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Seeking Advice Regarding Safe & Healthy Stock Levels for 5.2 Foot tank.


joey13

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G'day guys,

First post on the forum...hello to all.

Just seeking some advice on stock levels on my Malawi setup I am running at the moment. I will give you all the specs first so you can better answer the question.

Tank: Akvastabil Effect-Line 530L. Dimensions are 1600mm (L) X 550mm (W) X 600mm (D)

Once I account for the 12mm thick glass, the fact that I don't fill the tank to the top, the 40kg of crushed coral sand and approx 60kg of rock and a foam 3D background, I estimate the true tank volume to be in between 390-410 Litres. The background extends out to max 260mm but tucks back in to 90mm from the back of the tank so its hard to estimate how much space it takes up or how much area behind it is lost.

Filtration is via a Fluval FX5 Canister. Top tray is packed with a bag of crushed coral, middle tray is Seachem Matrix & Purigen and the bottom basket is packed with SeaChem Matrix also.

15-20% water changes are done weekly. I pre heat and pre-treat the water with SeaChem Prime, SeaChem Rift Lake Conditioner & SeaChem Malawi Buffer.

Temperature is stable at 27 degrees.

pH is stable at 8.2

Ammonnia, Nitrite and Nitrate are all under control.

GH is about 8-9dKH (143.2 - 161 ppm) - I know this is probably a little low but its stable here and the fish are happy. No point in stuffing around with the levels and ruining a stable environment

KH is 12 dKH (214.8 ppm)

Current Stock:

4 X Metriaclima estherae (Red Zebra)

2 X Pseudotropheus Zebra

2 X Labidochromis sp. "Hongi"

2 X Sciaenochromis fryeri (Electric Blue)

1 X Nimbochromis venustus

1 X Cyphotilapia sp Burundi Frontosa

1 X Astatotilapia latifasciata

Total Fish Currently: 13

Fish are all happy and healthy and showing growth.

Before I get flamed, I am well aware that the Frontosa is a Tang and the latifasciata is a Victoria Basin and are generally not kept together with the Malawi. However these two have been in this tank for over 2 years and have been more than fine. They get along fine with all the other fish.

My question is how many fish can I keep in this tank before it is TOO overstocked? I am aware that Africans are meant to be overstocked to reduce aggression and so forth but how much would be too much. I am planning on adding the following. Please let me know if this will be safe before doing so.

2 X Metriaclima callainos (Cobalt Blue Zebra)

4 X Labidochromis caeruleus (Electric Yellow)

4 X Pseudotropheus demasoni

2 X Cynotilapia afra "Cobue"

2 X Melanochromis Johanni

2 X Protomelas taeniolatus (Red Empress)

1 X Male Nimbochromis venustus (for the existing female I have)

1 X Cyphotilapia sp Burundi Frontosa (So there is a pair)

Total Fish to Add: 18

Making it a total of 31.

Help is much appreciated.

Cheers, Joe

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in the past i have run over 150 fish in a 550 litre tank so that tank should have no problems at all taking 31 fish. i currently have 50 odd in 2 separate 5x2 tanks with air filters as my filtration.

i am with rowie on the fronnies and them not liking to movement, so give em a couple of nice sice caves they can hide in.

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I posted the same thing on an American cichlid forum and I was almost flamed about the male to female ratios and how it won't be suitable. Apparently they are all going to cross breed and there is going to be inter-species aggression etc etc??? Apparently eventually the frontosa and Venustus will mature and eat everything!

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:raisehand: Hi Joey and welcome to ACE forums

you'll be glad to know that any flaming will be dealt with :rules:

your choice is your choice and may never be OK by everyone

can you advise size and sexes of the fish you already have as this

all adds up to giving the best replies

the main problem will be cross breeding of the pseudos

also what species of Zebra are these 2 X Pseudotropheus Zebra

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:raisehand: Hi Joey and welcome to ACE forums

you'll be glad to know that any flaming will be dealt with :rules:

your choice is your choice and may never be OK by everyone

can you advise size and sexes of the fish you already have as this

all adds up to giving the best replies

the main problem will be cross breeding of the pseudos

also what species of Zebra are these 2 X Pseudotropheus Zebra

Here is a link to my video of the tank. http://youtu.be/tDBKRd6i6JE

Thankyou for the welcome.

My guess is the Pseudotropheus Zebra are actually elongatus or something similar. Check the vid. The size and sex are as follows. I do not know the sex of all of them.

4 X Metriaclima estherae (Red Zebra) - The largest one I'm certain is a male and he is about 12cm. 2 are about 10cm and one is 6-7cm

2 X Pseudotropheus Zebra (Poss elongatus) - both about 12-13cm. Unsure of sex

2 X Labidochromis sp. "Hongi" - The smallest is a female...I know this because she spat out fry once. I believe it cross bred with the red zebra. The babies all got eaten. She is about 8cm. The other is a male and is about 12-13cm

2 X Sciaenochromis fryeri (Electric Blue) - Unknown Sex - One 14cm, Other 10cm

1 X Nimbochromis venustus - 15cm female.

1 X Cyphotilapia sp Burundi Frontosa - 16-17cm. Unknown Sex

1 X Astatotilapia latifasciata - 12cm - Unknown Sex

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Hi Joe,

Nice looking tank. Could you give me more details on the background please. Didn't realise they could look so good.

Sure mate!

I purchased it from the Coburg Aquarium in Bell Street, Victoria.

They are moulded from an actual rock face in either Singapore or Malaysia (I can't remember exactly) and then hand painted before being imported here. They are extremely high quality but also very very pricey. This one cost me $680 or so NOT including the silicone that is required to fit it.

Tank will obviously have to be clean and empty and allowed to dry for AT LEAST 12 hours...but more time is reccomended.

I drilled four 25mm holes in the bottom in inconspicuous spots and covered with gutter guard to prevent the fish from getting behind it. I also drilled about 25-30 small holes in inconspicuous spots all over it. This is to allow sufficient flow behind the background and also to stop any bowing or flexing from pressure build up behind it...which I have seen happen.

You will need to remove the middle brace to get it in the tank in one piece otherwise you will have to cut it which I don't reccomend. However it can be siliconed back together easy enough. I basically sat the background where I wanted it...traced the bottom and side edged with a sharpie and moved it forward.

I then applied a thick bead of silicone along the line and then move it back in place squashing it down onto the silicone. I then allowed to dry and came back and done another neater bead to fill in any low spots.

To hide the silicone, I laid the tank on its back and pressed a similiar colour sand into the uncured silicone so it blends in with the background and it's not so obvious. I also had to re-plump my FX5. I used some poly pipe and connections from my local hardware store which were siliconed in place. I now have two outlets.

Mate it takes a bit to get them in but they truly do look amazing! It is definetly worth it! You can hide all of your gear behind it and it also doubles up as a seperate section of tank if fish ever need to be seperated...I once used this when one of my fish got badly beat up. It recovered behind the background for a few weeks and then I returned it to the front.

Also you can hide the gap pn the side by using black contact which I have been too lazy to do yet but I have seen it and it works a treat.

Hope this helps.

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