My trip to LFS

[ptsnipes]

I'm so glad I found this place before my trip to LFS today. On the good side, the owner of the store was extremely helpful in helping me pick out a tank. He even showed me how to use a gravel vac and start a siphon. On the down side, I told him what I was planning as far as stocking lists once I get my tank cycled. He actually rolled his eyes at me. He's even been to this site before, and his exact quote was "those people have more money than sense." Anyway, what I was planning on stocking eventually was a school of zebra danios and a school of cories. Probably panda cories. He had some there today that I fell in love with. However, as I mentioned before, I got the eye roll from him. The tank size I'm going to get is either a 29 gal or a 36 gal bowfront, depending on what I can talk my gf into letting me have. His suggestion is that I should put like 11 (that's eleven, in case you thought I hit the one button twice ) african cichlids in the tank and that would be much better. That brings up 2 questions I have:

1) Is there a problem with the fish I want to have? My goal is that I'd like to have a fairly active tank, and mine seem like good choices to me.

2) 11 cichlids in a tank seem a little much to me. Plus, he says they are the most hardy fish you can get and extremely easy for beginners. "You have to be a moron to kill them" was the exact quote I think. So, are they a better choice for beginners?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[sailor]

There is nothing wrong with the fish you want to put in your tank weather it's the 29 or 36 gal. It will be an active tank with those choices. He was probably trying to suck more money out of your pockets. Almost any fish can be a good fish for a begginer. A lot of what type you can get should be determined what type of water comes out of your tap. Depending on the ph level and hardness of it. 11 african cichlids or SA cichlids would be too many for either of those size tanks unless you went with some of the smaller shellies.

[jbeining75]

The stocking you have is fine..... He wants you to buy the african cichlids because the market is flooded with them and they are relatively expensive depending on your choices..... 11 Africans in a 30 gallon is fine also... African cichlid are very territorial and need to be a little crowded to combat aggression.... They will grow though so the 36 would be better......

[NickFish]

Ha! I got a laugh out of that one. At least we're well known in the fish business!

The stocking you have now, with the zebras and cories is fine, you could also put in 10 or so cichlids, but they would have to be small ones, and you would also really have to keep up with your water changes.

[ptsnipes]

I'm trying to read up on my cichlids now. I guess my main concern is keeping them, they will be twice the size of the other fish I want. I will admit, they had some beautiful ones there. The ones I especially liked were a light blue with darker blue vertical stripes down the body. The LFS guy said they grow to about 5-6". And I really am going to be on a steep learning curve with all this. Just tryi ng to not put too much stress on the poor fishies while I make my mistakes.

[hpt84]

The danio and cory would be easier especially you are new to the hobby. However, you have to live with the tank, so if you really like the cichlids, then you should go for it. Otherwise down the road you are just going to give your current fish away to get some cichlids.

[travie]

Otherwise down the road you are just going to give your current fish away to get some cichlids.

Or get a case of MTS (multi-tank syndrome if you didn't know).

[shalafi04]

i must say. i dont have alot of common sense... but my bank account is like -5 bucks, so i know for a fact i got more sense than money hahaha :)

[NickFish]

I'm trying to read up on my cichlids now. I guess my main concern is keeping them, they will be twice the size of the other fish I want. I will admit, they had some beautiful ones there. The ones I especially liked were a light blue with darker blue vertical stripes down the body. The LFS guy said they grow to about 5-6". And I really am going to be on a steep learning curve with all this. Just tryi ng to not put too much stress on the poor fishies while I make my mistakes

Those could be either be a Pseudotropheus demasoni or a Archocentrus nigrofasciatus (zebra convict), the convict is very aggressive and can only be kept in pairs as a species tank. The demasoni are relatively peaceful though and could be kept in a cichlid 'community'. Convicts are very interesting fish, and one of my favourite cichlids, they love to breed but won't tolerate many tank mates. A single convict female could be kept with other large cichlids though, although there would be some agression issues.

[ptsnipes]

Those could be either be a Pseudotropheus demasoni or a Archocentrus nigrofasciatus (zebra convict), the convict is very aggressive and can only be kept in pairs as a species tank. The demasoni are relatively peaceful though and could be kept in a cichlid 'community'. Convicts are very interesting fish, and one of my favourite cichlids, they love to breed but won't tolerate many tank mates. A single convict female could be kept with other large cichlids though, although there would be some agression issues.

Not either one of those I don't think. The colors weren't quite that bright, but maybe that's because they're younger? I can't find the picture now, but earlier I saw one of a blue peacock cichlid. That's a little closer.