[Riptide]

Hi. I just set up a 75g tank and have it cycling. Currently nothing in the tank but a couple anubias nana and java fern. Caves are setup from granite pieces and I have two main cave 'complexes' one on each end of the tank. Middle area is somewhat open with pieces of granite pointing up vertically to provide a bit of a visual barrier between the two ends.

It's been about 10 years since I've had a cichlid tank and while I'm not a complete newb I'm not sure where to go with this. My goals look something like this:

1. Colorful mix of at least two species, up to three max.
2. One synodontis cat.
3. I'd like the possibility of breeding but don't want a bunch of mass murder going on by nasty cranky males/pairs.

Off the cuff my inclination would be to start with a group of leleupei, julies, and cyprichromis.

Thoughts please? Thanks in advance.

 

[DJRansome]

Leleupi are colorful but nasty so I would skip those. What about shellies?

 

[sir_keith]

Given point #3, the N. leleupi are just too aggressive for your aims. That said, one Julidochromis species plus a nice school of Cyprichromis should work just fine. If you chose one of the smaller Julies, like J. ornatus or J. transcriptus, you could also add a shell dweller. I'd avoid L. ocellatus, as they can get pretty aggressive, but other than that pretty much any shellie would work. I'd go with N. brevis myself, but that's just personal preference. Another nice option in lieu of the shellies would be N. caudopunctatus. Good luck!

 

[Riptide]

Thanks for the ideas! I do like shell dwellers but am looking for a bit more color if I can get away with it.

Would a group of 8-10 cyprichromis and a group of 4-6 julidochromis get along OK with a single leleupi? That way you do have the one specimen and no possibility of pairing off. Assuming though, they wouldn't hybridize with the julies..?

 

[DJRansome]

If color is your goal, I would choose fish from Lake Malawi as opposed to Lake Tanganyika. Also why limit to one Synodontis? Some of the solitary synos hide all the time. Gregarious types are Synodontis lucipinnis and prefer to be kept in groups of five.

 

[Riptide]

Been my past experience that most of the colorful varieties from Malawi tend to be a problem with aggression. Trying to steer clear if I may this go-around.

 

[DJRansome]

IME a single anything from Lake Tang in a Lake Tang community just hides. When you go Tang you go for behavior as opposed to shocking colors like the leleupi.

What about new world?

 

[sir_keith]

Thanks for the ideas! I do like shell dwellers but am looking for a bit more color if I can get away with it.

Would a group of 8-10 cyprichromis and a group of 4-6 julidochromis get along OK with a single leleupi? That way you do have the one specimen and no possibility of pairing off. Assuming though, they wouldn't hybridize with the julies..?

(1) N. caudopunctatus are very pretty, with a bit more color than the shellies.

​

(2) 8-10 (or even more) Cyps plus 4-6 Julies is a great idea, but forget the N. leleupi, because even single specimens can be abundantly nasty.

 

[Florida Chester]

If you get one of the yellow colored Julie’s, they will have that yellow splash of color.

I love Julie’s. I currently have 3 Julidichromis Regaini ’Black‘ variety in a tang tank. One pair, and a 3rd wheel. I bought 4 to start. They did nothing but battle from the moment I put them in the tank. 1 died within 2 days. The boss Regaini (believed to be a female) kept the other two on the opposite side of the tank. She has a nice large rock structure and there is a smaller rock structure on the other side.

Over the next month, one of the two moved in with the boss. I haven’t seen fry yet. The pair tend to stay in their cave a lot. The 3rd wheel has made a home on the opposite side of the tank in his rock cave. He has terraformed it to his liking. Have several in and outs. Likes to poke his head out of one of the cave entrances and watch the comings and goings of the aquarium. I see him more than the other two combined. They do like their seclusion, so if you want a fish out all the time, they are not the ones for you, but very interesting in there own way.

 

[Riptide]

If I hop on it I can pick up a group of six Julidochromis Regani Kipilli F1 right now. Seems like that wouldn't be a bad start for the tank. I've google imaged this species and they seem to have some very nice coloration.

I've more or less settled on Cyprichromis for the second species in the tank at this point but there isn't a lot of options out there at the moment to order from and I'm not sure what species I'd even want to go with yet. Which one might compliment the J. Regani Kipilli the best.

This is a 75g tank. Is 10 cyprichromis and 6 julidochromis going to be pushing it?

EDIT: The neo caudopunctatus are also available tank raised. While maybe not quite as striking as the julies they do look nice. I may have to let my wife choose on this one as now I'm sort of undecided between the two.

 

[DJRansome]

I would get non-jumbo cyps...Cyprichromis leptosoma. The males can be solid blue or blue with yellow markings. I like the all-blue ones, but matter of opinion.

Regani are a larger julidochromis...not one of the smaller species that sir_keith specified if you want a 3rd species.

 

[Riptide]

Looks like ornatus and transcriptus are available currently. Both of which stay on the smaller side and have some nice coloration to them.

The paradox of choice seems to be involved. Probably going to be easier to punt and have my wife make the decision after narrowing this down to a few options.

I am going to hold off on the cyps until I get the tank settled down for now and do some more research.

 

[DJRansome]

With the smaller julidochromis you can have both the julis and the caudos.

 

[Riptide]

Is a group of six smaller julidochromis and six caudos PLUS 10 smaller cyps going to be pushing it for a 75g tank?

 

[DJRansome]

Remember the julidochromis and caudopunctatus may form a pair and drive the other four fish from the tank. Then you will have 2 pairs and the cyps. I don't see a reason why it would not work.

 

[sir_keith]

Is a group of six smaller julidochromis and six caudos PLUS 10 smaller cyps going to be pushing it for a 75g tank?

Sounds like a good mix. If set up properly, there is no reason you can't keep at least 4 breeding pairs of these particular bottom dwellers in a 75, and if you keep the Cyps happy and well-fed they should produce fry as well. I have a nice C. leptostoma colony in a 125 (along with other fishes) that started out with 12 Cyps and now numbers more than twice that without any intervention from me. Good luck.

 

[The Fish Lady]

Hi. I just set up a 75g tank and have it cycling. Currently nothing in the tank but a couple anubias nana and java fern. Caves are setup from granite pieces and I have two main cave 'complexes' one on each end of the tank. Middle area is somewhat open with pieces of granite pointing up vertically to provide a bit of a visual barrier between the two ends.

It's been about 10 years since I've had a cichlid tank and while I'm not a complete newb I'm not sure where to go with this. My goals look something like this:


Off the cuff my inclination would be to start with a group of leleupei, julies, and cyprichromis.

Thoughts please? Thanks in advance.

Hi!😃 nice to meet you!😃
I just love Blue Dolphins and you could get like 1 male and 2 females! Whatya think?
You have a nice big tank.

 

[Riptide]

Six caudos on the way!

For flake food is this stuff decent?

Tetra TetraCichlid Balanced Diet Flakes Food for Cichlids

 

[DJRansome]

I would not do dolphins in a 75G.

I would not feed Tetra products. Look for New Life Spectrum Cichlid Formula 1mm sinking pellets. Order online. OR Northfin Cichlid Formula sinking pellets.

 

[Riptide]

I would not do dolphins in a 75G.

I would not feed Tetra products. Look for New Life Spectrum Cichlid Formula 1mm sinking pellets. Order online. OR Northfin Cichlid Formula sinking pellets.

The fish I’m getting are pretty small. 1-1.5”
Are there any flake type foods that are good?
Thanks