8 replies to this topic

[aajvcad]

Hi guys,

 

I have two new corner tanks setups. 160l each.

 

I had the tanks cycling for 3 weeks before I added 2 Sailfin Plecos in each tank.

 

 

Yesterday I added the following cichilds to one tank. It was suggested to put this many to avoid fighting.

 

Zebra Cobalt Blue x 1
Pseudo Demansoni x 2
Pseudo Crbro x 1
Peacock x 5
Electric Yellow x 4
Lithobate s/crest x 2
Cyphotilapia Frontosa x 2 (my favorite but still small)

 

so it is working well so far. No fights.

 

I'm running 2 filters in each tank to help with circulation.

 

So here are few questions I have regarding the Cichild tank:

 

1. My albino picock is swimming alone in the top right corner. No bite marks and have not seen it being bullied. Other 4 peacocks swim up from time to time for a short visit. Any idea why the one peacock is swimming alone in the corner. The water levels are fine, other fish are fine...?

 

 

2. The Electric Yellows start swimming up and down the aquarium glass... almost like a chasing game... then most other fish join in, peacocks and Pseudos... Is this a game or something else? Its constant up and down swimming.

 

3. I bought the HIKARI Cichild Excel floating type food. My fish don't care or pay attention to it until I squeeze the air out of it and make them sink. If I don't do this the food just falls apart and doesn't get eaten. Is there something else I should feed them?

 

4. Feeding times and amount... each pet store person tells me a different story... My Cichilds are still small so how often and how much should I feed them?

 

5. Seen people feed worms and grass hoppers to Cichilds... Good, bad, yes, no? If its bought from the store and not pesticide infected..?

 

6. Little worried about the Plecos. If I throw in the seaweed pallet it get smashed around by the Cichilds so the Pleco never gets to see it. Any suggestion how I can feed the plecos without other fish stealing it?

 

7. The two Cyphotilapia Frontosas are little smaller than the rest. Tough enough to keep from being eaten but I have not seen them eat any food yet. They not big enough to scuffle with other fish yet. Any thoughts ?

 

Tank 2 - Is a community tank. Currently we have 12 cardinal tetras. Little boring but hope to build up to something more exciting...

Attached Files

•  Cichilds Tank.jpg   36.6KB   11 downloads
•  Community tank.jpg   34.83KB   7 downloads
•  Peacock alone.jpg   24.06KB   8 downloads

[TheTexasCichlidMasacre]

They are probably used to sinking pellets but that hikari food is top notch for African cichlids .... Take a close up photo of the peacock that's swimming by itself .... The demasoni are known to be very aggressive so it might have been getting a hard time from them... How many airdromes you got running in there?


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[malawiman85]

1. With the isolated peacock, he is either sick or being bullied. Does he eat? Crap? Otherwise look ok?
2. Fish often do this in a new tank.
3. Leave them to go hungry for 2 days then feed a little bit. If they still dont go it make them fast for another couple days then feed again. Also, find out waht they were eating before you purchased them.
4. Up to you. They will be ok with feeding once a day. Growth will be slower but water conditions will be better.
5. Dont feed live foods until you have them all feeding regularly on pellet. They might get snobish and not want the pellet. Live food is unnecessary but is good for the fish.
6. Do you know how big sailfins get? These guys will be way to big for these tanks. In the meantime dont worry too much they will be eating plenty if your cichlid food is not all getting eaten at the surface.
7. I have had fronts that are difficult to get to adjust. They dont grow real quick and are kinda lazy fish. If they are much smaller and arent eating, id be putting them in their own tank. If thats not an option sell them for some bigger ones. Fronts again get biggish, way too big for your 160's.

Monitor your water quality mate. You have quite a bit of stock added in a short period of time. You need to worry about ammonia spikes and your filter not keeping up.
gravel vac weekly with biggish water changes... monitor nitrates you dont really want them above 40 at the end of the week.
Honestly I think you are overstocked, but as they are small you might go okay.
What are your plans for the fish that will outgrow their current tanks?

Cheers,

Paul

[aajvcad]

Thank you guys.
 
Yes aware the Sailfins and Fronts growing big. Plan is to relocate them to bigger tank. Working on a 2000l tank hopefully completed in 4-5months.
 
Yes I'm testing the water 2x per day + have the little gadget inside the tank which is not 100% curate but will show any changes to water.  
 
TheTexasCichlidMasacre - by airdromes you mean air pumps with air stones? None, been told the top filter air addition is enough for the tank. I'll add one today if I have to.
 
 
This morning the picock is showing bullying marks. see tail image attached.
 What should I do here?
 
Edit: Picock not injured only some spot that cleared up this morning. The behavior is weird. Other picocks seem to be staying right behind my albino. Not sure if being protective or waiting for opportunity to attack. Ill post a pic once I take one that shows what's happening...

Thank you very much
 
Alem
 
 

Attached Files

•  picock tail.jpg   125.6KB   6 downloads

Edited by aajvcad, 19 April 2014 - 01:24 PM.

[aajvcad]

See pic attached. Other picock swimming around the albino.

Attached Files

•  20140419_133015.jpg   66.21KB   5 downloads

Edited by aajvcad, 19 April 2014 - 01:33 PM.

[aajvcad]

All changed. The albino is not in the corner anymore. I think she was just a chicken for a while. She seems good now.

[TheTexasCichlidMasacre]

lol sorry i was away for the weekend... and damn auto correct changed that to airodromes or something haha ...

[aajvcad]

Hi guys. Need some advice please. When I first set up the Chichlids tank I was told to put enough in so they to busy to target others.

Well since then I had the amonia problem and over time lost few of them. The tank is fully cycled and tha4ts not the issue anymore.

Now I have a killing problem. 3 smaller yellows killed by other fish.

Few others have serious bits missing ... seems like a war zone in here.

Any suggestions

[aajvcad]

Took the bully to aquotix and got more cichlids to make it little busier.

Rearranged the tank. Now they seem to be establishing who the new boss is. Hope it stops soon.