340L African Cichlids, comments welcome

[catfishblues]

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[Go-Big]

Very nice!

[Donny]

Awesome looking setup but why is the power head upside down ?

[dragon8]

aaaawwwweeeeessssssoooooommmmmmeeeeeee

that compressi is goinng to look awesome when he colours up...

[johan008]

Looking awesome great job

[shihr]

Awesome looking setup but why is the power head upside down ?

probably cos he wants the flow at the bottom of the tank?

dude! it looks so good! i must still come and see it in person! :)

[Linga]

awesome fish really nice.

[dragon8]

question....what is your ph at with that wood in there???

[Zoom]

I must be honest... I have never like Malawi set ups purely because you can't have live plants with them, and the rockery set up always is less appealing to me than a well planted tank... however with this tank you have caught my attention, and it is possibly the best Malawi set up I've seen.

[kathie]

Wicked setup. I'm a fan of malawi setups. Hows some pics of the sump setup?

[dangerousd]

Very nice clean design

[oscar freak]

very nice.one day when MTS sets in with me i'm gonna get me a malawi tank.now i know you get(or i think) the open space then rock and shell dwelling african cichlids.now from what i'v seen these are baie besig fish always up and down,and some also get quite large anyway i'm rambling a bit here medication kicking in and losing train of thought,anyhoo was just wonderin if a set up with more rock(to make up for no plants) than swimming space for the smaller and cave or shell dwelling species would be ok.lovely tank you got there.

[catfishblues]

Hi Donny, I want it to flush the crap that accumalates between the rocks. It grates me when it only comes up during water changes. However it is falling over now and again so probably should change it back. shot

[catfishblues]

You've been saying that for the past month, what's your POA?

[catfishblues]

@ Dragon 8, I've actually got 2 running in the tank and the other 1 has coloured up really nicely since I took this picture. This might be off topic but whiles we're here; the 2 compressi are quite aggressive and I'm thinking of removing the smaller 1. Will that mean the remaining will become even more aggressive if it's alone. I'm thinking they kind of neutralize each other. Ponder....

[catfishblues]

@ dragon 8: Good question, I was told that driftwood will acidify the water over time, but it's kept at 8 since I've started. The crushed coral is the biggest PH factor in there atm, DW hardly makes a difference. There's actually a 25cm common plece, 10cm Raphael talking catfish, and a Green Terror in there as well, so the DW is there for quota purposes!

[Donny]

Ok makes sense, why dont you try an make a submerged spray bar

[catfishblues]

@ Zoom, dude you're making wet. haha. No seriously shot for the comment. I actually started with planted aquariums and totally failed, even under the tutelage of the great Shihr.

[catfishblues]

@ Oscar Freak, I'm not sure if you were asking a question but here goes anyway. They definitely need swimming space so the classical 'dutch style' aquarium is suitable i.e. Large rocks at the back in a row for cave dwellers and smaller rocks at the front for decor. However I've got 2 piles of rocks in middle so: 1. crap doesn't accumalate at the back 2. No terrritories to claim so no territorial behaviour.

My fish are on their own medication, anyone that comes near them makes them think it's feeding time. I spoil them too much...

[catfishblues]

@ Donny, I'm not sure what that is, got any pics?

[dragon8]

i keep a few compressiceps too (they my favourite fish)(see my avatar of my boy) and if the aggression is that high i'd reason its two males...

i would separate them mate and i am pretty sure that once the subdominant male is removed that the dominant one will relax some...nothing to compete for...though it could be a female and because your tank has few other victims she's taking all the aggression...so separating them might give them a chance to let the little one colour or buff up as a female to handle more abuse, so i doubt separating them will cause more aggression

erm..being predators they pick on everyone and in my tank fish twice his size can't take him...and one of your fish looks like a protomelas taeniolatus (red empress) and they should be aggressive to him too as his juvi markings (which are still showing, they take long to colour i find) are very very similar to compressis

looks like you got venustus in there too...i'd rate them as hyper aggressive..

erm in my 350lt i got about 40-50 malawi's...totally overstocked...working on my other tank...point is i've notice way less aggrssion since everyone is in each others face...the compressi didn't change, he just cruises(not really territorial) the tank (playfully) nipping anyone coming too close or not moving away fast enough...he bolts into lightning chase when he spots his females

8 is a super ph

[catfishblues]

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[catfishblues]

@ Dragon 8: I see that, don't you have any bigger pictures? Post me threads of your tank please. Not too sure about the sexes but I asked for a male and a female, how hard is it too breed these babies? Ja I will look at taking the smaller back to the LFS and trade it for ahli's.

