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Hi, I'm Candice. I have recently set up a 40 gallon(stretch hex) tank. My 2 year old son absolutely loves fish so I decided to set up a tank. I currently have 5 yellow labs inthe tank but am wondering if this tank is big enough to host cichlids. I bought the tank used with a Rena X1 canister filter, should I have a HOB also? Would I be better of with community type fish? Thanks.
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Re: Newby!
howdy lynn,
Welcome to the HFB. Your labs are cichlids I'm fairly sure, and your tank could support maybe another half dozen or so at the most. I'm a big fan of having more filters than I need, so I would go ahead and add another filter if you like. There will be more experienced members getting back to you, and that's the nice thing about the fish box here, so many nice people that are willing to help us newbies out......good luck.....
CFTruth is the cement that holds the bricks and stones of a sane and civilized society together. Remove the former and the latter will crumble. -
Re: Newby!
hey welcome. ahah. im first to say hi. lol. but seriuosly i think thats more than fine. i had a 55 with like 8 in there and they were cool. i have upgrade since but not cause i needed too just pure greed in bigger. lol. cichlids are pretty easy for starts from what i have learned. that was my first fish were yellow labs. how many GPH is that x1??
by the way i have a rena xp4 on a 110 and it does wonders.Comment
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Re: Newby!
man how you beat me. lolComment
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Re: Newby!
I agree you, CF. Added filtration is always an added bonus. I have at least two filters on all of my tanks. Yellow labs are indeed a type of cichlid - they are one of the more peaceful types of african cichlids called mbuna.
Adding fish to a cichlid tank is a bit more tricky than adding fish to a community tank. whenever doing so, I usually do someof the following:
- rearranging the tank so that the cichlids don't already have dfined territories
- turning of the lights for a while when the new fish are added
- feeding the old fish before the new fish is added.
As far as adding more cichlids, it all depends on what type as to how many you would be able to add. The tank is too small for certain types of cichlids, and even with other cichlids, you'll want no more than 6 more.Scarecrow : I haven't got a brain... only straw.
Dorothy : How can you talk if you haven't got a brain?
Scarecrow: I don't know... But some people without brains do an awful lot of talking... don't they?
Dorothy: Yes, I guess you're right.Comment
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Re: Newby!
The 5 labs I have are all very shy(3 males, 2 females). They came from a 200 gallon tank of my cousins and were some of the smaller fish in his tank. I would eventually like to have a few different kinds of cichlids so I will get rid of 3 of them and just keep 1 male and 1 female. The largest male is about 4 inches and the smallest female is 2.
I think the rena xp1 is 250 g/h. It is suppose to be for a tank up to 45 gallons from what the rena website says.40-cichlidComment
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Re: Newby!
to me and for what i have done and seen thats plenty. some people do like to over filter stuff. not really a problem with it that i can see. more a convinence thing. i have yellow labs iwth some orange malawa something or others. lol. i dont konw what they are called realy but they all look the smae just diffent colors. i also had some severums with mine, bala sharks and some clown loaches. the loaches get along with everyone. the severums have since found there own apartment but the 110 with my africans have gootten new roomies in the way of a bumble bee, some blue ahlis i think is what they are and some new baby africans. dont know what they will be other than a mix cause one of my fat light blue africans got together with a orange female. the babys are 2 orange ones and 2 purplish blue ones with strips so im not sure who the dady is really. i think its the blue but not totally sure cause i have a purple male with the strips and the orange top fin. sorry if i ramble but i think faster than i type. lolComment
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Re: Newby!
What type of cichlids are you planning on adding, lynn?
Welcome to the box by the way.Scarecrow : I haven't got a brain... only straw.
Dorothy : How can you talk if you haven't got a brain?
Scarecrow: I don't know... But some people without brains do an awful lot of talking... don't they?
Dorothy: Yes, I guess you're right.Comment
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Re: Newby!
Welcome to the box!
Can't really add much since the fine fellas above have basically covered it all but welcome aboard!
I too prefer to overfilter but technically not really overfiltering when it comes to cichlids......a 5-10x turnover rate is preferred to keep dead spots from forming and oxygen plentiful for the fish. I prefer multiple filtration as well cause it allows me to deep clean one of them at a time and not have problems occur in the tank by wiping out all the beneficial bacteria.700g Mini-Monster tankComment
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Re: Newby!
I'm not sure what I want to add at this point. I need to go to Mikes and take a look around to see what I like and find out what I can add. I'm pretty sure I have to wait about a month before the water is acclimated for the fish.40-cichlidComment
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Re: Newby!
If the tank is cycled it should be fine to add fish to the tank weekly....nothing too drastic and abrupt you should be fine...700g Mini-Monster tankComment
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Re: Newby!
welcome to the box lynn.....these guys are already showing all their knowledge to ya i see....they are amazing in this aspect.....but welcome and good luck on your tank endevors...
fishlady......Comment
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Re: Newby!
Welcome to the Box!!!
RebekahComment
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Re: Newby!
Just a thought... I've seen demasoni in tanks with yellow labs quite often.Scarecrow : I haven't got a brain... only straw.
Dorothy : How can you talk if you haven't got a brain?
Scarecrow: I don't know... But some people without brains do an awful lot of talking... don't they?
Dorothy: Yes, I guess you're right.Comment
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Re: Newby!
Welcome to the box & the wonderful world of fish keepers.Board Member of Houston Aquarium Society
Mod OF Marshreef
Breeder of Discus, Angels, Bristle nose & Sail fin Mollies
Coming soon DaphniaComment
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