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cichlidhopper
Joined: 12 May 2008
Location: Winchester Tn
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 Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:11 pm Post subject: |
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Very nice tank.. This hobby is more than a addiction.
I started with 2 10 gal tanks 3 years ago. I had 2 black moors in one and 2 oranda's in the other.
I now have 81 tanks. With 26 running. All cichlid tanks. So many different ones and so many colors.... Most amazing fish and people I have ever experienced.
I keep both new world and old world cichlids. Everything from Chocolate's to Frontosa's
My advise. Read and ask read some more and ask again.. 
Good luck and just enjoy the wonderful world of cichlids. |
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NetStalker
Joined: 09 Oct 2009
Location: Avondale, Arizona
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| Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2009 10:35 am Post subject: |
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| cichlidhopper wrote: | Very nice tank.. This hobby is more than a addiction.
I started with 2 10 gal tanks 3 years ago. I had 2 black moors in one and 2 oranda's in the other.
I now have 81 tanks. With 26 running. All cichlid tanks. So many different ones and so many colors.... Most amazing fish and people I have ever experienced.
I keep both new world and old world cichlids. Everything from Chocolate's to Frontosa's
My advise. Read and ask read some more and ask again..
Good luck and just enjoy the wonderful world of cichlids. |
81 tanks...wow....and 26 running....double wow, when are you NOT doing water changes...lol...
Well, my ammonia is dropping nicely each nite, but my nitrites are still thru the roof. Almost there......... 
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135G -
5 Pseudotropheus estherae(Red Zebra's) 1M4F
3 Melanochromis auratus 1M2F
2 Sciaenochromis fryeri(Electric Blue) 2M
3 Hemichromis bimaculatus(Red Jewels) 3M
1 Pseudotropheus crabro(Bumblebee) 1M
2 Metriaclima lombardoi 1M1F |
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NetStalker
Joined: 09 Oct 2009
Location: Avondale, Arizona
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| Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 12:56 pm Post subject: |
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Well, still cycling, ammonia drops every evening, but cant seem to get my nitrites to drop, Nitrates are thru the roof tho.
Did a couple of full water changes to lower the nitrates, two days later, spiked again, but still have high nitrites...
grrr, wife 2.0 is getting very impatient...wants...fishies...now..... 
Well, maybe by this weekend.... 
Also, here is a crappy phone photo of the tank, but you get the picture of where im going with it...the stump is curently soaking in water to get it to sink, but will be added in the next few days. off to the left and should fill that area nicely.
Tough to get the rocks much higher, and already have 200+ lbs of them in there....
Also will be replacing the tall plants with something else...need something that is taller and fuller for this size tank,and more of them...
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135G -
5 Pseudotropheus estherae(Red Zebra's) 1M4F
3 Melanochromis auratus 1M2F
2 Sciaenochromis fryeri(Electric Blue) 2M
3 Hemichromis bimaculatus(Red Jewels) 3M
1 Pseudotropheus crabro(Bumblebee) 1M
2 Metriaclima lombardoi 1M1F |
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buddha2364
Joined: 03 Nov 2009
Location: St. Louis
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| Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 4:30 pm Post subject: |
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myfirstgixxer07
Joined: 04 Jun 2009
Location: Terre Haute, IN
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| Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 6:39 pm Post subject: |
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| Welcome and congrats on the new tank |
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TheBanker
Joined: 14 Jun 2008
Location: louisiana
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| Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2009 4:39 pm Post subject: |
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| welcome to the forum, looks like that tank was made for that space. Matches your cabinets. What type of cichlids are you getting? |
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NetStalker
Joined: 09 Oct 2009
Location: Avondale, Arizona
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| Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2009 5:07 pm Post subject: |
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OK, so the tank is "mostly" done cycling....  .... and the wife wants fish, so we went and picked up 12 at the LFS and brought them home Sunday. After acclimating to my water for about an hour in the tank they went.
WOW....  Man are they active little buggers....After keeping fancy goldfish for a few years, this was just about a shock to my system.
