Just bought some African chilid

[azn4311]

> 1.
> Item Name: Cobalt Blue Zebra, about 1.5 inches
> Item Number: 2151
>
> Quantity: 3
>
> Total: $23.70 USD
>
>
>
> 2.
> Item Name: Red Zebra, 1.5 to 2 inches
> Item Number: 2157
>
> Quantity: 3
>
> Total: $17.70 USD
>
>
>
> 3.
> Item Name: O.B. Zebra, about 2 inches long
> Item Number: 2173
>
> Quantity: 2
>
> Total: $11.80 USD
>
>
>
> 4.
> Item Name: Kenyi, 1.5 to 2 inches
> Item Number: 2174
>
> Quantity: 2
>
> Total: $11.80 USD
>
>
>
> 5.
> Item Name: Lemon Yellow, 1.5 to 2 inches
> Item Number: 2196
>
> Quantity: 2
>
> Total: $13.80 USD
>
>
>
> 6.
> Item Name: Sunshine Peacock Cichlid, 2 to 2.5 inches
> Item Number: 2385
>
> Quantity: 1
>
> Total: $18.65 USD
>
>
>
> 7.
> Item Name: Potted Rosaefolia Plant.
> Item Number: 8157
>
> Quantity: 1
>
> Total: $6.50 USD
>
>
>
> 8.
> Item Name: Diamond Jewel Cichlid, about 2 inches
> Item Number: 3080
>
> Quantity: 2
>
> Total: $10.50 USD
>
>
>
> 9.
> Item Name: Snow White Zebra, 1.5 to 2 inches
> Item Number: 2165
>
> Quantity: 2
>
> Total: $11.80 USD

Are these too many fish in a 50 gallon tank? right now theyir just swimmig around not fighting or anything. So their not really aggresive. But i have one odd fish thats in the top corner looking up verticaly What is he doing?

[Bettachris]

did u do any research?

do you know anything about africans?

sounds like the water isn't right, what is the ph value.


certainly you got robbed, as you did spend more money on these fish than i would guess.




but anyway, your stocking have some flaws in it. you really need to tell us more about the water qualtiy, ph, set-up.

i believe they need more in a group for africans, however u are right a larger tank is needed for when they grow up.

but it is very important to tell you provide more info. and history

[cstrohmeyer]

I agree with BC about posting your water conditions. I recommend a ph of 7.8-8.6 for most African Cichlids (African cichlids from Lake Tanganyika prefer 9.0)
A high carbonate hardness is good for African cichlids too. "Wonder Shells" provide many minerals and electrolytes needed by African cichlids. http://americanaquariumproducts.com/MedicatedWonderShell.html
I also recommend ALOT of rocks and caves for the fish to hide in and nest.
I have kept that many Africans in similar sized aquariums with good results, provided there are alot of rocks.

Carl
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/

[azn4311]

Yeh my Ph is defintly more then 7.6 tahts as high as my ph test goes. and no I havent done any research on these fish. I thought it be koo to have some fresh water fish b/c I dont wanna deal with salt water. My fish tank is prety empty. I got grounded corals or whatever they like to dig, got one cave, one rock, n two plants, but their all swimming around freely not really attacking each other or anything. just scared that they might get alot bigger. Any suggesting on what I should do. First time taking care of fish.

[Bettachris]

certainly odd to work with african cichlids as your first fish, so advise(if it doesn't work out, dont feel bad, africans aren't the best choise for first timers.)

anyway, you need to get a better test kit, as african cichlids need water with a high ph value, and anywhere in the 7 range is low of them. 8.0-8.5 is the best ph range.

you will need that crushed coral that you have, but i would consider getting some more rock structure and flower pots.

did u cycle the tank? i am guessing that you didn't. which is a problem as your ranges of nitrites and nitrates will be flying all over the place, and generally you dont want to cycle with africans. so i would try to keep the tank as stable as possible for right now, 1 water change a week, and no more fishes until your numbers level out.h

[azn4311]

Also my grounded corals at the bottom of the tank are turning blue n brown....is that because of the blue rock or is that fungus?

