- Messages
- 15
- Location
- Santa Barbara, CA
Hello all, I'm a very recent convert to dwarf cichlids, yet I'm experiencing a slight problem : My LFS doesn't have any.
While I was originally going to try to set up an amazonian type tank, I have since discovered that the water here is as hard as a rock, and now I'm intrigued by the african dwarfs, particularly the dwarf pseudotropheus and the shell dwellers.
A couple of questions, but first a (very) brief description fo my setup -- i have what was sold to me as an "80 gallon show tank" which is actually only 75 gallons, about 60" long, 11" deep, and 24" tall (on the inside). I'd like to use sand as a substrate, pile an enormous pile of rocks to make caves in one back corner, and perhaps plant the other corner heavily. At the moment I've only got a little AquaClear 300 (300gph power filter, no biowheel), but I plan to add more filtration with either something like an Emperor 400 (400gph power filter with biowheel) or a cannister filter.
Can african dwarf cichlids live peacefully with other schooling fish? I have a very tall tank and would like to put several schools of small fish to swim in the middle and upper tank.
What kind of dwarves would you suggest I start with? Will my tank be suitable for several different types of cichlids? I'm hoping I can have several different kinds of dwarf cichlids setting up their little territories in the 5' long tank, but I really don't know which ones would be good choices.
Also, where do I find these fish? I would really like to get some shell-dwellers if they are not terribly difficult to raise or terribly aggressive towards my other fish.
thanks!
While I was originally going to try to set up an amazonian type tank, I have since discovered that the water here is as hard as a rock, and now I'm intrigued by the african dwarfs, particularly the dwarf pseudotropheus and the shell dwellers.
A couple of questions, but first a (very) brief description fo my setup -- i have what was sold to me as an "80 gallon show tank" which is actually only 75 gallons, about 60" long, 11" deep, and 24" tall (on the inside). I'd like to use sand as a substrate, pile an enormous pile of rocks to make caves in one back corner, and perhaps plant the other corner heavily. At the moment I've only got a little AquaClear 300 (300gph power filter, no biowheel), but I plan to add more filtration with either something like an Emperor 400 (400gph power filter with biowheel) or a cannister filter.
Can african dwarf cichlids live peacefully with other schooling fish? I have a very tall tank and would like to put several schools of small fish to swim in the middle and upper tank.
What kind of dwarves would you suggest I start with? Will my tank be suitable for several different types of cichlids? I'm hoping I can have several different kinds of dwarf cichlids setting up their little territories in the 5' long tank, but I really don't know which ones would be good choices.
Also, where do I find these fish? I would really like to get some shell-dwellers if they are not terribly difficult to raise or terribly aggressive towards my other fish.
thanks!