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PCS & Stuart M. Grant - Cichlid Preservation Fund - Details here


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#1 Guest_TrentV_*

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Posted 28 March 2012 - 10:12 PM

My name's Trent I've been looking around your forum now for a couple weeks and thought it time to introduce myself.

I haven't keep a tank for a few years due to living overseas and moving around, I'm finally back home and thought it about time to get back into it again! I've previously kept Aussie natives and also Oscars but African Cichlids are on top of the list for me these days.
I've found myself a 5 foot display tank which I plan on turning into a Mbuna community once it finishes it's fishless cycle, with plans to add some more tanks in the future, I'm sure I'll end up with an array of tanks as theres just so many varieties of cichlids I'd love to keep!!!
I'll be posting a WTB add in the classifieds soon any help locating fish would be very much appreciated.


Anyway here's it is, I'm still playing around with it but it's slowly getting there.

This is a great forum you have hear and I look forward to being a part of it.

Thanks.

Attached Files


Edited by TrentV, 28 March 2012 - 10:15 PM.


#2 Westie

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Posted 28 March 2012 - 10:17 PM

welcome to the forum trent
that tank would look sweet with some malawi cichlids

i'll look forward to seeing your pics in the photo section
cheers,
jason

#3 Guest_TrentV_*

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Posted 28 March 2012 - 10:46 PM

Thanks Jason,

I'm looking forward to seeing it finished and stocked with fish, it's been a long time coming.

Will do I'll post some pics in the next few weeks when it's all up and running,

Cheers,
Trent.

#4 garlic shrimp

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Posted 28 March 2012 - 10:56 PM

hey dude, welcome to the pcs ,it's a good forum with lots of very experienced people on here.
hope you enjoy it,cheers,
Con.

#5 Guest_TrentV_*

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Posted 29 March 2012 - 08:42 AM

Thanks Con,

Seems like a great society, with a vast knowledge base and following, I never knew such a place existed in WA until recently, I'm just glad to have found you guys.

Cheers,
Trent.

#6 Riggers

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Posted 29 March 2012 - 09:03 AM

Hi Trent welcome to the forum mate smile.gif

Do you have any particular fish in mind for your new setup?

Cheers
Riggers

#7 Evil_Boof

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Posted 29 March 2012 - 10:05 AM

welcome to the forum, good to see someone else from down south, im in busselton =]

cant wait to see some pictures of this tank stocked up with fish,


scott

Edited by Evil_Boof, 29 March 2012 - 02:40 PM.


#8 Melvin

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Posted 29 March 2012 - 01:32 PM

That tank is looking sensational. Keep us posted with updated pictures.

#9 Guest_TrentV_*

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Posted 29 March 2012 - 02:48 PM

G'day guys thanks for your comments there all much appreciated.

As for fish for this setup Riggers theres been a long running debate around here for what species of Mbuna to keep, as we want to keep a few species, only one from each possible genus we keep chopping and changing but the best we could come up with was to go for a few lesser aggressive varieties, I'm under the impression that I shouldn't go for any more than 5 species in a tank this size so the list we've come up with so far is,

Yellow Labs, Labidochromis caeruleus
Melanochromis Maingano
Rusties, Iodotropheus sprengerae
Metriaclima estherae Minos Reef, blue/red
Cynotilapia afra Cobue
a couple of peppermint bristlenose catfish

It's such a tough decision as I'm sure you all know, theres so many varieties I'd like to keep in this tank and this fish can't go with that fish etc and it's my only tank right now, any suggestions anyone may have will definitely be taken on board as the list isn't set in stone as yet.

It's also great to see someone else down south Scott I was wondering if there was anyone in the forum down this way, I'm sure decent fish are hard to come by down here hey?

Cheers Melvin, I'll keep posting pics as I go, all the rocks you see where collected within my local area you wouldn't believe where I had to carry them from though, heavy buggers, LOL.

Thanks again,
Trent.

Edited by TrentV, 29 March 2012 - 02:50 PM.


#10 Evil_Boof

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Posted 29 March 2012 - 03:25 PM

yeh trent! no shops down here stock real good quality stuff. im sure you could find some maingano`s in busselton. but beware of hybrids or deformed fish.

i think you would even be struggling to find a peppermint BN down here hey

#11 Guest_TrentV_*

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Posted 29 March 2012 - 07:11 PM

Cheers Scott, had a look in the LFS in Busso around a week ago they had a few Yellow labs and Mainganos, but I think I'll have to do a few runs up to the big smoke once my tanks cycled, I'll keep an eye on the Classifieds and post a WTB once I'm a little closer I'm sure it'll all work out.

