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2 Posts
First off let me start off by saying...I am really pumped up about getting back into the hobby. I maintained 10-15 tanks in my small bedroom while growing up (teen years). I mainly bred and traded tropical fish like your everyday fancy guppy and sword variety and South/Central American cichlids, mainly convicts. I worked in a local pet store as a fish manager for several years and just really, thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Then life took over and I realized I wasnt going to put food on the table selling someone elses fish so I joined the real world.
So here I am 20 years later, jumping back in head first. the problem is, well Im lost. Everything has changed so much. to make it more complicated I am looking at African cichlids for my specialty. I have tons of questions and this will be a rather long post. Any and all answers anyone can provide will be greatly appreciated.
First the good news and what Im working with, then the questions. The good news is I am just outside of Louisville, Ky and I have been told that I have two high end cichlid breeders right here close in Blue Grass Aquatics and Little Africa. The better news is I picked up a 55 gallon which is set up and running for my kids with tropicals. A 45 gallon that for some reason the old owner gummed up the top edge with sealant all the way around, I have no idea why as there are no cracks and unless he was overfilling should have been no leaks. I also picked up a 65 hex. All came with tank, light, hoods and stand and all were filthy. I got 4 buckets of gear as well including 8 power heads and the magnum filter I mentioned. I got all this for 100.00....I know I stole it, he knew it too and said as much when I was picking it up. The guy just had to move it.
Im working with the 65 gallon hex for my first cichlid tank, and after research I find this isnt optimal so lets say this will be temporary until I can convince my wife to let me buy the 150 gallon tank Im going to mention later. Right now there is a HOT magnum 250 canister for filtration and that is it (I will ask detailed questions shortly on filtration), my ph levels are in range. I have gone with the 15 pack of faux cichlid rocks from aquariumguys (waiting on delivery as I type). I am leaning towards only fake plants as I have read and remember the troubles that come with live plants.
Okay here are my list of questions, and I am open to all suggestions. I want to get this as right as possible from the beginning. I have already exhibited the patience of a saint as the aquarium has been cleaned and set up for nearly 3 weeks with nary a fish purchase.
What is the best method for of filtration? I stayed away from undergravel after reading as many believe its not the best setup for Africans. A friend who has a 150 and is big on the local scene says he only uses the hang on back filters, I am leaning towards canister....I am lost. When I was into the fish scene Magnum was the big name, now I see there are tons of other big names on a sidenote I passed over Fluval Fx3's on craigslist while I was shopping for tanks...the lady was selling them for 80.00 brand new in box. needless to say by the time I got around to researching filters and saw the prices on these they were all gone
What other fish can I put in there with the Africans? I am partial to loaches, Rays, eels and things of that nature. *** found some compatibility charts out there but I want real life experience and from reading here I have come to the conclusion that this is the most experienced collection of folks on the net.
I see a lot of additives out there on the market. Cichlid Salt etc. Is this something I need to cycle before adding fish or is it not needed. I am going with Lake Tanganyika fish exclusively and I see there are additives for each specific lake. Are there major differences?
Is there still a market for trading fry? When I raised tropicals and cichlids I would trade with local pet stores and it covered some of my supplies or maybe a new fish here and there. I realize this may be store specific but it was pretty easy back in the early 90's to walk into just about any pet store and work out some trading.
Heaters...Im really lost on heaters. Never needed them back then but my house is a bit draftier than the one I grew up in. My tank is currently about 75-76 degrees. From my research I need it a tad bit warmer, at least a couple degrees. Heaters scare me as they were always a big fire hazard and unreliable when I was into this before. I dont want to come home to a charred house or boiled fish...suggestions on brands are welcome.
Last but not least. I have the option to buy a 150 gallon (same guy) with tank, light, stand and tons of supplies. I mean like a pickup bed full of substrate, decor, canister filters, pumps etc. If (I should just say when cause Im gonna buy it) I buy this is this large enough to mix cichlids from each lake? If I set it up as to draw the fish to separate ends of the tank. Is this possible? Will they fight to the death and interfere with one anothers breeding habits? I can get this 150 for 200.00. Its filthy but so were the others and with 3-4 hours of elbow grease on each one they cleaned up real well.
Oh, one more. I am partial to reds and blues in the color of the fish with the yellow/black species right behind. Suggestions on species, especially those that fall into these color categories are appreciated. I currently have a shopping cart saved on Bluegrass Aquatics just waiting for my tank to be totally complete before I click buy. I can gladly post it here and let you folks pick it apart as to what will work and what wont work etc.
