[guitarplayr_123]

I am a fish fanatic. I own a 135 Malawi community, and a newer and still collecting 55 Tanganyikan community. I am very into cichlids, their names both scientific and common but my thing is the rare cichlids. My 135 has very rare fish such as Christmas fulu (extinct in original lake victoria) and a paratilapia bleekeri (starry night cichlid) extinct in madagascar. I know all the ph and gh and kh, and where i live i have to do absolutely nothing to my water except add stress coat. I have tried to see if people make the same type of Tanganyikan community I am going for. I understand the rock dwellers, sand sifters, shell dwellers. I have 10 tanganyikan fish in my 55 and they are all different species. I have a couple xenotilapia (dole bay and melanogynus), a cylindricus, a lelupi, 2 black congo calvus, a 5 bar cichlid, a telmatochromis vitattus, a regani and a marlieri, and 2 fancy plecos. I understand i have mixed the types of fish and I MEAN TO! dont get me wrong i thought a 55 gallon is big enough to make all homes for these interesting fish. I have tried to read about any of this new community action, but all i have read is how people make communities with 3 fish of the same species and have about 20 fish for my size of tank. It sounds like the people who wrote the articles that i read say i cannot mix this fish together, like the same person said malawis are too hard to mix for large communities which is proved wrong by the tank in my living room, it has at least 50 to 60 fish in 135 gallons. Am i doing something wrong, or should i continue on with my beautiful collection.

 

[dielikemoviestars]

You should wait 2 years and then see if your tanks are still "successful." My money's on no.

 

[prov356]

Am i doing something wrong, or should i continue on with my beautiful collection

Are you looking for permission or a debate? I'll assume debate.

I have 10 tanganyikan fish in my 55 and they are all different species. I have a couple xenotilapia (dole bay and melanogynus), a cylindricus, a lelupi, 2 black congo calvus, a 5 bar cichlid, a telmatochromis vitattus, a regani and a marlieri, and 2 fancy plecos.

A bunch of singletons, for the most part. Not hard to do at all. But, add another tret or two and then see how the mix works out for you. (That's what you call a '5 bar cichild'.) If you can pull that off, I'll be impressed.

i thought a 55 gallon is big enough to make all homes for these interesting fish

Tanganyikans aren't that interesting as singletons. You're missing a lot.

Bottom line, it's your hobby, do whatever you want to.

 

[Furcifer158]

You should wait 2 years and then see if your tanks are still "successful." My money's on no.

agreed.....

Your in for some fish killings soon.

Your Madagascar cichlid, Is not extinct as you think also. Just wait till that big boy hits over 12"
It is a beautiful fish though when they are older, I have a breeding pair in a 120G wide tank, and I have about 300 fry.

You should take the advice you read in articles. Why would they be posted on this site if not to help you with your stocking questions. Many people get carried away when buying there fish and want fish from all over the world, but most do not last long term together. That's why I have 16 tanks and counting :thumb:
I'm not saying you can't house certain cichlids from different lakes or even country's, you just need to research the fish you want before you buy them. It will save you a lot in the long run, and money

 

[kiriyama]

I think the "singleton" approach is ok if thats what you are after but IMO (and it is only that) I feel/think it's best to probably put LESS in than what can actualyl go ,there is nothing nicer than seeing a tank that has still got room in for the fish to actually move about, I know that most Julies and Neolamps etc are happy with a few square inch of territory but the more room the better I think, as I said before thats just my opninion.....
Sometimes the simplest set up is the best, if the tank allows choose 1 shell dweller, 1 rock dweller and if space allows 1 open water or dither, i.e. Multies, Julies , Cyps. It might not be the best example but it's one that works... I am guilty myself of cramming to much in there, it never really works long term.
Just my 2 cents,, saying that though I would still like to see some pics of your fish, they sound great :fish:

 

[guitarplayr_123]

You should wait 2 years and then see if your tanks are still "successful." My money's on no.

agreed.....

Your in for some fish killings soon.

Your Madagascar cichlid, Is not extinct as you think also. Just wait till that big boy hits over 12"
It is a beautiful fish though when they are older, I have a breeding pair in a 120G wide tank, and I have about 300 fry.

