Help stocking 65g tank

[angmat]

hey everyone,

I've just set up my new 65g tank & for the first time i've got some cichlids. now I need help to know if I have added the right fish.

the tank has been cycled with a pair of convicts, I've got limestone caves, rocks & sand.

filteration is a a 2226 ehiem pro canister filter, heater is the Jager 300W, I've also got a air stone running.

my current stocking is

2 x convicts ( 4 - 5 cm )
3 x crabro ( 3 -4 cm)
5 x yellow labs ( juvies )
5 X demasoni ( juvies )
5 x other cichlids, cant think of its name right now, but its kinda grey with black stripes.

at the moment there's no visible arregesion that I can see. I've provided plenty of caves & hiding spots.

water params - ph constant at 7.6, nits & nats 0

I'm hoping I've got the right mix here. I haven't been given the right advice so basically this is my decision with the stocking.

I would love some advice/feedback from the experts here. thanks

[Lab_Rat]

Stocking looks pretty decent to me, definitely overstocked when they're adults but as long as you can keep up with the filtration and water changes you should be ok. As they grow you might consider adding a second filter. I also used purigen in my heavily stocked mbuna tank to help keep nitrates under 10ppm. But overall, good choices!

The demasoni are known to show conspecific aggression, you may have a problem with only 5 of them (usually 10+ are recommended to disperse their aggression) but the other fish in the tank should help disperse some of that.

The yellow labs are fine, a very mellow, laid back mbuna.

The crabo get pretty big, what is the footprint of your tank? They're also one of the more aggressive mbuna so have lots of nice caves and rock work in the tank.

I'm not sure about the last one, which way do the stripes run? Are they more of a blue grey or grey grey.

Personally, I would not have the cons in there with the mbuna.

[angmat]

thanks for the reply, the size of the tank is 4 x 18 x 18

the other cichlids i have have the stripes running vertically. will post a pic shorlty.

I've had the cons from a pair of adults cons i had last year. I kept just 1 male fry & it survived this long so ended up getting a female for it before i got this tank so there's bit of a attachment to this con :-) but then again if its not working out I'll have to let them go.

so just to confirm, my stocking level is good for now?? because i was thinking of adding atleast another 4 - 5 fish or maybe a couple of bristlenose?

regarding the caves & rocks, I've got plently at the moment but will add more soon.

[angmat]

pic of the crabro before I added the other ones. will post more pics shortly

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[mattsbottleofjager]

Nice looking fish, I like their colors with the rocks and sub you have too thumbs2:

I'm no ciclid expert so I will leave the suggestions to them.

[Lab_Rat]

I would not add 4-5 more mbuna, you are already overstocked once they hit adult size. A bristlenose would be fine to add, many people keep them in mbuna tanks.

[Deleted User]

Very nice looking fish!!! :19: :19: :19:

[angmat]

thanks guys :-)

Lab Rat - regarding the unknow cichlid, i have manged to find out the name after all, its Petrotilapia sp "Chitimba Bay" will it make any difference to my current stocking?

[Lab_Rat]

I've never kept any of the Petrotilapia species but looking at several profiles the adult size is 6-7". They're gonna be pretty big which will increase your bioload. They should still be fine with your stocking plan right now but I would definitely not add any more mbuna.

The tank may look empty now and I'm sure you're thinking that you could probably add 10 more juvies and not be overstocked but once those guys start hitting sexual maturity and breeding all hell will break loose. 20 or so 5"+ fish (well, the demasoni won't get that big) is a lot in that size tank. If I were you I'd have plans for a second filter and be using purigen in addition to twice weekly water changes when they grow up.

[hari-goshi]

Lab Rat pretty much has you covered herethumbs2: , but Ill throw in my two cents anyway . Personally I would trade in the P.crabro and bump up the number of Demasoni , as they do best in a colony(10-13). Crabros get big and the males get rather ugly both in looks and temperament. I know nothing of petrotilapia so Ill wait for another member to chime in on that. Most experienced fishkeepers are going to advise against mixing africans with cichlids from other parts of the world , but a few people seem to have some success with the hardier species like cons. I wouldnt advise it , but its not impossible. I definately wouldnt recommend keeping a breeding pair in there and with a male and female its only a matter of time with cons.