OH is that what it is? I always thought it was a fenetratus, it does make sense becuase mines don't look like anything to the Fenetratus in the shops. I was actually going to give them back as well but Thanks, maybe I'll keep them now.

Don't think it's a vemustus, I have 3 Milomo's in there that are pretty similiar. Your aggression theory makes sense, i guess that's the scientific backing to buy more fish booyah!

I'd appreciate anymore advice you have on compressiceps, shot

[dragon8]

i got a bigger pic on a thread i started called...malawi cichlid lover (don't know how to make that link thingy)

i got two milomo's two...yours look stunning

watch out for more than one male ahli, they tend to be very aggressive too and will hurt aulonocaras (probable)

you must be doing a good job cos your guy looks super...will post a new thread soon of all my fish...**promise**...looked at yours a few times already though

[catfishblues]

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[Left Insert, Right cabinet]

(Water in): Black Bioballs

Alpha grog + Ceramic rings

(water out): Pump

[Right Insert, Left cabinet]

5 Billion plugs

[catfishblues]

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Dimensions: Length 150cm X Width 45cm X Water level height 50cm

Filtration: Sump Length 60cm X Width 37cm X Water level height 37cm

Lighting: T5 X 2 (white and blue)

Substrate and decor: Coarse crushed coral + White Pebbles + Driftwood X 2

Permanent Occupants:

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Dimidiochromis compressiceps X 2

Nimbochromis livingstonii X 3

Labidochromis caeruleus (Yellow Labs) X 4

Aulonocara Rubescens (Ruby Red Peacock) X 4

Placidochromis milimo X 3

Protomelas taeniolatus (Fenestratus) X 2

Sciaenochromis fryeri (Ahli) X 4

Metriaclima estherae (Zebra Red) X 4

copadichromis borleyi (Trimaculatus) X 1

Synodontis ocellifer/eupterus (Spotted Synodontis) X 1

When I get UV lights I'll try take pictures of the Synodontis, I'm unsure what the exact name is. He's about 15cm long.

[catfishblues]

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Hypotomus plecotomus (Common Pleco) X 1: 25cm

Platydoras costatus (Raphael talking catfish) X 1: 9cm

Otto X 1: 8cm

Aequidens rivulatus (Green Terror) X 1

So i know it's frowned upon to mix old world and new world cichilds and the subsequent catfishes but I just don't have enought tanks!. You got to give me credit for full disclosure purposes. If and when I get a tank that's bigger than 300L I'll start a S.American biotype. For the time being this is where these clowns will stay.

Thanks for watching!

[shihr]

i really got to come see this tank.. really cool man!

[boebie]

Luv the pics! Your tank looks great!

[Jenn]

:fisheye: I want one just like that!

[catfishblues]

As discussed pictures of the Synodontis,

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[Jenn]

Looks like Synodonis eupterus - aka featherfin

There's some info here:
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_feather.php

[catfishblues]

Ja, that's the closest I can get to. I just can't be 100% since the dorsal fin is very feathery... shot again

[bmwkp]

lovely stuff man!!!

[catfishblues]

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[SalmonAfrica]

Wow! Your fish are coming along fantastically! Especially that Compressiceps there, it's a real stunner! Well done! :)

[catfishblues]

Since Feb the tank has changed somewhat, moved and added some rocks to create some caves and shelters. A couple casualties and additions, but the top dogs are still around.

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[catfishblues]

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[f-fish]

very cool - love the colours ...

[shihr]

sho dude.. very cool man!