Who Gives A Fish Forums

Hi,

I'm mid-cycle with my Juwel Trigon 190 and desperate to give it a marine vibe - I'm really missing my old reef tank. I've trawled through the stickies, but I'm just as lost as when I started.

I want to make it clear, I'm not looking for a quick fix - I don't want to just ask what to chuck in my tank without doing my research. The thing is, there's so many Cichlids to choose from, and I'm worried about pairing them up and ending up with aggression issues. I don't want to pick fish just because they look nice and fit - I want to make sure they'll get along.

Here's the tank as it is now:

I'm after a marine feel without the hassle of salt - bright colours, lots of activity, and I'd rather have a few smaller fish than a couple of big ones. Problem is, I've no idea where to start looking. If anyone can point me in the right direction, I'd really appreciate it.

I've been looking into a few species that might fit the bill:

Cynotilapia, Labidochromis, and Pseudotropheus - all of which seem to have that vibrant colouration I'm after.

One thing that's got me stumped is the whole male-to-female ratio. Is it a must to have a mix of both, or can I get away with all males? If not, what's the general consensus on the best ratio to aim for, considering I'm not looking to breed?

To start, I'd love to know the dimensions of the tank you're working with. Generally, the rule of thumb is to have one male for every 5+ females, but some species tanks do just fine with only 1-3 males. That being said, certain cichlids like labidochromis and aceis are pretty chill and won't bother each other as much.

Regarding pseudotropheus, I've got to say, there are so many species out there - hundreds, if not more. Some stores just throw them all together in a mixed bag and sell them off cheap because identifying the full scientific name can be a real pain. As a result, their temperaments vary all over the place, so when you say "pseudotropheus sp.," it's hard to know exactly what you're referring to.

That being said, I did come across a species that might be worth looking into for a smaller tank - pseudotropheus saulosi. They're pretty cool because they're sexually dimorphic, with males having this awesome blue and black stripe combo, and females being a bright yellow. If you were to do a species-only tank with these guys, it would be absolutely stunning.

I'm still in the process of cycling, so there's plenty of time to make the right choices. The tank itself is a 190 litre bow fronted corner, roughly 70cm x 70cm x 100cm in size. I can see how a species only tank would be a good way to go, especially considering the potential aggression issues I mentioned earlier. Those examples I listed, Cynotilapia sp., Labidochromis sp., and Pseudotropheus sp., were just a starting point, but I'm having trouble narrowing down individual species within those groups.

Just a quick clarification, the 41 gallons I mentioned is in UK gallons, so roughly 50 gallons in US terms.

I really appreciate the advice, the idea of a single species tank is definitely growing on me. I'm thinking of going with a 1 male to 5 females ratio, but considering my tank's got plenty of rock for territories and good filtration, I was thinking maybe 2 males and 10 females would work - any thoughts on this would be great.

I'm after a plecostomus that will get on with the fish I'm planning to stock, and also be happy with the crushed coral flake substrate and 'dead' live rock in my 190. Something smaller would be ideal, not too keen on the plain looking ones like zebras, but struggling to find info on which species would be compatible with my setup. Any suggestions would be great, thanks.

I'd be wary of introducing plecos to your setup, the higher pH and hardness might not be ideal for smaller, colorful species. While some people do keep bristlenoses in their tanks, I'd personally err on the side of caution and avoid them altogether.

Thanks for the advice on the plecos, I was thinking of adding some sort of tank cleaner to the mix, are they a necessity in a mbuna setup or just a personal preference?

It's down to personal choice really. Mbuna tanks already have a high bioload due to the number of fish, so over filtration is a must. Adding a pleco would only increase the workload. As I've read, most mbuna cichlids have a herbivorous diet, just thought I'd mention that.

Thanks again for the input, think I'll stick with the plan for now and see how the tank develops, might consider adding some bottom dwellers later down the line if needed.