I've finally got the rock scape where I want it. Stocking is a bit off, though - got the wrong fish in the initial order. Fortunately, the correct ones arrived later and now I've got 25.
3- Pseudotropheus sp. Red Zebra
3- Petrotilapia Nkhata Orange
4- Cynotilapia Jaol Reef
4- Cynotilapia New North Reef " Hara Afra"
4- Labidochromis caeruleus Nkhata Bay
7- Iodotropheus sprengerae
Would love to hear your thoughts, guys.
Thanks,
Steve
my 55-gallon cichlid community
Re: my 55-gallon cichlid community
Your tank looks really nice, I'm impressed. I've got a 16 megapixel camera too but my pics never turn out that good, what camera did you use? I'm about to stock my 65 gallon, any suggestions would be great.
Re: my 55-gallon cichlid community
I appreciate the kind words. My camera's a Nikon Coolpix, and I just experiment with the settings until I get a shot that works. I usually take photos at night with just the tank lights on.
For your 65-gallon tank, you've got a lot of possibilities for stocking. I've definitely got too many fish, but I'm planning to remove the males as I identify them to aim for a 1 to 3 ratio. My advice would be to stock what you like, but make sure you do your research first. I tried to create a relatively peaceful tank, so I chose fish that fit that goal. Some people prefer species-only tanks, and those can look great too. Ultimately, it's about what you enjoy.
For your 65-gallon tank, you've got a lot of possibilities for stocking. I've definitely got too many fish, but I'm planning to remove the males as I identify them to aim for a 1 to 3 ratio. My advice would be to stock what you like, but make sure you do your research first. I tried to create a relatively peaceful tank, so I chose fish that fit that goal. Some people prefer species-only tanks, and those can look great too. Ultimately, it's about what you enjoy.
Re: my 55-gallon cichlid community
I'm a fan of sunnygold and electric blue cichlids. For those, I think they'd do well with some peaceful tankmates. I've heard bumblebee cichlids can be a bit aggressive, but if you're looking for something similar, you might want to consider the Cynotilapia species. I've got some Cynotilapia Jaol Reef and New North Reef "Hara Afra" in my tank and they're doing great. Just make sure to do your research and choose fish that'll get along with the sunnygold and electric blue.
Re: my 55-gallon cichlid community
Yellow Labs are a popular choice and for good reason - they display great color from a young age and tend to get along with most other fish. As for Electric Blue, I'm guessing you might be thinking of Nkhata Labs, like the ones I have in my tank? If that's the case, it's generally not recommended to keep Yellows and Blues together, as they can cross-breed and exhibit increased aggression towards each other. This is often referred to as con-specific aggression.
Bumble Bees, on the other hand, are quite aggressive and can grow up to 8 inches in length. They're a great-looking fish, but they do require a lot of space. I've always thought it would be great to have a 125-gallon species-only tank for them one day. I've read that they have a unique relationship with a specific type of catfish, which is pretty interesting. If you're set on keeping Yellow Labs or Blue Labs, a species-only tank might be the way to go. I'd recommend checking out Cichlid-forum.com for more information on Mbuna and other cichlids. Just be warned - it's easy to fall in love with a particular fish, but finding multiple specimens can be a challenge.
Bumble Bees, on the other hand, are quite aggressive and can grow up to 8 inches in length. They're a great-looking fish, but they do require a lot of space. I've always thought it would be great to have a 125-gallon species-only tank for them one day. I've read that they have a unique relationship with a specific type of catfish, which is pretty interesting. If you're set on keeping Yellow Labs or Blue Labs, a species-only tank might be the way to go. I'd recommend checking out Cichlid-forum.com for more information on Mbuna and other cichlids. Just be warned - it's easy to fall in love with a particular fish, but finding multiple specimens can be a challenge.
Re: my 55-gallon cichlid community
I'm not set on just one fish, just using it as a starting point. If cross-breeding's a problem, I'll skip the blues. I jotted down some I like, any suggestions on which to focus on?
Red top ndumbi, yellow fin mbamba, cobalt blue zebra, sunnygold, orange johann, purple lupingu, polit, red zebra, snow white (pseudotropheus socolofi), white lab, white top, daktari (yellow acei), elongatus jewel spot - all caught my eye.
