55 Gallon/ 220 litre malawi Report

I purchased a second hand tank in the beginning of the year. The tank included cabinet under, gravel, background, rocks, ph test kit, few live plants, filter material, pump rated at 1500 litre/hour, thermometer, air pump, pipes and pipe accessories. The total cost was R1500.00

The tank has a top loaded plug and play filter (I know this is not favoured by many fish keepers). It has rounded glass in the front similar to a Jebo. A cabinet under where all accessories can be stored.

A set up the tank in January 2011 and by mid February introduced my Fish in. It has been seven months.

Problems encountered
1) Two weeks after the set up, Hundreds of snails. After the introduction of Malawis snail population dissapeared.
2) In March noticed couple of the fish Flashing. I suspected Ick, I Raised the temperature over two 7 day periods. Amazingly Fish stoped Flashing.

Fish spieces (Currently alive)
3 x Labidochromis Caerelius (Electric Yellow) (introduced Feb)
1 x Pseudotropheus Acei yellow tail (introduced Feb)
1 x Ahli (introduced Feb)
1 x Venustus (introduced in April)
1 x Red Zebra (inroduced in April)
1 x Compresiceps (introduced in April)
1 x Flame Back (Introduced in June)
1 x Metriaclima greshakei Ice Blue (Introduced in July)
1 x Unknown (Introduced in July)

Deaths
1 x Pseudotropheus Acei yellow tail (introduced Feb)
1 x common pleco (inroduced in April)

Plants
As far as I read malawis and certain plants dont get together. In july i put in 2 x Amazon swords (still in pots, advice please?? should I plant them) and 1 x Java fern planted.

ADVICE NEEDED
1) Should I plant my amazon swords?
2) Should I introduce Co2?

 

I can't comment on the plants but the tank looks good, nice stock you have there.

 

I like it.

Are you sure those are amazons? The java fern should not be planted only attached to something

 

Hi thanks 4 the replies.
@Vis thanks. I agree with you on the amazons. However the pet store had it marked as amazons. When i started researching amazon swords i realised the pictures on the internet difered from mine. By the way pet shop i buy from has the best stock of african cichlids. They dont have one tank saying mixed malawi. They have several tanks and each tank has a diferent spiecy

 

They might not know

Thats nice

 

Malawi and plants usually not a gr8 idea. They demolish plants, I know. Plants will not do any harm to them, but they might to the plants. Java, not the best idea with a Malawi setup, they lower the PH in your tank and with Malawi, you want a higher PH.

 

I'm not sure where you got this info from. According to most, Java fern and and Vallis work perfectly with Malawis and wont affect the PH at all.
Nice setup dude.

 

The only way in which a plant could lower the pH of the water is if the plant were to die - the rotting leaves results in acidification of the water, that is, if they aren't removed first. The same thing happens when there is leftover food in the tank or when a fish poops.

With a good buffering agent in the tank or filter, such as sea shells, these things shouldn't have too much effect on the water anyways.

 

The plant on the left is anubias lanceolate - great choice for a Malawi setup... Its tough and aparently produces an alkaloid that is distastefull to fish...also look for A.nana,congolensis,barteri...they all work to some degree in a Malawi setup... Also try Bolbitis heudelotti and Vallis works a charm if you get it established before the fish pull it out - makes a nice backdrop to a Malawi aquarium...

 

What I suggest you do is check on the water parameters. PH, KH & GH. In order to maintain a high PH you will need to get the oter two up quite a bit. Add in some coral chip or sand if you can get it. For some immediate relief use Bicarb of soda. a good heaped handful on your tank size.
I also suggest you rather look to building two seprate piles of rock so you don't allow a single male to dominate the single pile you now have. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the overhead filtration of your tank. If you can find a HAILEA HL-BT 100 internal filter I suggest you add it to your tank and then add about another 20-25 fish. Overstocking keeps the aggression down. Do you know if your Malawi's are F1 or not? Does your shop have the scientific names on display?

 

@ boebie I agree. The research I done on the net alot of the people recommend Java Fern, becuse of texture and taste. The Java fern is now in for over a week and fully in tact.

@ azurekoi thanks alot. Yes the leaves are tough and sort of rubbery.

@ scotty My Ph is fine. last I cheked its 7.5. I will check out the HAILEA HL-BT 100 internal filter.
My malawis are not F1 as far as I know.
The names they have on display are the last names or part names of the scientific. eg. Sciaenochromis ahli (on the tank listed Ahli), Labidochromis caeruleus (on the tank listed as caeruleus). I just google it and find full name.

 

If PH is 7,5 it is not fine. Needs to be 8,2 to 8,4! Leave out a pleco from Malawi tank as they eat the staple food, algae, of loads of them. Plants don't really do well as they are continuously dug up! Seem to have some success with Vallis I have planted at back glass. Noe there is breeding activity they are slowly starting to mess with it.