Im going to stop here because this post is running long. I have a lot more questions and will post them as the conversation progresses, if it progresses.
So here I am 20 years later, jumping back in head first. the problem is, well Im lost. Everything has changed so much. to make it more complicated I am looking at African cichlids for my specialty. I have tons of questions and this will be a rather long post. Any and all answers anyone can provide will be greatly appreciated.
First the good news and what Im working with, then the questions. The good news is I am just outside of Louisville, Ky and I have been told that I have two high end cichlid breeders right here close in Blue Grass Aquatics and Little Africa. The better news is I picked up a 55 gallon which is set up and running for my kids with tropicals. A 45 gallon that for some reason the old owner gummed up the top edge with sealant all the way around, I have no idea why as there are no cracks and unless he was overfilling should have been no leaks. I also picked up a 65 hex. All came with tank, light, hoods and stand and all were filthy. I got 4 buckets of gear as well including 8 power heads and the magnum filter I mentioned. I got all this for 100.00....I know I stole it, he knew it too and said as much when I was picking it up. The guy just had to move it.
Im working with the 65 gallon hex for my first cichlid tank, and after research I find this isnt optimal so lets say this will be temporary until I can convince my wife to let me buy the 150 gallon tank Im going to mention later. Right now there is a HOT magnum 250 canister for filtration and that is it (I will ask detailed questions shortly on filtration), my ph levels are in range. I have gone with the 15 pack of faux cichlid rocks from aquariumguys (waiting on delivery as I type). I am leaning towards only fake plants as I have read and remember the troubles that come with live plants.
Okay here are my list of questions, and I am open to all suggestions. I want to get this as right as possible from the beginning. I have already exhibited the patience of a saint as the aquarium has been cleaned and set up for nearly 3 weeks with nary a fish purchase.
What is the best method for of filtration? I stayed away from undergravel after reading as many believe its not the best setup for Africans. A friend who has a 150 and is big on the local scene says he only uses the hang on back filters, I am leaning towards canister....I am lost. When I was into the fish scene Magnum was the big name, now I see there are tons of other big names on a sidenote I passed over Fluval Fx3's on craigslist while I was shopping for tanks...the lady was selling them for 80.00 brand new in box. needless to say by the time I got around to researching filters and saw the prices on these they were all gone
What other fish can I put in there with the Africans? I am partial to loaches, Rays, eels and things of that nature. *** found some compatibility charts out there but I want real life experience and from reading here I have come to the conclusion that this is the most experienced collection of folks on the net.
I see a lot of additives out there on the market. Cichlid Salt etc. Is this something I need to cycle before adding fish or is it not needed. I am going with Lake Tanganyika fish exclusively and I see there are additives for each specific lake. Are there major differences?
Is there still a market for trading fry? When I raised tropicals and cichlids I would trade with local pet stores and it covered some of my supplies or maybe a new fish here and there. I realize this may be store specific but it was pretty easy back in the early 90's to walk into just about any pet store and work out some trading.
Heaters...Im really lost on heaters. Never needed them back then but my house is a bit draftier than the one I grew up in. My tank is currently about 75-76 degrees. From my research I need it a tad bit warmer, at least a couple degrees. Heaters scare me as they were always a big fire hazard and unreliable when I was into this before. I dont want to come home to a charred house or boiled fish...suggestions on brands are welcome.
Last but not least. I have the option to buy a 150 gallon (same guy) with tank, light, stand and tons of supplies. I mean like a pickup bed full of substrate, decor, canister filters, pumps etc. If (I should just say when cause Im gonna buy it) I buy this is this large enough to mix cichlids from each lake? If I set it up as to draw the fish to separate ends of the tank. Is this possible? Will they fight to the death and interfere with one anothers breeding habits? I can get this 150 for 200.00. Its filthy but so were the others and with 3-4 hours of elbow grease on each one they cleaned up real well.
Oh, one more. I am partial to reds and blues in the color of the fish with the yellow/black species right behind. Suggestions on species, especially those that fall into these color categories are appreciated. I currently have a shopping cart saved on Bluegrass Aquatics just waiting for my tank to be totally complete before I click buy. I can gladly post it here and let you folks pick it apart as to what will work and what wont work etc.
Im going to stop here because this post is running long. I have a lot more questions and will post them as the conversation progresses, if it progresses.