I don't really favor any besides sunnygold, but I'm open to ideas. I just listed the ones I like, no clear direction yet. The LFS suggested 15-25 cichlids, so I'm thinking along those lines. I like the red zebra, even though they look more orange. My goal's a colorful, diverse tank - some yellow, blue, orange, white, black, you name it.
Red top ndumbi, yellow fin mbamba, cobalt blue zebra, sunnygold, orange johann, purple lupingu, polit, red zebra, snow white (pseudotropheus socolofi), white lab, white top, daktari (yellow acei), elongatus jewel spot - all caught my eye.
I don't really favor any besides sunnygold, but I'm open to ideas. I just listed the ones I like, no clear direction yet. The LFS suggested 15-25 cichlids, so I'm thinking along those lines. I like the red zebra, even though they look more orange. My goal's a colorful, diverse tank - some yellow, blue, orange, white, black, you name it.
Re: my 55-gallon cichlid community
You could consider stocking 5-6 of each of the following to achieve a diverse tank:
- Yellow Labs for their vibrant yellow color, they're generally peaceful and get along well with others.
- Socolofi or Cobalt Blue Zebras, they're both beautiful fish with nice coloration, and they're relatively peaceful too.
- Lupingu or White Top Cyno, these fish offer a nice orange or white color, and they're also relatively peaceful.
- Yellow Tail Acei, they're another great choice for adding some yellow to your tank, and they're generally pretty calm.
- Elongatis Jewel Spot, these fish have a unique appearance and are relatively peaceful, I was actually interested in getting some myself but couldn't find any in time for my initial stocking.
Some of the other fish you mentioned can be pretty aggressive, so you'll need to decide if you want to take that risk. By stocking 5-6 of each species, you should be able to achieve a good male to female ratio, ideally 1 to 3. Alternatively, you could stock more of just 3 species and aim for a 2 to 4 or 5 male to female ratio. My Red Zebras were actually bought as "Cherry Reds," so I'm hoping they'll turn more red as they mature, but even if they don't, they still add some nice color contrast to the tank.
- Yellow Labs for their vibrant yellow color, they're generally peaceful and get along well with others.
- Socolofi or Cobalt Blue Zebras, they're both beautiful fish with nice coloration, and they're relatively peaceful too.
- Lupingu or White Top Cyno, these fish offer a nice orange or white color, and they're also relatively peaceful.
- Yellow Tail Acei, they're another great choice for adding some yellow to your tank, and they're generally pretty calm.
- Elongatis Jewel Spot, these fish have a unique appearance and are relatively peaceful, I was actually interested in getting some myself but couldn't find any in time for my initial stocking.
Some of the other fish you mentioned can be pretty aggressive, so you'll need to decide if you want to take that risk. By stocking 5-6 of each species, you should be able to achieve a good male to female ratio, ideally 1 to 3. Alternatively, you could stock more of just 3 species and aim for a 2 to 4 or 5 male to female ratio. My Red Zebras were actually bought as "Cherry Reds," so I'm hoping they'll turn more red as they mature, but even if they don't, they still add some nice color contrast to the tank.
Re: my 55-gallon cichlid community
ok, i'll give it a shot. moving on the 1st, so gonna stock then
Re: my 55-gallon cichlid community
I was thinking 5-6 each of a few species, but that would be 30 fish, seems like a lot.
Re: my 55-gallon cichlid community
I've got 25 in my 55gal tank and I plan on culling them back when I can tell the males from the females. If you start with small fish, 1-2 inches, I think 25-30 will be fine. But if you're getting sexed fish, you can stock accordingly to the 1-3 or 4 male to female ratio right off the bat, maybe 25 total. Overstocking is common with Mbuna, helps reduce aggression. Even the peaceful ones can be pretty feisty compared to other tropical fish.
Research is key, can't stress that enough. Looking at other people's stocking can give you an idea of what works together, especially in established tanks. I'm still learning about Mbuna, so I don't have all the answers. There are folks on this site who've been keeping them for years, they're the ones to ask. You might get different opinions, fish can be like people, one person's experience might not be the same as another's. But more info is always better than less.
By the way, is your tank cycled and ready to go?
Research is key, can't stress that enough. Looking at other people's stocking can give you an idea of what works together, especially in established tanks. I'm still learning about Mbuna, so I don't have all the answers. There are folks on this site who've been keeping them for years, they're the ones to ask. You might get different opinions, fish can be like people, one person's experience might not be the same as another's. But more info is always better than less.
By the way, is your tank cycled and ready to go?
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