75ish Gallon 4 footer

Q&A About Lake Tanganyika Cichlids

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LexAgate
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Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2015 3:07 am

75ish Gallon 4 footer

Post by LexAgate »

Hey there Pam, I'm Lex, I'm 14 years old but not new to cichlids.

I have just gotten a 4ft x 20in x 17 (average) about 75 gallons.

Now yes you can judge harshly seeing as I'm young, but keep in mind I have been keeping cichlids for about 4 years (or so) and right now I'm breeding some Aulonocara Stuartgranti 'Ngara' Flametsils from Germany.

Now malawi's are amazing fish but I'm starting to get a bit bored so I was looking at some tanganyikan cichlids because the shapes, colours and behaviours are so much more unique.

I have just saved up and purchased my 4 foot tank and have also purchased two canister filters which turn the tank over 9 times per hour.

This 9 times per hour is to keep the water as clean as possible while being able to stock my tank fairly well.

I will be getting some Cyprichromis leptosoma 'Livua' Jumbo, I have been reading up on cyp's and found that they don't eat their own fry, the problem here is I don't know what to stock with them. I was looking at cyathopharynx and Enantiopus melanogeny but they will all prey on the fry. Looking for fish that won't eat fry is harder than looking for a grain of sand in a hay stack (near impossible) but you are Pam Chin and I think you are the one to work this out.

Yours sincerely Lex.
Pam Chin
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Re: 75ish Gallon 4 footer

Post by Pam Chin »

Hi Lex!

Well that is a problem for sure. Because not just Tanganyikans but any fish given the opportunity will eat another fish. Especially small fry.

What is your priority? To breed the Cyps? Then you are crazy to add any other fish. If its not your priority then there are many different choices, but none that wouldn't eat small fry. That really is an issue with most any Tanganyikan community tank it is very hard to get any viable fry unless you can steal the pot the eggs are laid in or strip the mouthbrooders.

As far as cyps go I really think that a 75 gal tank is perfect for a group 12 -18 fish, you don't need any other fish. You have to have a big tank to work with these darn sardines! With some of substrate spawners you can start them out in a community tank and when they pair off, then you can move to smaller quarters. I do Julies and a lot of different lamps in 20 gal tanks. But with the Cyps they need the room, they have a large virtual territory, and they can be aggressive towards each other and to tank mates.

Well decisions decisions.....

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Pam
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