[cstrohmeyer]

I would also recommend more rocks and cave decor. An ammonia test kit also is a must. A Nitrite test kit is also useful (as well as the already recommended ph test kit). KH is also important, but coral substrate will probably take care of that. For feeding; spirulina flake food is highly digestable, high in natural pigment enhancers, contains nutrients African Cichlids especially need, and produces less fish waste because it's digestablity. Coral substrate absorbs alot, the blue may be a chemical you added such as Malachite Green. The brown is probably algae. Stronger lighting with a strong spike in the 420 NM range would help there (and is good for African Cichlids too).

Carl
Aquarium Maintenance and Design since 1978
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/

[azn4311]

How can you tell which one is male and female.....I heard dont keep morethen 2 male in the tank?

[cstrohmeyer]

I depends on the cichlid. Most Lake Malawi African Cichlids are similar as juveniles, but change he change as they mature. The Melanochromis Auratus is a brite yellow and black, but the males turn dark as they mature. As Bettachris pointed out in another post, breeding has narrowed the lines between male and female fish in many species.

Carl
Aquarium Maintenance and Design since 1978
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/

[azn4311]

I did my first water change ever, I run a 100 gallon filter throught a 50 gallon tank. Does that mean I dont have to change my water that often. This my first time changing my water in 3 months. All my fish live nice and healthy. My PH is over 8. and tahts all I know. Also is their any fish that eats all the chilid poo poo or whatever? cuz I keep on cleaning that with jsut a net.

Also after the change my fish seems really active. They swim to the top of the tank is their something wrong. I haven't never seen majority of my fish swim to the top of the tank unless its for food. So whats could be the problem?

[cstrohmeyer]

How are you changing water? I recommend a gravel vacuum. Make sure the water is the same temperature and ph going in. I also recommend salt with Africans (1 tablespoon per 5 gallons). What is your filter? You should not have to net out the fish "poo". I also recommend water change every 2-4 weeks regardless of filter, so as to remove organic and inorganic contaminants. I posted a blog about water changes on another thread, here it is: http://aquariumwater.blogspot.com/

Carl
Aquarium Maintenance and Design since 1978
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/

[azn4311]

Would regular table salt work or is their special salt u buy.

[Bettachris]

dont use reg table salt for fish tanks.


-first off, there is no fish that eats poo, some will say a garbage fish or pleco, but that is 100 % false, and a common plecos gets well over 2 feet in length, so i wouldn't get one.

-Just because a filter can handle more gallons than your tank doesn't mean weekly water changes shouldn't be done, really all the gallons on a filter means how powerful it is and how much water it can go though in an hour.

Weekly water changes are a must, and it is a responsiblity that any fishkeeper makes when they buy fish.

- test kits, since you started out with more difficult fish it is 10 X more important that you buy a test kit. with african cichlids ph, nitrates, nitrite, hardness factors are important because they aren't fishes to be mis handled with.

-salt, doc welfish makes an aquarium salt that is important.

[azn4311]

My two fish are being attack by all them other fish. These are the two orange chilid. Is their anything I can do to stop this behaviour. I put all the fish in at the same time. All of them are growing alot bigger except these two orange fish. So they're getting picked on now. They been in my tank for a good year now.

[BRIZZY]

Some cichlids don't get as big as others! Also cichlids are very agressive and i can't believe you just went and bought some with out doing some research! I would suggest you get on the web or go to the book store and get a bunch of stuff and READ it they, are not that easy to care for at all, and they will fight if saome are smaller they will chase each othr around and it will just end in death. Also You will need more then a 55 in a few months, they grow and grow quick and get VERY big! Yes i also agree that you got robbed that is outrageous for a kenyi i had one and got it for 99c at petsmart along with my 2 aceis they were also 99c not saying they are always that price but mostly around 5-9 dolloars at most. Now i did pay 20.00 for my frontosa but they can go for 300.00 full size! So i am happy with 20 and he is gorgeous!!

[BRIZZY]

Keep asking all the questions you can i would suggest going here and chris and carl will help more.....
http://fishroom.rapidboards.com/

Good luck!