My New Fish Tank Is Finally Set Up(Pics)

[U.S. Patriot]

Water conditioner is important, but where do you think the ammonia and nitrites are going without bacteria?

Good luck and I hope all your fish survive, but that seems risky.



BTW, how many fish do you have now?

I have 7. I have always used that process when replacing all the water. I have never had a fish die on me. So, I stick with what works.

 

[woundedyak]

Can I get a 1920x1080 or higher resolution copy of this? Wicked tank!!

PM inbound. It does make a nice background
Edit: I need to send it to you from my home cornputer

 

[woundedyak]

I can't control myself!

I bought two yellow labs yesterday and now all I can think is "dang, I need 3-4 more to really liven up the tank."

I only bought two because I wanted to see how the other fish reacted to them, but as far as the school of peacocks goes, you can only tell them apart because of their appearance...They just follow them around the tank like they are apart of the school.

My nice camera is in Gatlinburg, TN until tomorrow night...There's a good chance I'll have 5-6 yellow labs by the time I have a chance to take some pictures.

I know the excitement of getting a new tank, but be careful with mixing different species. The terror,peacocks,and labs will get along at first. If one finds a female to shack up with, You might find yourself with a super "stressed" tank. Plus, all three require different diets.

Speaking of new fish:
Here are some F1 I picked up a few months ago that are done coloring up!

tyrannochromis maculiceps

nimbochromis livingston

nimbochromis fuscotaenia

 

[Benny]

I know the excitement of getting a new tank, but be careful with mixing different species. The terror,peacocks,and labs will get along at first. If one finds a female to shack up with, You might find yourself with a super "stressed" tank. Plus, all three require different diets.

Speaking of new fish:
Here are some F1 I picked up a few months ago that are done coloring up!

I was told by the pet store owner that the terror would be fine, but I've read differently since then...But I've also read that sometimes they are fine, so hopefully I have one that doesn't get too aggressive...(S)He's one of the prettiest freshwater fish I've seen.

Everyone says that yellow labs and peacocks will be fine together, so all I have to worry about is Mr. Banner(Green Terror). I'll be watching closely and I'll yank him if he gets aggressive.

Do you know what other species work well with peacocks and labs? I'm either going to stick with just peacocks and labs with one terror, but if he gets mean I wouldn't mind going with a third small school to replace the terror.

I give them 3 different types of food at feeding time...Is there food you recommend?

 

[woundedyak]

I'm feeding mine omega one super color flake,New Life Spectrum(pellets) About once a week I will give the mbuna's a leaf of Romain lettuce or zucchini (boiled so it sinks) or Sushi seaweed wraps.

 

[tyler34]

I'm feeding mine omega one super color flake,New Life Spectrum(pellets) About once a week I will give the mbuna's a leaf of Romain lettuce or zucchini (boiled so it sinks) or Sushi seaweed wraps.

+1 on omega flakes! I'm also fond of hikari brand products.

 

[Benny]

I'm feeding mine omega one super color flake,New Life Spectrum(pellets) About once a week I will give the mbuna's a leaf of Romain lettuce or zucchini (boiled so it sinks) or Sushi seaweed wraps.

+1 on omega flakes! I'm also fond of hikari brand products.

Omega One Cichlid flakes is the majority of their diet. I also try to give them Hikari Cichlid Gold(floating pellets), but they will barely eat them and I end up netting most of them out.

 

[woundedyak]

Omega One Cichlid flakes is the majority of their diet. I also try to give them Hikari Cichlid Gold(floating pellets), but they will barely eat them and I end up netting most of them out.

In my experience, they seem to shy away from floating pellets. I think it's because they are not top water feeders? Plus, floating pellets have a tendency to expand more in the fishes stomach which can cause bloat. How many times a day are you feeding your fish and how much?

 

[Benny]

In my experience, they seem to shy away from floating pellets. I think it's because they are not top water feeders? Plus, floating pellets have a tendency to expand more in the fishes stomach which can cause bloat. How many times a day are you feeding your fish and how much?

They aren't top water feeders, but I don't have a single fish in the tank(pleco excluded) that doesn't rush to the top as soon they see me.

I feed them as much they can eat in 1-2 minutes twice a day.

 

[RichardR]

Try some cucumber slices, mine loved them, water melon chunks were also greatly appreciated treat, however water melon makes one heck of a mess in the tank so I generally only gave it to them the day before the scheduled maintenance/cleaning of their tank.