[kaybee]

my current stocking is

2 x convicts ( 4 - 5 cm )
3 x crabro ( 3 -4 cm)
5 x yellow labs ( juvies )
5 X demasoni ( juvies )
5 x other cichlids, cant think of its name right now, but its kinda grey with black stripes.

I recommend returning/trading/selling/giving away the convicts.

at the moment there's no visible arregesion that I can see. I've provided plenty of caves & hiding spots.

Genuine aggression doesn't manifest in ernest until they reach 3" and doesn't peak until the fish have fully matured (which in the case of the crabro's will be when they reach 7" or even 8", being a fairly large mbuna species). The absence of noted aggression is a non-factor at this point.

In regards to the crabro's a 1 male: 2 female or trio of females as a gender ratio is greatly desired over the presence of multiple male crabro's (two males may not tolerate each other especially when motivated to compete against each other by a single female).

As noted, demasoni's need to be kept in large groups due to their highly conspecific-aggressive nature. No more less than 12-15 of these fish. 20+ would be better.

A single demasoni works well in almost any mbuna set up, however.

What are the grey ones with stripes that you said you have?

[angmat]

thanks for all the feedback guys. I will certainly look into removing the convicts.

also looking at the crabro's agression issue & growth I might consider getting rid if them at some point.

kaybee the grey cichlids are Petrotilapia sp "Chitimba Bay"

also the reason I went for the smaller numbers with the demasoni/yellow's is due to the size of my tank.

[angmat]

I would also like to add that the female convicts did lay eggs but the crabro's got them all....

[angmat]

if i got rid of the cons & the crabro's would I be able to add the following instead?

3x Psudotropheus Zebra Long Pelvic Mdoka 6-8cm
2x Pseudotropheus sp. "elongatus mpanga" 7-8cm

[hari-goshi]

if i got rid of the cons & the crabro's would I be able to add the following instead?

3x Psudotropheus Zebra Long Pelvic Mdoka 6-8cm
2x Pseudotropheus sp. "elongatus mpanga" 7-8cm

The demasoni need to be kept in a larger group. The two species you listed arent really compatible with the demasoni as there would likely be issues with aggression and crossbreeding.

[FishyPastor]

I have two questions in response to the answers given on this thread. The first is when talking about water changes are we talking more than once a week? I am trying to find a number to work with 2-3 times? Can you also define whats is meant by "adequate filtration"?

[Lab_Rat]

For my 55g mbuna tank I ran both a rena xp3 with purigen and an emperor 400 and did 50% water changes twice a week. Worked to keep my fish healthy and nitrates below 10ppm. It was a ton of work though.

[FishyPastor]

The rena XP3 is that a Cannister filter? I currently running two Filters the Tetra Whisper 60 and a Aquaclear 70 filter both mounts to the side of the tank.

[Lab_Rat]

Yes, the xp3 is a canister filter.

[Dixie]

I'm wondering if your tank is really done cycling. If it is you should have some reading of nitrate but you say it's 0. Can you post a pic of the Petrotilapia chitimba bay? How did you come to the conclusion that is what it is? I agree with the others..get rid of the crabro & convicts, increase the number of demasoni (to at least 12)& find out for sure if the other fish are petrotilapia because they may not go with the demasoni.

[angmat]

I'm wondering if your tank is really done cycling. If it is you should have some reading of nitrate but you say it's 0. Can you post a pic of the Petrotilapia chitimba bay? How did you come to the conclusion that is what it is? I agree with the others..get rid of the crabro & convicts, increase the number of demasoni (to at least 12)& find out for sure if the other fish are petrotilapia because they may not go with the demasoni.

well I am a bit concerned at the moment. my current readings are

Ammonia 0.25ppm
Nitrate 10ppm
Nitrite 1ppm
PH 7.6

regarding the chitimba bay juvies, I went back to the person who sold it & confirmed it. also his demasoni breeding colony only consisted of 6!

[Lab_Rat]

Your tank is still cycling with those readings. You'll need to do daily water changes to keep the ammonia and nitrite as low as possible. Using a dechlorinator that locks up ammonia will help too (like Prime).