40 replies to this topic

[Den]

Hi all

Thought I'd share some pics of my malawi tank, I'm not sure how many fish are in there, there is around 120-150. There are quite a few fish that were born and have survived and grown up in the tank, I've found everthing in there from baby 1 inch cuckoo's under rocks to a schoal of baby dimis hiding in the vallis bed, it's pretty trippy watching tiny fish make a home in a nook or cranny and watching them grow up in the community.

[Dan]

That is absolutely stunning!!!!!!!!!!!!

Would love to have a tank like that with soo many fish

must b quite an eye catcher

[Den]

Thanks Dan

Small tanks only hold my interest for a small time, wait till you see my next project, it's still on the drawing board, you will need snokelling gear to fully explore it.

Rgards
Den

[Den]

More pics

[Dan]

Any idea on how many species you have ther?

I can pick out

Maingano
Acei 'msuli'
electric yellows
cuckoo cats
dimi comps
Cobalt blue
electric blue
peacocks
red empress
fuelleborni
kingsei
venestus

ok thers alot

[Den]

Fish list(what I know is in there):

x2 Phenochilis "Tanzania" 1m 1f
x8 Pseudotropheus sp. "Elongatus" jewel spot (neon spot)
x7 Electric yellows 2m 5f
x5 Dimi Compressiseps 2m 3f
x2 "Red Kadangos" 2m
x4 Peacocks - sorry forgot name 2m 2f
x3 PROTOMELAS TAENIOLATUS 1m 3f
x9 Maingano's
x7 M. Kingsezei
x6 Acei "Musli point" large
x18 Acei "Musli point" small
x7 Acei "Ngara"
x1 male electric blue "S. Ahli"
x9 Demasoni
x3 Venustus 1m 2f
x5 Labeotropheus fuelleborni 2m 3f
x5 M Estherae 2m 3f
x8 Labeotropheus trewavasae 2m 6f
x6 Blotched Zebra's
x2 S. Multipunctatus 1m 1f

x6/7 fish I don't know the name of pictured below :


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[anchar]

Firstly, let me congratulate you on a truly fantastic tank I have to say it is the best Malawi tank that I have ever seen...my compliments don't come easy btw. either :wink:

The first unidentified fish is a Ps. perspicax and the second one is either Ps. hajomaylandi or a poor Ps. aurora...not too sure from the picture.

Andrea

[Den]

Thanks Andrea,

People that come to my house for the first time usually freak out, it's a tank thats gotten a bit out of hand now, it takes alot of maintenance to keep the water in good condition as the tank is way over stocked.

The first lot I bought this Friday and forgot the name and the second lot was given to me as a freebee when I bought some Ps. neon spot babies from Mike in Sydney(they were about 2cm when I got them).

If you are ever in the Warnbro area you're welcome to drop by and have a look, if you do please bring those TFH mags LOL, I'll have the kettle ready..

Regards
Den

[anchar]

Deal! Ok well that fish is a Ps. aurora for sure

Andrea

[anchar]

Forgot to ask...

1. what filtration are you employing?
2. what food?
3. what lighting?
4. how is the aggression?...I see females amongst the lads.

I am clearing a lot of my colonies atm. in preparation for all my Tropheus, but will maintain a similar Malawi set-up to yours. Something to strive towards I think...great tank.

Andrea

[Den]

"poor Ps. aurora" is it bad quality?

[anchar]

I have seen better...more intense yellow/orange and deeper blue/mauve. All the ones I have seen coming out of Sydney seem to be paler than the ones i saw in Aquotix...but then again..they were probably colour enhanced.

Andrea

[Den]

Tank info

1. Filtration
x1 Pro Aqua 1500
x1 Aqua One 2200
Media mixture of Bioballs, carbon and Seachem De*nitrate.

2. Food
Aquasonic Complete
Sera San flake
Hikari Cichlid excel
Nutrafin Flake
Very occasionally I feed live little fish & small prawns I catch at the beach at night time.
I should also note that most of the fish chew and eat the vallis from time to time even the Dimis eat it.

3. Lighting & heating
x3 4ft Flouro lamps - tubes NEC white 3500K $7 each from Bunnings
x1 actinic
x300W Hydore inline heater.

4. Aggression has never been a problem, there is a fair bit chasing and bulling sometimes between some males but there is so much room and so many fish any fight ends quick.

Water is conditioned with Aquasonic Rift lake salt and Generic "Aquotix" tap water purifier.

This tank is a massive fish orgy!
I can barely keep up with the amount of babies being produced from this tank, I have a 6x18x18 with seven fry savers and x2 3x18x18 full of babies and I have just had to order another pair of 4 foot specially partioned tanks to keep up with the volume of babies coming out.

Regards
Den

[Deadwater]

On one hand I LOVE IT. However on the other i am jelouse . Can i go snorkaling when i come over to get the dimmis??. Because i am moving i had to shut down my 2 big tanks, and now i seem to be over run with 4' and 5' all over the new house, just trying to keep all my fish lol.

[Matthew]

and it looks even better in person Den

what amazes me is the larger predators coexisting with the smaller mbuna and such, especially the fry from the smaller fish.

makes my 6x18 look like a kitchen sink.

[Cawdor]

Very nice tank, I'm insanely jealous
Could you post a pic that shows the entire tank + stand if possible, don't know if you have a wideangle lense
Cheers!

[Den]

My camera cant take a front flat pic so this is the best I can do.

[Cawdor]

That's awesome, thanks. I wish I could afford one of those

[Scat]

Hey Den, your tank inspired me to push that little bit harder and get myself a 7x2x2 which i have ordered today.

What substrate are you using in your tank? and also if i understood right are you using two canister filters for your filtration system and how do you find them as im being told to get a sump for my tank, the trick being it will have a cabinet not a stand

Anyway mate awesome setup,am looking forward to being able to purchase some fish off you in the near future

[Den]

Hi Scat

For filtration I recommend x2 big cannister filters as they are quiet and low/easy maintenance. I have had trickle/sump filters in the past, they are great filters but too much mucking around with overflows, suction and dripping noises and very hard to service when in a cabinet.

The best and cheapest way to get a chockers fishy setup like mine is to grow babies up yourself, feeding them the best quality foods and providing clean water will allow them to develop to their maximum colour & health potential. Also starting with a good sized crowd and allowing them to grow up together will help reduce aggression issues. They grow quick and in six months you'll have really colourful near adult fish starting to breed.

I have quite a few babies ATM, you better hurry up cause they are going to LFS soon, as I'm running out of space.

7x2x2 is a good size, I think you are gonna have an awesome setup tank pretty soon!

Cheers
Den