#12 Bowdy

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Posted 29 March 2012 - 07:25 PM

QUOTE (TrentV @ Mar 29 2012, 02:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I'm under the impression that I shouldn't go for any more than 5 species in a tank this size


Is the tank 5x2x2 ?
You could put a heap more then 5 differant species in your tank. Have a look at dazzabozza's mbuna display he would have to have 20 odd species of mbuna in there. Just do the same thing. 3 male of each species and sit back and enjoy smile.gif

#13 Guest_TrentV_*

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Posted 29 March 2012 - 08:27 PM

G'day Bowdy thanks for the info,

That's sure is a nice display dazzabozza has there.

You've got me thinking again now???

The main reason I was concerned about more than 5 species was cross breeding as I'd like to raise fry out of the tank and attempting to stick to one from each genus, maybe a ratio of 1/3-4 males to females, any advice you may have in this regard is much appreciated, I'm up for ideas on species as well.

Thanks,
Trent.

Edited by TrentV, 20 April 2012 - 03:55 PM.


#14 Bowdy

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Posted 29 March 2012 - 08:43 PM

Myself I would advise against wanting to raise fry from any mixed African display tank. The chance of producing hybrid fry is to high and lot are hard to tell till they grow up a bit. what about keeping one mbuna species and one hap species.

Also with that awesome rock work in that tank trying to catch a holding female mbuna wod be very frustrating smile.gifsmile.gif

#15 Guest_TrentV_*

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Posted 29 March 2012 - 09:02 PM

I'm sure your right Bowdy, I'm still tossing up exactly what to do it's probably a good thing the tanks not ready for fish yet, gives me time to figure it all out.

With all the research I've done with pairing different species of mbuna in a tank together and raising fry, I was under the impression that the only real issue I may have was between the Metriaclima estherae and labs, I'm no expert though I have a lot to learn.

Thanks for the info, you've given me more to think about now,

Cheers.

#16 Bowdy

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Posted 29 March 2012 - 09:10 PM

All mbuna have a high chance of cross breeding I have even heard or a demasoni breeding with a Tropheus now if that can happen then keeping a mixed mbuna breeding tank isn't the best idea when wanting to keep fish true to there species. This is my opinion and others may think diferantly and that's there choice.
Cheers.

#17 Guest_TrentV_*

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Posted 29 March 2012 - 09:22 PM

Cheers Bowdy, You've given me a bit to think about now I thought I had it all figured out, I'm with you I have no intention of cross breeding and passing on mixed fish, I may need a new plan,lol

I have a lot to learn but I'm slowly getting there and this forums been a big part of that already.

Thanks again.

Edited by TrentV, 29 March 2012 - 09:25 PM.


#18 Poncho

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Posted 30 March 2012 - 03:52 PM

Hey Trent,

Welcome to the forum. Always great to see people living outside of Perth joining up - quite a few regional forum members now.

Just to put a different perspective on your plans, have you considered keeping just one species? Some of the best displays I've seen are single species (Highlucks estherae tank comes to mind if you want to search for it on here). No issues with crossbreeding or having one species getting beaten to death by an overzealous male of a more aggressive species.

It makes things a lot easier if you're new to cichlids wink.gif

#19 Mattymak

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Posted 30 March 2012 - 04:55 PM

Welcome to the forum trent smile.gif

that tank looks mint, cant wait to see some fish in there smile.gif

matty

#20 Guest_TrentV_*

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Posted 30 March 2012 - 05:00 PM

G'day Poncho,

Thanks for the input mate much appreciated.

Highlucks tank looks great btw.

I really would like to keep more than one species though so I guess I'll look at a male only tank, I have a family here as well and the tank is a major part of our living room, hence all the chopping and changing, kids want to see breeding behaviour and raise fry, wife wants a large variety of colour etc etc, trying to keep everyone happy is proving difficult with all the restraints there are with keeping and raising Malawi Cichlids.

I plan of keeping more tanks in the future so whatever we choose to do can be changed up if need be later in the year.

Thanks again Poncho!





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