Wife 2.0 love them and actually went home today early from work just to watch them some more. I may have a little competition for my time now...
Its a mixed batch of africans. Basically I told the guy at the LFS that I wanted all of them in that there tank. They seemed to be getting along nicely and my tank is much more bettah set up than the LFS tank.
So....No idea what I have. Pics coming soon. I do know thru the library here that I have 1M and 1F of the Melanocromis auratus species. 3 completely orange cichlids and I think they have spot on the anal fin, but hard to tell, one greyish color with black vertical strips, one light yellow with black vertical stripes...its a very pale looking fish, and some others...that have some nice markings. Im looking to identify them all, but I want to see if I can do that on my own. Kind of like opening up a cereal box and finding the prize.
All in total its 12 fish and they seem happy after 2 days in the tank, very little aggression other than the normal chasing each other around, the M. Auratus, I may need to pick up another female or two since he seems to be the most aggressive so far towards her.
They like to play in the current of my centipede return and dont seem to like the top of the tank much.
I let the acclimate a day before feeding and then started them off on Cichlid Gold mini pellets, but one of the cichlids does not want to go up and feed, so gonna get him some sinking pellets. Also have some zuchini at home that will go in tonight.
All in all, everything is going well
Still looking to add about 12 - 18 more tho to fully stock the tank. They are all currently in the 1.5 - 3" range.
Question, is there a general rule on size versus age? ie...1.5 inches is about 6 months old...etc..etc...?
Regards,
NS
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135G -
5 Pseudotropheus estherae(Red Zebra's) 1M4F
3 Melanochromis auratus 1M2F
2 Sciaenochromis fryeri(Electric Blue) 2M
3 Hemichromis bimaculatus(Red Jewels) 3M
1 Pseudotropheus crabro(Bumblebee) 1M
2 Metriaclima lombardoi 1M1F |
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NetStalker
Joined: 09 Oct 2009
Location: Avondale, Arizona
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| Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 9:12 pm Post subject: |
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Ok as promised, here are some pics....sorry for the flash one, but it shows a few more fish.
15 cichlids so far, and one catfish. looking to add about 7 -10 more...Thoughts?
1 red jewel
3 M Auruts 1m, and 2f
1 elect blue
1 bumble bee
3 red zebras..i think...rest still working to identify....
two anubis plants, growing them out and hope to replace the fakes as they grow out.
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135G -
5 Pseudotropheus estherae(Red Zebra's) 1M4F
3 Melanochromis auratus 1M2F
2 Sciaenochromis fryeri(Electric Blue) 2M
3 Hemichromis bimaculatus(Red Jewels) 3M
1 Pseudotropheus crabro(Bumblebee) 1M
2 Metriaclima lombardoi 1M1F |
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scrubjay
Joined: 25 Oct 2009
Location: Olympia, WA
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| Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 9:29 pm Post subject: |
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Your tank looks MUCH better than the one you originally said was the look you were going for!
It's really beautiful. I prefer rockwork over having wood in African tanks, but others like the wood for sure. Your rocks look great. Good for you for working on identification skills. I've never kept Malawi cichlids, so can't help you with stocking. |
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Wolffishin
Joined: 09 Sep 2009
Location: Avon, CO
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| Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 9:52 pm Post subject: |
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The tank looks great.
Just be aware that you have some very aggressive fish (Auratus, Bumble Bee) and you may at some time need to rehouse or exchange them for something different.
But you do have a nice size tank and it could work out, you never know.
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55G All Male Malawi: 1 German Red Peacock, 1 Ngara Flametail Peacock, 1 Yellow Lab, 1 Venustus, 1 Tramitichromis Intermedius, 1 Placidochromis Electra, 1 Pictus Cat (don't tell him he's not a Malawi) |
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NetStalker
Joined: 09 Oct 2009
Location: Avondale, Arizona
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| Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 9:54 pm Post subject: |
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| scrubjay wrote: | Your tank looks MUCH better than the one you originally said was the look you were going for!
