1. Welcome to Aquarium Space! We are a friendly online community for aquarium owners all over the world who love their tanks including their fish, reefs, corals, invertebrates and their aquatic livestock. If you haven't joined yet, we invite you to register and join our community!

55g Cichlid setup (Advice & Compatibility)

Discussion in 'Cichlids' started by damnsneakyasian, Feb 11, 2009.

  1. damnsneakyasian

    damnsneakyasian Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    50
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Okay i have a 55gallon setup with some bricks and fake driftwood:

    2 male yellow labs
    1 electric blue johanni
    5 red zebras although 3 are albino white.

    my questions are:

    1) Is this a pretty decent set up?
    2) Will the two labs work? the two males
    3) What do you think i add some java moss?
    4) Any more fish that can be added? a pleco?

    When winter is over i plan to add some rocks from the stream that runs through my back yard, i will bowl and clean them before i put them in of course!
     
    damnsneakyasian, Feb 11, 2009
    #1
  2. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

    Messages:
    5,728
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Re: Cichlid advise and ideas

    It should work, depending on the male to female ratio. Your yellow labs will breed with any of the female red zebras given the chance. You will need a lot of hiding spaces with all those red zebras. The java moss will likely just get torn apart if you put it in the tank. Plants and cichlids generally don't mix very well just like a pleco. Sometimes it works, most of the time I've seen that it hasn't and the pleco loses an eye or two then is killed. I also wouldn't try to add any other fish to the tank.
     
    Anthony, Feb 11, 2009
    #2
  3. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    Top Poster Of Month

    Re: Cichlid advise and ideas

    agree with anthony, you could look into some of the smaller synodontis catfish species, but they usually thrive in groups.
     
    Anonymous, Feb 11, 2009
    #3
  4. damnsneakyasian

    damnsneakyasian Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    50
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Re: Cichlid advise and ideas

    the labs will interbreed with the zebras?! hmm that should be interesting because im sure all the zebras are females, they have 3 or less egg spots!
    And the johanni might not be a johanni it might be the other species that looks like it, im away at school right not but ill try to get some photos to help clear it up.

    i heard that java moss gross really fast, i was thinking about letting it grow wild in another tank and slowly get it established in the cichlid tank, so the cichlids would get some fresh greens to nibble on, good or bad idea?

    i also want to add a bottom feeder to help clean the bottom and help control the brown algae that is growing on the sides. suggestions?

    thanks!
     
    damnsneakyasian, Feb 11, 2009
    #4
  5. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

    Messages:
    5,728
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Re: Cichlid advise and ideas

    You cannot judge sex by egg spots.

    How long has the tank been running ?
     
    Anthony, Feb 11, 2009
    #5
  6. damnsneakyasian

    damnsneakyasian Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    50
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Re: Cichlid advise and ideas

    i thought that was a general indicator for zebras?! this one site said it was, but i know that venting is the best way.

    its been running for about 3 months now.
     
    damnsneakyasian, Feb 11, 2009
    #6
  7. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

    Messages:
    5,728
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Re: Cichlid advise and ideas

    No, both males and females can have egg spots. The brown algae will go away soon, your tank is still new. Just be sure not to overfeed and keep doing weekly/bi weekly water changes.
     
    Anthony, Feb 11, 2009
    #7
  8. damnsneakyasian

    damnsneakyasian Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    50
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Re: Cichlid advise and ideas

    oh yeah i know that both males and females have egg spots! i just remembered from the site that the more spots usually indicate a male.

    what do you think about the java moss idea?
     
    damnsneakyasian, Feb 11, 2009
    #8
  9. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

    Messages:
    5,728
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Re: Cichlid advise and ideas

    I doubt they'd actually eat it and would just make a mess of it in the tank.
     
    Anthony, Feb 11, 2009
    #9
  10. damnsneakyasian

    damnsneakyasian Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    50
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Re: Cichlid advise and ideas

    thanks for the advice! ill update asap!
     
    damnsneakyasian, Feb 11, 2009
    #10
  11. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

    Messages:
    5,728
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Re: Cichlid advise and ideas

    Okay. :D
     
    Anthony, Feb 11, 2009
    #11
  12. damnsneakyasian

    damnsneakyasian Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    50
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Re: Cichlid advise and ideas

    oh one more thing! how many lbs of substrate and stone material can i fit in a 55 gallon tank? i have about 50 lbs of gravel and ornamental drift wood.

    all tanks have tempered glass but what is the breaking point?
     
    damnsneakyasian, Feb 11, 2009
    #12
  13. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

    Messages:
    5,728
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Re: Cichlid advise and ideas

    Generally you can completely fill a tank with rock and not have any problems. When I had my saltwater tank (30 gallons) I had 60lbs of rock, and 30 pounds of sand/gravel.
     
    Anthony, Feb 11, 2009
    #13
  14. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    Top Poster Of Month

    Re: Cichlid advise and ideas

    I just wouldnt suggest placing the large rock directly on the glass bottom
     
    Anonymous, Feb 11, 2009
    #14
  15. damnsneakyasian

    damnsneakyasian Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    50
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Re: Cichlid advise and ideas

    oh yeah, i plan on adding another 25 lbs of gravel before anything big goes in.
     
    damnsneakyasian, Feb 11, 2009
    #15
  16. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

    Messages:
    5,728
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Re: Cichlid advise and ideas

    Good point. I've seen people use that light diffuser (1" cube) stuff on the bottom of the tanks when placing a lot of rock in there. Setting them on sand/gravel is usually fine though.
     
    Anthony, Feb 11, 2009
    #16
  17. Anonymous

    Anonymous Guest

    Top Poster Of Month

    Re: Cichlid advise and ideas


    Agreed!
     
    Anonymous, Feb 11, 2009
    #17
  18. MIKEJ0226

    MIKEJ0226 New Member

    Messages:
    29
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Re: Cichlid advise and ideas

    Chinese algae eaters are good fish to keep with cichlids. They are fast enough to avoid the nibbling that goes on. I have them all of cichlid tanks. Just make sure you get some big enough so the cichlids don't eat them.
     
    MIKEJ0226, Feb 13, 2009
    #18
  19. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

    Messages:
    5,728
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Re: Cichlid advise and ideas

    I kept Chinese Algae Eaters with my cichlids. They're aggressive enough to hold their own.
     
    Anthony, Feb 13, 2009
    #19
  20. damnsneakyasian

    damnsneakyasian Thread Starter New Member

    Messages:
    50
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Re: Cichlid advise and ideas

    yeah i was thinking about going that route! my cichlids arent very big right now. 2''-2.5'' if that!
     
    damnsneakyasian, Feb 18, 2009
    #20