New 80 Gallon

[blackautoload]

So, I have been wanting a larger tank for a while now and today the wife surprises me with an 80 gallon.
I have 2 40ish gallon tanks already, been running very smoothly for about 3 years now. They both have hot magnum 250s and am pretty happy with the water quality.
I have yet to purchase any filtration.

I am thinking about getting into african cichlids.... what are your ideas?

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45G Hex tank with lots of Convics now(started with 2)
40G with 1 Red Belly and 2 severums

[cocoa_pleco]

I can name LOTS of suggestions. can you narrow it down a bit?

Ask reptileguy2727. He knows TONS and TONS and TONS of information

[xoolooxunny]

I can name LOTS of suggestions. can you narrow it down a bit?

Ask reptileguy2727. He knows TONS and TONS and TONS of information

Like cocoa said. Thinking african cichlids is the tip of the iceberg for ideas!

[blackautoload]

Thinking colorful.... fish we have now are rather dark.
Would like more smaller breeds of fish than a couple large ones.... thats about all I can think of.

[cocoa_pleco]

Heres a bunch [Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[Fishguy2727]

Go with African peacock cichlids from Lake Malawi. They are as colorful as discus and not nearly as aggressive as mbunas (what most people think of when they think of African cichlids). They stay at about 5". Check my Photobucket page in my signature to see some pics of some of my peacocks. And go with a Fluval 405 for your canister, you should be happy you did.

[Coler]

I would do either :

1. Peacocks, as suggested by Reptileguy. They are fantastic fish; every colour you could wish for and active with personality. Have also some synodontis multipunctatus; really cool and interesting catfish.

2. Tanganyika tank. Colony of Tropheus, synodontis lupinnis, some julidochromis species. This would be seriously high maintenance though, to get the Tropheus diet right and in fact you'd be better off with just the tropheus and the synos, but you could have such a fantastic colony and the personality and character of the tropheus is brilliant. Colours are nice too.

Whatever you go for, can I also reccomend the natural look tank ? These fish are so vibrant and colourful that imo they look best with a sand bottom and rocky decor, just like in the lakes. Add a blue or black background and you're set.

[blackautoload]

Looks like I will be leaning towards the peacocks(Great colors), or the more aggressive mbuna(Great colors).
For filters I have looked at the fluval 405 and am confused about which eheim filter it is closest too. Their website sucks as far as comparing the different models of eheim's. Anyone run an eheim canister filter??
Thanks

[Fishguy2727]

Don't do mbunas, they will end up as a headache. I have both right now and I definitely like the peacocks a lot more, I am thinking about getting rid of the mbunas.

I have a couple Fluval 405s and a lot of other Fluvals. I have not used Eheims but they are supposed to be the best hands down, I just never felt like Fluvals didn't do enough of a great job.

[cocoa_pleco]

Fluvals are A-1 best.

Definitely go with peacocks. My auratus us being VERY temperamental now. as reptileguy said, peacocks are a lot easier and less of a headache