It's really beautiful. I prefer rockwork over having wood in African tanks, but others like the wood for sure. Your rocks look great. Good for you for working on identification skills. I've never kept Malawi cichlids, so can't help you with stocking. |
Thanks scrubjay, yes I realized it was much better to go for the original look instead of trying to copy someone elses work. However that is a large piece of driftwood on the left 
It just looks like the rocks and blends in nicely I think.
Identifying the fish is difficult, I am scouring these forums looking for others pics to help identify, Im sure Ill eventually post a few pics and ask for help on those I finally give up on.
Regards,
NS
_________________
135G -
5 Pseudotropheus estherae(Red Zebra's) 1M4F
3 Melanochromis auratus 1M2F
2 Sciaenochromis fryeri(Electric Blue) 2M
3 Hemichromis bimaculatus(Red Jewels) 3M
1 Pseudotropheus crabro(Bumblebee) 1M
2 Metriaclima lombardoi 1M1F |
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NetStalker
Joined: 09 Oct 2009
Location: Avondale, Arizona
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| Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 9:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Wolffishin wrote: | The tank looks great.
Just be aware that you have some very aggressive fish (Auratus, Bumble Bee) and you may at some time need to rehouse or exchange them for something different.
But you do have a nice size tank and it could work out, you never know. |
Yes the Auratus caught me by suprise at how much he was harrasing the female. After two days I went and picked up another female today, and he is not harrasing the one female nearly as much. However the original female has almost completely changed colors and has an almost greyish blue look to her.
The bumble bee is also a new fish just purchased today and I will be keeping an eye on him, Also picked up a Red Jewel and a catfish (the cat has disappeared and I worry for his return, my big Hap nailed him in the side as soon as he went in the tank and stunned the poor guy. have not seen him since... )
The red jewel has also gone into hiding, have not seen it since it went into the tank.
Regards,
NS
_________________
135G -
5 Pseudotropheus estherae(Red Zebra's) 1M4F
3 Melanochromis auratus 1M2F
2 Sciaenochromis fryeri(Electric Blue) 2M
3 Hemichromis bimaculatus(Red Jewels) 3M
1 Pseudotropheus crabro(Bumblebee) 1M
2 Metriaclima lombardoi 1M1F |
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bertolli
Joined: 18 Aug 2009
Location: NoVa
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| Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 11:26 pm Post subject: |
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Congrats on your new tank. It looks like your keeping mostly mbunas, if your going to keep a catfish they generally like to be in numbers so you should probably pick up a couple more.
Never kept jewels but that may be the case with him.
You have a very nice looking tank
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55 mbuna tank
43 gal - 5 convicts |
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scrubjay
Joined: 25 Oct 2009
Location: Olympia, WA
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| Posted: Thu Nov 12, 2009 1:11 am Post subject: |
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| NetStalker wrote: | Thanks scrubjay, yes I realized it was much better to go for the original look instead of trying to copy someone elses work. However that is a large piece of driftwood on the left It just looks like the rocks and blends in nicely I think.
Regards,
NS |
It looks fine, but think of the awesome South American cichlid tank you could start! I used to dream of finding something like that stump. 
It does blend in really well with the rocks and just as long as it isn't softening your water, it's great structure. |
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NetStalker
Joined: 09 Oct 2009
Location: Avondale, Arizona
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| Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 11:18 am Post subject: |
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Ok this is it....put the last of the rock in it on Sunday, now its sit back and enjoy time....
Thanks everyone for the comments an help, its all been appreciated.
Regards,
NS
_________________
135G -
5 Pseudotropheus estherae(Red Zebra's) 1M4F
3 Melanochromis auratus 1M2F
2 Sciaenochromis fryeri(Electric Blue) 2M
3 Hemichromis bimaculatus(Red Jewels) 3M
1 Pseudotropheus crabro(Bumblebee) 1M
2 Metriaclima lombardoi 1M1F |
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