# Cichlid Low Tech



## SearunSimpson (Jun 5, 2007)

Do shellies, shelldwellers.com


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## fusQer (Jan 23, 2006)

i also setup a 75g cichlid tank with limestone/holey rock. i stuck anubias in the holey rock and also planted some vals. i put two of the home depot light strips on there two give me a total of 160 watts over 75 gallons, 10 hour photo period. i had a huge algae breakout in 1.5 days and took out one of the light strips to give me 80 watts. anyways, the vals totally wilted away, i dont know why. i have hard water, use leslie pool supply sand, no co2, no ferts, etc. 

i need some plants too! what should i put in there? here's the tank + details:
http://www.xdeleon.com/hcccBB/viewtopic.php?t=5077


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## belladee (Jun 15, 2007)

well im back to the origional rocks so the cichlids can have hiding places and it raised the PH. I want to order my plants but im just not sure what will go with cichlids. any suggestions. here is what it looks like right now. it is cycling with a pleco that you can not see, ive since stuck 3 java fern in the rocks. I was thinking Nuphar japonica, Cryptocoryne wendtii red, Anubias coffefolia, and valls but someone on another forum said that valls dont do good with cichlids. also is that gravel too big for thoes plants?


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## esarkipato (Jul 19, 2005)

I think you should decide on your fish species before you go planting. Most cichlids will tear up vallis or crypts. Anubias = tough, so is java fern.

That substrate should be fine, but very difficult to plant/grow a ground cover. Maybe dwarf sag.

Did you look into Neolamprologous Brichardi species tank? They are a pretty cool fish. www.cichlid-forum.com


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## belladee (Jun 15, 2007)

Im am having trouble with the fish. my mommy brain cant seem to find the answers. I cant imagine having a tank without plants so they are the most important to me. A tank without plants is just... well you know or you wouldnt be here .

i know i need small cichlids since i just have a regular filter and the tank is only a 30 or 35G. These are the ones i can choose from, that are at the LFS.
Labidochromis yellow, Kribensis, jewel, peacock and firemouth. There are others but they are bigger. I think i am only going to put 4 or 5 fish in there. I dont care which ones really, just whatever will go together and will enjoy the plants. any suggestions?

ill go check out that link thanks


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## ummyeah (Jul 8, 2007)

belladee said:


> Labidochromis yellow, jewel, peacock


Those are too big. I tried having four mbuna cichlids in a 12 gallon including the yellow lab. It worked for a while, but as they grew up they got really messy and aggressive. The yellow lab would always get beat up.


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## Fat Man (Nov 2, 2006)

Have you considered the South American Dwarf Cichlids? Apistos, plants and small tanks are an easy match.


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## esarkipato (Jul 19, 2005)

Apistos and Blue or German Rams seem to be the most popular cichlid species for planted tanks. I had Blue Rams a while back and they were incredibly entertaining and even spawned several times. I have apistos right now and they are also entertaining. The best part about them is that they appreciate the water parameters that are conducive to many, but not all, planted tanks (acidic/neutral pH -- lower hardness).

However, I just re-read that the rock you are using upped your hardness. In that case, I'd probably go with a group of Kribs. I'd get probably 5 juvenilles, then try to thin them out into a male/female pair as they grow up. Hopefully you would enjoy watching them rear some baby kribs someday! (search youtube.com for "kribs" or "kribensis" for some cool video).


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## belladee (Jun 15, 2007)

*kribensis babies*

I just checked out youtube and saw a video of the little krib babies. it was so nice. maybe i will stick with one species, it would be great to see that in my tank. my snails in my other tank just had babies and that was pretty cool.

actually the rocks this time did not raise the PH, i am at 7 and it has been a month. i think there was another problem with the tank before.

there are now a bunch more fish i can choose from. i found another LFS that had a lot.

ice blue zebra
acei
bumblebee
ahli
red zebra
jacobfreibergi

i just dont know. this tank is taking forever to set up


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## puchisapo (Sep 10, 2007)

i have some Archocentrus that i got on AquaBid. they are extremely pretty and will stay small. right now i have them with Anubias and Java fern planted on driftwood and i have had no trouble at all.


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## belladee (Jun 15, 2007)

that is a convict right? i think thoes get too big for my 30g right?


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## foamerdave (Apr 27, 2007)

Well let me start by saying that I am more of a cichlid guy then a plant guy.
You have done a very nice job with the rock work with Mbuna in mind. My first chose of fish for your setup would be Pseudotropheus saulosi @ 1m 4f ratio. They stay small for Mbuna IMO are stunning to look at, and not as hard on plants as most. They and any other African cichlid will hate your substrate, they like a sandy substrate to hunt in and build breading pits in. They are all big diggers. There are a ton of people out there that will tell you that plans and Mbuna cant be done, it CAN be. I myself am just starting into this. This is one of the tanks that was my big inspiration http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/photo-album/11730-planted-125g-african-cichlid-tank-56k.html. Let me know if I can help in any way Dave


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## alohamonte (Jul 25, 2006)

try floating plants.


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## belladee (Jun 15, 2007)

dave i just got compleatly lost in the link, that tank is awesome. i had a feeling that plants would be just fine but i did read on that thread they they ate the valls which i was going to get. 

the fish you mentioned are not on my list of options at my LFS unless that is the longer name.


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## belladee (Jun 15, 2007)

oh and do they *need* sand to bread. i dont want to change it if i dont have to.


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## JustOneMore21 (May 23, 2006)

belladee said:


> I just checked out youtube and saw a video of the little krib babies. it was so nice. maybe i will stick with one species, it would be great to see that in my tank. my snails in my other tank just had babies and that was pretty cool.
> 
> actually the rocks this time did not raise the PH, i am at 7 and it has been a month. i think there was another problem with the tank before.
> 
> ...


None of those fish listed would be good for a 35g IMO. They either get too large or are too aggressive (or both). For most Mbuna, a 75g tank is going to be the best minimum (although 55g will work for some).

If you have any Mbuna, I suggest Yellow Labs. They would still be pushing it size wise (they can get 4.5-5"), but aren't as aggressive. I would just do a species tank and have about 6 of them.

If you decide that isn't the route you want to go, you could still do some Kribs with plants in that tank setup. They'd use the rocks as caves and maybe you could have a pair of them and then a school of something.


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## Tdon1md (Jun 3, 2007)

belladee said:


> dave i just got completely lost in the link, that tank is awesome. i had a feeling that plants would be just fine but i did read on that thread they they ate the valls which i was going to get.
> 
> the fish you mentioned are not on my list of options at my LFS unless that is the longer name.


If you read the whole way through this thread, you'll note that he has to re-plant what gets pulled up DAILY. He says he's grown used to it but his fish dig and dig and dig. Unless this is something you're willing to do (please don't be misled thinking that this won't happen to you or it won't be that bad, he just exaggerated) then I would stay away from any species of Cichlids with a planted tank. Some to a lesser degree then others, but the ALL dig and pull up plants. Perhaps the only exception that I've read about are Rams, but I've never considered them to be a "real" Cichlids, although I realize the are.

HTH and good luck!
________
Violet_Voss cam


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