Back to my roots...

[Alex]

As some of you may or may not know, I had a bit of a disaster in my 450, well actually a series of disasters that wiped out a few of my remaining tankbusters (after selling quite a few, thank god).

Now I am left with a empty 450gal, after moving the survivors to various other tanks. The obvious question is what to do with my 450 (8x3x2.5)? After a bit of thought and brain storming I have decided to head back to my fish keeping roots and fill it with African cichlids.

This tank will be a display only tank, no fry produced in this tank or holding females will be removed (due to possible hybridisation that may occur).

As a substrate I was thinking along the lines of beach sand or shell grit or something similar that will help buffer the water (to some extent). The tank will have alot of rock work on either side of the tank, I can get really good limestone due to my family owning a earth devloping company that upearths hundresd of thousands of kilos of the stuff, some of which is quite good due to it growing around tree roots, creating nice looking tunnels. Leaving the middle of the tank fairly open for some of the larger fish to cruise around in/make spawning nests if they chose. Tropheus keepers may be familiar with similar setups.

I have a rough list of what I want in the tank in my head, but am unsure of a few fish, so I thought i'd pick everyone elses brains to see what they come up with? keep in mind that I am after a tank diminated by malawi cichlids but I don't mind the odd tang-

ps- dont worry I haven't converted back completely I still have alot of my tankbusters and a few in the works...

Alex

[Scienceman]

I set up a smaller 6' Malawi tank over the past few months and while some choices were dictated by what was available, I am very happy with the combination. Any dimorphic species like protomelas are male only while others like electric yellows and maingano which are monomorphic have a small colony.

Labidochromis caeruleus (electric yellow)

Melanochromis cyanerhabdos (maingano)

Cyrtocara moorii (blue dolphin)

Sciaenochromis fryeri (e blue)

Aulonocara sutartgranti (red rubin)

Aulonocara stuartgranti (flame tail peacock))

Aulonocara Saulosi (green face peacock)

Proteomelas taeniolatus (red empress)

Otopharynx lithobates (Zimbawe) (Aristochromis ret top)

Astatotilapia latifasciata (crimson tide)

[Ducksta]

Alex what fish are you thinking of? Would help to build off that!

(How many noobians have you told that yourself in your time??? )

Have you considered trying to replicate a particular location?

Maybe 2-3 species of mbuna that co-exist in one spot and a couple of species of Hap's.

My advice would be limit the number of species, trying to select groups with different behaviours, and have good sized groups of each, watch them behaving as naturally as possible!

OR what about some Emp's???

[Alex]

Thanks for the suggestions. I should also add that althogh I do not intend on pulling any fry out of the tank I would like to keep males and female sof each species, having a decent sized group of each species.

[Alex]

Wow, said almost the same thing at the same time (check the time on the posts). I actually do not want to add my own opinion in just yet as it may sway other posters on what they really think and want to suggest. Their is usually a method behind my madness, if their isn't ive just had too much to drink .

[Ducksta]

You just want to be like me don't you Alex

What do you think of the single location idea? I am not sure if it would work but it would be fun trying IMO.

[Alex]

Something I may look into, bit too much effort for me at the moment though .

Will see the suggestions people come up with, but it looks like that tank will also have to house my 15 or so C afra 'cobwe' so that may limit my selections a little, not being able to put in any big bruisers like Buccochromis spp.

[Gav]

alex,

the setup sounds great, sand would be my suggestion. the limestone will buff your water all you need it to.

with the rocks there you really cut open water swimmers down to maybe one or two. you could go all mbuna, but then that means one heck of a well populated tank. so i will start with a simple mixed tank

firstly have a group of rostratus. fantastic coloured males, they sand sift so help move the gunk in the tank, and they are a BIG fish.

next I would have a group of venustus. males and females both look great, they get fantastic size and are awesome in a large group.

yellows, cant go past em. best colour in a fish as we all know. get a good size in a tank that big.

maingano. nice dark fish and the blue looks great. can get a great size also.

sulphur crested lithobates. as good as blues can look, litohbates always look better when big. with a great yellow blaze these guys are awesome.

ps kingsizei. nice blue fish, can handle itself and LOVES to dig in sand. looks great the way they move it around as well.

this will give u a range of sizes and colour, and each will live in a seperate part of the tank. didnt want too many species, as then it just means you have to cut numbers. you could easily do 10 of each species if you have 6 species.

[Ducksta]

Good list Gav, hybridisation would be a mininal risk with that combo (thats always a plus in my opinion, even if you dont intend to catch fry, when your overrun with them, you know what they are at least)

[Alex]

Thanks for the list. Rostratus were one of few fish that I would really like to see swimming around the tank, but they get quite large and they may cause some problems if I chose to add something like 'cobwe' or demasoni.

[Gav]

i disagree on that alex. yeah that get massive, but they suck as a predator. i think demasoni, cobwe or the like will be quick enough to stay alive. i also think the fact they are full of wee wEE and vinegar will be nough to keep the rostratus at bay as well.

[benno]

Ive seen a display tank at a shop here in Adelaide with a 20-25cm rostratus living happily with 5-8cm electric yellows, baby fronnies small severums and a fair bit of other stuff and he appears fine with them all, So i dont think you will need to worry too much, just make sure there are some good hiding places and i rekon u will be fine, But ive never kept Africans before so dont belive 100% what i say im just tryin to help ya out lol. Benno

[Alex]

I may give the rostratus a go then. I haveoly kept them for brief periods of time in the past, the one thing i did find out was that they are extremely hardto catch with a net.

[Eddie Salita]

I dont know what you are thinking, so I'll take a different approach; Maybe too hard to get or too expensive but Exochochromis anagenys, would be right at home in such a tank I think. These guys would eat most mbuna though, and I dont think they would be great with more agressive haps perhaps .

You metioned tangs, some mix trofius with mbuna. I wouldnt, but its food for thought.

Cheers,

Jason

[Alex]

I have decided to put my 'cobwe' in my 8x2 as it will limit the fish I can have in my 8x3 (size wise), as I am lenaing towards a large 'hap' style tank.

Kind of developed a bit of a short list -

Champsochromis caeruleus

Tyrannochromis fuscotaeniatus

Crytocara moorii

Buccochromis rhoadesii

Maylandia greshakei - (obviously an mbuna, but big cheap and hardy enough to mix it with the big boys, hopefully).

Fossorochromis rostratus

[Ducksta]

Melanochromis chipokae would fit the criteria for mbuna that can hang with the big boys. Should be easy enough to get at a good price.

[wetfish]

Gav. You must have read my mind.

If i where to stock a tank of this size, it would have to have all the fish u have mentioned. How do u think Ps. elongatus mpanga would go with that mix ??

I think what ever combo u decide on it will look awesome in a tank that size

Wetfish

[Alex]

10 or so 12" + haps will look great.

[dobbin4]

Like your picks, but will the cobwe be able to go the distance with the big fellows, ????

[Alex]

The 'cobue' are going in a seperate tank.