The Conservative Cave
Interests => Hobbies => Topic started by: Splashdown on February 23, 2012, 01:46:13 PM
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I had an oscar for 10 years who went to the great River Basin in the Sky.
After a tank cleanout, my wife and daughters insisted on "cute" fish. (ugh.) So we went with 4 African cichlids, mbunas. They're coloful but aggressive. We'll probably get four more this weekend, and I hope to get the grand total up to 15.
Unfortunately, the fish, while beautiful, won't get the "HOLY CRAP WHAT THE HELL IS THAT" look that my 14-inch oscar used to get from visitors. These guys will max out at about 5 inches.
I'll probably post some pics when the tank is "finished."
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something about this post seems fishy :popcorn:
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I had an oscar for 10 years who went to the great River Basin in the Sky.
After a tank cleanout, my wife and daughters insisted on "cute" fish. (ugh.) So we went with 4 African cichlids, mbunas. They're coloful but aggressive. We'll probably get four more this weekend, and I hope to get the grand total up to 15.
Unfortunately, the fish, while beautiful, won't get the "HOLY CRAP WHAT THE HELL IS THAT" look that my 14-inch oscar used to get from visitors. These guys will max out at about 5 inches.
I'll probably post some pics when the tank is "finished."
15 Mbuna might just about right for a 75G, depending on what you end up getting.
What kind of filtration are you running?
Here are some ideas on what will work in that 75.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/cookie_cutter_75g.php
I have a 120G that I recently set up for Mbuna. I only have 11 Mbuna in it now as well as 3 Synodontis multipunctatus (small catfish) and two rubber nose plecos for algae control.
I had over 30 mbunas to start with, but lost a bunch due to fighting/bullying by some Demasonis that I had bought.
Not all mbuna are compatible with each other in a tank environment.
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Catfish, bass, crappie and perch. Fried or baked suits me.
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Yes
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k179/Apogeespeaker/IMG_0560fish.jpg)
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man, yall have me wanting to go fishing
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15 Mbuna might just about right for a 75G, depending on what you end up getting.
What kind of filtration are you running?
Here are some ideas on what will work in that 75.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/cookie_cutter_75g.php
I have a 120G that I recently set up for Mbuna. I only have 11 Mbuna in it now as well as 3 Synodontis multipunctatus (small catfish) and two rubber nose plecos for algae control.
I had over 30 mbunas to start with, but lost a bunch due to fighting/bullying by some Demasonis that I had bought.
Not all mbuna are compatible with each other in a tank environment.
I have the tank still set up in "oscar mode." I have 2 AquaClear 110 power filters on the back. I know they're territorial, but from what I've read, if you put enough hiding spots in, they should be ok. Maybe I'll keep it to 10..
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I have the tank still set up in "oscar mode." I have 2 AquaClear 110 power filters on the back. I know they're territorial, but from what I've read, if you put enough hiding spots in, they should be ok. Maybe I'll keep it to 10..
Plenty of filtration and water flow with those AC110 units. I had tons of hiding places for the Mbunas and I still lost about 20 due to bullying.
(http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s81/thomrich/cloudywater001-1.jpg)
(the water is a bit cloudy in that pic due to new tank syndrome)
It was a rather expensive lesson on compatibility between various Mbuna species.
If you go to the site I linked above, you will find plenty of folks that are Chiclid experts and can answer just about any question you have when it comes to species compatibility.
Mbuna are beautiful fish. Some of the most colorful freshwater fish I've ever seen.
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Sweet! Nice tank Rich. I used to keep three, two 55's and a 29. After a few moves it got to be a royal pain in me arse and I gave it up and sold everything.
"Once you go African you'll never go back"... LOL !!!
Seriously, as I understand it if you introduce cichlids or other African species they will kill everything else. You can only keep African fish with other African fish, no kidding.
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Sweet! Nice tank Rich. I used to keep three, two 55's and a 29. After a few moves it got to be a royal pain in me arse and I gave it up and sold everything.
"Once you go African you'll never go back"... LOL !!!
Seriously, as I understand it if you introduce cichlids or other African species they will kill everything else. You can only keep African fish with other African fish, no kidding.
Thanks on the compliment of my tank.
Actually, cichlids aren't only from Africa. There are central and south American cichlids also.
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Really nice tank!
Maybe there is life after oscars...
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Get a Dempsey the damn things live forever. They kill everything you put in the tank. Mine used to bite my finger and hang on till he was out of the water. One night I found he must have jumped out of the tank and was laying on the floor all dried out and stuck but still alive! I loosened him up with some water and peeled him off the floor and put him in the tank and he lived for another 2 years! The side of him that was on the floor was scared and colorless for the rest of his life. Damn that makes me want to get another one.
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Get a Dempsey the damn things live forever. They kill everything you put in the tank. Mine used to bite my finger and hang on till he was out of the water. One night I found he must have jumped out of the tank and was laying on the floor all dried out and stuck but still alive! I loosened him up with some water and peeled him off the floor and put him in the tank and he lived for another 2 years! The side of him that was on the floor was scared and colorless for the rest of his life. Damn that makes me want to get another one.
Dempsey's do have that reputation of being hardcore.
I've never owned any, but have always like them.
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Really nice tank!
Maybe there is life after oscars...
Thanks.
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Get a Dempsey the damn things live forever. They kill everything you put in the tank. Mine used to bite my finger and hang on till he was out of the water. One night I found he must have jumped out of the tank and was laying on the floor all dried out and stuck but still alive! I loosened him up with some water and peeled him off the floor and put him in the tank and he lived for another 2 years! The side of him that was on the floor was scared and colorless for the rest of his life. Damn that makes me want to get another one.
I owned a Jack Dempsey for a while. I had to give him away. He would attack the eyes of the other fish first, and then break their backs later. It was the craziest thing I ever saw! But a little too "circle of life" for my home aquarium, if you know what I mean. At least the oscar would swallow other fish whole.
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He was all alone in the tank for many years!
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I love fish! Only problem is they all live in the river. I get to play with them as often as possible!
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I owned a Jack Dempsey for a while. I had to give him away. He would attack the eyes of the other fish first, and then break their backs later. It was the craziest thing I ever saw! But a little too "circle of life" for my home aquarium, if you know what I mean. At least the oscar would swallow other fish whole.
awwwww a rasslerfish
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We have a 125 gallon S. African Cichlids tank. There is a Puffer, 2 Clown Loaches, 3 Tiger Barbs, & a Plecostomus in it. The Chichlids leave all the other fish alone but they fight over territory for themselves, they need lots of hiding places. We have 2 double filter Wisper filters hanging on the back, & a canister filter below. They are a little dirty with debris on the bottom, have to completely vaccum the gravel & change 20% H20 every month. Our biggest problem is breeding. Every maintenance day we have to give babies away, but they are very colorful. Sometimes me & the wife will just sit there & watch fish TV.