Also spirulina algae wafers, broken into small pieces (so they don't fight over them) & pre-soaked (to help prevent bloat) were another favorite in my Mbuna tank, I'd also recommend pre-soaking any pellet food prior to putting it in the tank.

 

[Benny]

I have 7. I have always used that process when replacing all the water. I have never had a fish die on me. So, I stick with what works.

That's crazy...You obviously have better luck than me.

I killed the 1 and only fish that actually survived my bad fish care when I was younger by putting him in a new tank w/o cycling. He was a large gold fish that I had for about 2 years...

I'm actually still ticked off I killed him like that.

Try some cucumber slices, mine loved them, water melon chunks were also greatly appreciated treat, however water melon makes one heck of a mess in the tank so I generally only gave it to them the day before the scheduled maintenance/cleaning of their tank.

Also spirulina algae wafers, broken into small pieces (so they don't fight over them) & pre-soaked (to help prevent bloat) were another favorite in my Mbuna tank, I'd also recommend pre-soaking any pellet food prior to putting it in the tank.

Hmm, interesting. I've never fed my fish anything but fish food, but I'll try that sometime.

My fish love algae wafers...I actually have trouble feeding my pleco, because there isn't enough algae in my tank yet and when I drop the wafers in, my peacocks usually eat them before my bristlenose can get a hold of one.

 

[RichardR]

I actually have trouble feeding my pleco, because there isn't enough algae in my tank yet and when I drop the wafers in, my peacocks usually eat them before my bristlenose can get a hold of one.

Pleco's also love cucumber slices & water melon.

 

[Benny]

Pleco's also love cucumber slices & water melon.

Is that as nutritious for them as algae or is it sort of like a snack?

 

[woundedyak]

My fish love algae wafers...I actually have trouble feeding my pleco, because there isn't enough algae in my tank yet and when I drop the wafers in, my peacocks usually eat them before my bristlenose can get a hold of one.

Feed him at night once the light is off. As pelco's become older they usually turn nocturnal

Sushi wraps (seaweed)
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOdRVhOReyc[/ame]

zucchini
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmYT_Vif9Cc[/ame]

 

[beararms1776]

Nice set up Joe. So when do you add the Sea Monkeys?

 

[RichardR]

Is that as nutritious for them as algae or is it sort of like a snack?

I would imagine that the fish would get the same vitamins & minerals that we get from eating the same cucumber & watermelon.

 

[Benny]

Well, things aren't kosher in my smaller tank anymore and my biggest mbuna is finally starting to get territorial...He's been chasing the 2 smaller mbunas around, so I decided to yank my favorite fish out and put him in the new tank.

I've heard mixed things on the cichlid forum; some say he could be fine in the tank and some say he could get aggressive...Only time will tell, but I wasn't going to let him get eaten alive.

This is him(/her)...He really adds a lot of color/character to the new tank, so I really hope he can live peacefully in there.

 

[RichardR]

Well, things aren't kosher in my smaller tank anymore and my biggest mbuna is finally starting to get territorial...He's been chasing the 2 smaller mbunas around, so I decided to yank my favorite fish out and put him in the new tank.

I've heard mixed things on the cichlid forum; some say he could be fine in the tank and some say he could get aggressive...Only time will tell, but I wasn't going to let him get eaten alive.

This is him(/her)...He really adds a lot of color/character to the new tank, so I really hope he can live peacefully in there.

That's a good looking Kenyi it looks pretty young though & it's hard to tell for certain from the photo but that might be a juvenile male getting ready to change from it's baby (blue) to it's adult (yellow) coloring, but it could be just a "stressed" female.

 

[Benny]

That's a good looking Kenyi it looks pretty young though & it's hard to tell for certain from the photo but that might be a juvenile male getting ready to change from it's baby (blue) to it's adult (yellow) coloring, but it could be just a "stressed" female.

What color are females?

It's probably just the lighting, but that fish wasn't stressed at the time I took the picture. He/she doesn't have any brown or yellow in it.

I've had that one for almost 6 months...He was about half that size when I got him(if that helps at all on determining the sex).



Edit: The scientific name is Pseudotropheus socolofi...So I don't believe that's a "kenyi."

 

[RichardR]

Joe,

All Kenyi's are blue w/black vertical stripes when they are young, the females will retain that same coloration throughout their entire life, however when males hit "puberty" they will start to change from their normal blue coloration to a beautiful golden yellow & their black stripes will fade from black to a very faint slightly darker yellow.