You should take the advice you read in articles. Why would they be posted on this site if not to help you with your stocking questions. Many people get carried away when buying there fish and want fish from all over the world, but most do not last long term together. That's why I have 16 tanks and counting :thumb:
I'm not saying you can't house certain cichlids from different lakes or even country's, you just need to research the fish you want before you buy them. It will save you a lot in the long run, and money

I research all my fish, and know all my fish and most cichlid species. I know the bleekeri is gonna get a foot, he is already 10 inches duh! If i had any problems with my malawi tank I think I would know it by now considering i have had it 2 years now. I know newbeis deserve a lil bashing of information but I know what i am doing! and know what you are saying, that's why i thought i might come here to understand info that would help. I like the oddball fish that are not at local pet stores. Tanganyikans are more rare than anything that i can find, and the rarer tanganyikans are the more i like them. Cyathopharynx are the fish i want and would like.
More of what i was looking for is better factual knowledge. I do not understand why a community tank would want to breed when you have multiples of the same fish. Dont tell me it doesnt happen because my 135 has produced macaw cichlids and bristle nose plecostomus, and i have the baby in my tank to prove it! Why get ugly females when you can have lit up males? I do not understand.

 

[Furcifer158]

Just curious do you have any pictures of your tank? I would like too see it. I agree with you about all male tanks if thats what you are after. im not trying too bash you, its just we all see threads like this so much and no matter what some will say to the op, some people are still going to do what they want to do. I did for years until I got tired of killing fish.

Good luck with your fish.

Post some pics.

 

[jrf]

You've proven that singletons behave different than breeding pairs/groups of fish - Congratulations. =D>

 

[Furcifer158]

:lol:

You've proven that singletons behave different than breeding pairs/groups of fish - Congratulations. =D>

 

[dielikemoviestars]

I agree with Furcifer - we're not bashing. But when we get a thread like this - and it happens about once a week - we know that even if we say "you're in for trouble," the OP will say "NAH UH! IT WORKS!" So it's really a pointless thread to begin with, since apparently you research and know everything about all your cichlids... and we treat it as such.

 

[ahud]

I do not understand why a community tank would want to breed when you have multiples of the same fish. Dont tell me it doesnt happen because my 135 has produced macaw cichlids and bristle nose plecostomus, and i have the baby in my tank to prove it! Why get ugly females when you can have lit up males? I do not understand.

I'm still trying to figure out what you are saying????

 

[Furcifer158]

I do not understand why a community tank would want to breed when you have multiples of the same fish. Dont tell me it doesnt happen because my 135 has produced macaw cichlids and bristle nose plecostomus, and i have the baby in my tank to prove it! Why get ugly females when you can have lit up males? I do not understand.

I'm still trying to figure out what you are saying????

:-?

 

[ahud]

Sounds like you are saying you don't need females and males to produce fry. Sorry I am not trying to offend, I may be reading it wrong.

 

[DJRansome]

I have tried singletons and stocking the breeding groups as suggested.

I was warned singletons were boring and guess what! My advisors were RIGHT!

I have a singleton tret. For a while s/he was in the 72" Tang community...s/he hid all the time except feeding and only displayed sporadically.

I tried him/her in an all-male tank. Even worse.

Tret is going!

 

[ramcrazy]

For what it's worth I did the exact same thing when I first started keeping fish. I started with a Malawi tank and bought all males. My thinking was I could have the most colorful tank possible and it would look amazing. Well, after buying a bunch of all males peacocks and throwing them in a 50g it didn't take long at all to realize it wouldn't work. The largest male in the tank was the only one displaying color and the rest just hid and rarely displayed anything.

Since that point I have switched from SA to Malawi again, to CA, and finally now tangs. Ever since my debacle of a tank, I have been using this website to help me out. In the last month alone I have probably posted 5 or 6 times regarding different questions or situations that I have come across. Everyone here has been extremely helpful and courteous. You should at least consider what they have to offer.

That being said, ultimately do whatever you want. Keeping cichlids is an experience, and everything you do can be used as a lesson. Just because something works for someone, doesn't mean it will work for everyone.

P.S. I would also like to see some pics of the tank!