beginner please help

[fuzzrn]

hi there

I recently set up a 32 gallon aquarium ( the 2nd for me ) and after much research ( but apparantly not enough!) decided to try my hand at cichlids.

I let the tank cycle for a week and a half then added the fish. I started with

2 labridochromis caeruleus

2 "kennyi" (? labidochromis mbamba bay ?) blue with dark stripes

2 pseudotropheus acei

the fish store accidently gave me an small additional fish which I think may be lodotropheus sprenerae ( rusty )

so everything was dandy until today ( they have been in the tank for 5 days ) They all seemed to be getting along OK with no overt harrassing going on.

when I came home from work this am one of the lab caeruleus was dead.

I was planning a water change (30%) over this weekend making it a week since the fish came ( as per fish guys suggestion ) and will take water in to be tested after that. Therefore I cant given you specific water conditions.

The tank is decorated with pagoda stone, a fake stone cavey thing, a piece of driftwood and many fake plants, all purchased at the fish store and rinsed before adding. There are many caves and creveces for then to hide.

QUESTION: Im thinking it may be that the tank was overloaded initially and perhaps I should have done the water change sooner. The number I purchased was by recommendation for the fish folks. Or is it a poor combination of fish?

QUESTION 2 : Im feeding them spirulina flake ( about 2 or 3 flakes ) and african cichlid pellets ( about 6 ) twice a day. Is this the correct combination and is it too much/not enough??

Help please!

[cichgirl]

How did you cycle the tank for a week and a half? Did you do a fishless cycle with ammonia? or did you have fish in it?

Get yourself an ammonia test and a nitrite test. Check the levels. Both are poisonous to fish and they will die if the ppms are too high. It takes around 6 weeks for a tank to fully cycle (with fish in it) unless you do a fishless cycle with straight ammonia. You'll feel better & be more capable of handling the situation if you know what is going on with the cycle.

[fuzzrn]

hi there

thank you so much for your response. I must apologise for using the wrong term in "cycle" What I meant was that the fish tank was up and running with nothing in it for a week and a half prior to adding the fish. So the new fish ( mentioned above ) were the originals.

since the original post I have changed the water by approx 30%, conditioned the water and added bio support. Unfortunatley the fish store is 30 min away and I have been working nights but will bring in a water sample as soon as possible.

since the first fish loss, everything has been fine and they seem happy enough so far.

if anyone could answer the food question I would be gratefull.

thanks again

[skiitswitch]

It's really hard to say if it is enough or not enough food - the cichlids will probably always look super hungry - everyone kind of has their own methodology I think... personally, I feed a variety of foods 2 to 3 times a day - I only give them enough that they eat in a minute or two with none left over...

[fuzzrn]

thanks so much. Ive been giving a bit of each kind twice a day and they gobble then act like they are looking for more. So I think Im on the right track with the food.

Thanks again

[Matt V]

also, a week and a half is probably not enough time to cycle. the fish death could be a direct result of contamination in the water.

right now, i'm setting up a new tank and i won't put cichlids in it for another month or so. just the utterly expendable 99 cent danios that i'm pretty sure the mbuna will chomp on once they move in. or they won't and they'll get a nice soda water bath.

anyway, unless you "cheat" on the cycling (ask Seedy or look at another recent beginners thread post), a week and a half is not long enough to set up a proper chemical equillibrium. that equillibrium will establish itself with the current arrangement, but it might take longer and might cost you other fish.

also, on the overloading front...7 in a 32 might become a bit much not to mention that when the water cycles properly and you establish good chemistry, you're probably going to get some fun hybrids. one more thing - if you haven't changed the water yet and it's been a week and a half - and especially with that load - you're going to want to get in a more frequent water change regime. especially now. you're right in thinking you should have changed water more frequently. it will slow cycling, but it's the only way to keep those nasties like ammonia down.

as to feeding, i have a tank - ok, tanks. ok. four. tanks full of mbuna. i feed them spirulina flake and blanched veggies and that's it and they're doing just great. too great, actually. (anybody want fry?)

oh, and one more thing. welcome to the "hobby" and to the forums!

[fuzzrn]

thanks Matt.. for the info and the welcome!

I will likely change the water about every 5th day for the next few weeks and pray that no more fish bite the dust ( although with all the info Im armed with now it seems likely )

live and learn! and Im really enjoying watching the fish

thanks again

[skiitswitch]

Matt - I will be very interested in some fry once I get back to "civilization" and get a tank up and running - maybe in a month or so... :)

[Matt V]

we'll see what i've got.

someone just took all the Ps. daktari fry, I'm keeping my johanni fry cause she only spat out 5 on her first brood and one died and another vaporized. only thing i have left are three hybrids that seem to be (unfortunately) surviving the snack phase. if you want the hybrids, you can have 'em (if they make it). i won't sell them to a store or take 'em to an auction. hopefully someone will eat them.

i'm not a hybrid pusher, but if someone who knows they're getting one and sings a contract not to breed them or sell them as something they aren't, I'd consider it. :)
they're actually kinda cute. Ps elongatus (who, it turns out is NOT a "he") x Maylandia callainos. i can try to coax one out a rock if you want a pic.

but in a month, god knows what i'll have! maybe one of the daktari females will hold again soon. they're F1s and pretty damned awesome.