood will also push the water in the wrong direction for these fish as well.

If you plan on going from zero-to-overstocked in five weeks on a newly-set-up aquarium, I hope you are addressing the filtration issue in particular.

1. I have 2 MSE 306 fluval canister filters to super over filter the water.
2. It has an inch and a half of sand.
3. It has 6 pieces of coral rock.
4. I did intentionally add the magnolia leaves, they add some tannins to the water and the fish store which I trust puts them in all of their tanks.
5. I have filter media that has been cycling for 2 years, after my convict cichlid that was in that tank before died.
6. I’m also not looking to add anything but a pleco in the next five weeks, I want to give my red zebra a chance to grow before putting him with other fish, I will eventually move him to a 20 gallon long and then to this tank.

1. 7. I am not completely new to the fish tank hobby, I’ve had eight fish tanks with South American cichlids and one with a salt water tank and had a very successful monster tank with a sting ray that my neighbor mentored me on. When I moved I stopped the hobby and sold my tanks, when I got here I bought this tank a 20 gallon long a 120 gallon and a 5 gallon, I only have the 5 gallon the 20 long and this one because my 120 ended up cracking because our power went out. Please don’t gatekeep.

 

[The Masked Shadow]

Well, jjohnwm , you got your question answered lol. No need for a Pleco. Pleco‘s poop more than they eat.

 

[jjohnwm]

Not really answered at all. Are the filters cycled? Yes, there's sand...so what?

Tannins in a tank of African cichlids? How often do you see successful keepers do that?

But super-over-filtration should suffice. Sorry if I offended anyone by trying to be helpful. Gate abandoned.

 

[The Masked Shadow]

I have filter media that has been cycling for 2 years, after my convict cichlid that was in that tank before died.

Not really answered at all. Are the filters cycled? Yes, there's sand...so what?

 

[DJRansome]

If the tank has had no fish for 2 years it is not cycled. But if you added 2ppm ammonia and it was gone overnight, plus nitrates are increasing, then it is, however that happened.

For breeding groups you want different genera usually because mouthbrooders can and will crossbreed, especially if they are related. Maybe 1m:4f of a white lab or perlmutt. The different genera and plenty of females for every male reduces crossbreeding risk.

The leaves and tannins are not a Lake Malawi thing, IDK why your LFS would add them to their African Rift Lake tanks.

For mbuna, which are literally "rock fish" you want to fill the tank with rocks to the waterline. This also helps manage aggression.

Shoot for 8X to 10X GPH from your filters.

 

[_bsafarijoe]

If the tank has had no fish for 2 years it is not cycled. But if you added 2ppm ammonia and it was gone overnight, plus nitrates are increasing, then it is, however that happened.

For breeding groups you want different genera usually because mouthbrooders can and will crossbreed, especially if they are related. Maybe 1m:4f of a white lab or perlmutt. The different genera and plenty of females for every male reduces crossbreeding risk.

The leaves and tannins are not a Lake Malawi thing, IDK why your LFS would add them to their African Rift Lake tanks.

For mbuna, which are literally "rock fish" you want to fill the tank with rocks to the waterline. This also helps manage aggression.

Shoot for 8X to 10X GPH from your filters.

Yeah, I dunno why my LFS does that but it's not adding any tannins at all so I'm not concerned. I am picking up some rocks this weekend and I definitely do not want to add the fish any time soon, I did steal some filter media from my LFS so that might be it and I've heard Labs and Zebras will crossbreed. I definitely won't add anything for at least two weeks, and I'm getting super into BN plecos but I am starting to think I'm just going to get the cichlids. I just don't want this baby in a small tank for too long.

 

[_bsafarijoe]

Not really answered at all. Are the filters cycled? Yes, there's sand...so what?

Tannins in a tank of African cichlids? How often do you see successful keepers do that?

But super-over-filtration should suffice. Sorry if I offended anyone by trying to be helpful. Gate abandoned.

Not trying to be a jerk but I am not for gatekeepers, I have been a reptile and invert breeder for a long time and the gatekeeping pisses me off. I had to deal with a lot when I got into it because anyone with google and a computer is an expert. not trying to add the fish now I'm just trying to plan.

 

[_bsafarijoe]

Not really answered at all. Are the filters cycled? Yes, there's sand...so what?

Tannins in a tank of African cichlids? How often do you see successful keepers do that?

But super-over-filtration should suffice. Sorry if I offended anyone by trying to be helpful. Gate abandoned.

My LFS made a big point about them loving tannins, "makes the fish more comfortable" they said.