fish selections.... 10 gal, going to 55 gal soon.

[MikeDVB]

remember...nice and easy. I plan a 200-300 gal tank next year, wife isn't sure about it so we got a 10 gal for a little while, then come into possession of a 55 gal, then I'll go for the kill. I've also been told it helps to involve her in some degree, that will make it go easier.

I've been having her look at the fish with me whenever we go to the store. I know I won't be buying my fish at Meijer or Wal-Mart but it does help that every time we go my son loves to watch them .

Oh man, I've heard that before! I was gonna offer to sell you my 90 gallon setup, but I doubt she'd be happy about that one!

Ha. I'd be happy with a 20~55 gallon for a while I imagine.

 

[Caleb]

I've been having her look at the fish with me whenever we go to the store. I know I won't be buying my fish at Meijer or Wal-Mart but it does help that every time we go my son loves to watch them .

Ha. I'd be happy with a 20~55 gallon for a while I imagine.

Go to inland aquatics? It's a pretty cool place, I wanted to go to Alantis but didn't have time last time I was in the area.

 

[MikeDVB]

It's a fair drive for me - so that won't happen likely until we already have a tank cycled and ready for some fish.

 

[Caleb]

It's a fair drive for me - so that won't happen likely until we already have a tank cycled and ready for some fish.

Telling me about a fair drive, I'm 2 hours away.

 

[MikeDVB]

Telling me about a fair drive, I'm 2 hours away.

Point is - I'm not going to drive there if I'm not going to leave with something .

 

[Caleb]

Point is - I'm not going to drive there if I'm not going to leave with something .

agreed! I always leave with something if I go...

 

[Etorg]

I'm not big on cichlids with big foreheads, not sure why I just prefer my peacocks. Very vibrant fish for sure.

I'm feeding them new life spectrum, they seem to like it a lot and you can tell which is the dominate male in this tank(yellow and blue are showing up). Which reminds me, I have two jakes with blue-ish lips and 3 with brown/grey lips...are the blue lips indicator of gender? I'm thinking about getting some more of the same kind of fish, maybe more females.

'Have had two different kinds of cichlids with big foreheads...a Malawi Blue Moorii (very agressive fish if other of same in tank)...and a mated pair of Tanganyka Cyphotylapia Frontosa (forgive any wrong spelling). I financed a 75gal setup selling Frontosa babies to local shops once I returned to Indiana after 10 yrs in Fla. Unfortunately, after about the 4th brood...I returned the female back into the tank with the male too early...he killed her, then he died about one and one half days later...I was stunned.



for determining gender of cichlids see Determing Your Cichlids' Gender I used to just buy at least 3 of any kind if they were still too small to determine gender by visual inspection while the fish were still in the store's tanks...but, after the fish get to about 1-1/2" long (Malawi and Victoria ofc), you can see the start of colors and especially egg spots on the male's bottom/rear fin...as mouthbrooders, the males will have egg spots so females will frequently attempt to suck the eggs back into her mouth...at which time, the male will disperse sperm...also, male fins are pointier...however, the only "for sure" way is to check underside of fish while holding in hand...see link above

in general, males are:
-bigger
-have more color
-have egg spots
-have pointier fins

to be sure of gender, inspect genital area of the fish...also, search web for pictures of pairs

 

[Etorg]

I used to buy cereal-box-sized flake food from Fish & Aquarium Supplies: Cichlid Food ...doesn't look like they offer the boxes anymore...however, this web site is a good one, with great inventory and frequent sales/etc...I've purchased heaters, filters, food, etc from these guys

also, some sinking pellets/etc for when I had shell-dwellers of Tanganyka and other bottom dwelling fish...whether they were bottom dwelling fish by nature, or bottom dwelling fish for any other reason as tank set up determines

Never over-feed!!!

 

[Etorg]

Filtration: rated for 75gal tank...I would put two of these on a 55gal cichlid tank...right now can have a pair for about $50 from Aquarium Power Filters: Marineland Penguin BIO-Wheel Power Filters The only canister I ever owned was a Hot Magnum I used for cleaning gravel The largest tank I ever had was a tall 90gal that I had a wet/dry filter under the tank...I like these types of filters...much easier to clean than canisters...and, can choose the pump you want...also...the wet/dry thing develops an incredible amount of bacteria/filter bed, oxygenizes the water and filter media much better than the closed system of a canister just remember: -the more filter you have, the more fish you can support with the added filter/bacteria -the more you feed your fish = need more filter or need clean tank/filter/water more often

 

[Caleb]

View attachment 24044

Filtration: rated for 75gal tank...I would put two of these on a 55gal cichlid tank...right now can have a pair for about $50 from Aquarium Power Filters: Marineland Penguin BIO-Wheel Power Filters The only canister I ever owned was a Hot Magnum I used for cleaning gravel The largest tank I ever had was a tall 90gal that I had a wet/dry filter under the tank...I like these types of filters...much easier to clean than canisters...and, can choose the pump you want...also...the wet/dry thing develops an incredible amount of bacteria/filter bed, oxygenizes the water and filter media much better than the closed system of a canister just remember: -the more filter you have, the more fish you can support with the added filter/bacteria -the more you feed your fish = need more filter or need clean tank/filter/water more often

cheap filters...are they good filters? I really like the aquaclear 30 I have on my 10 gal, does a really good job and I like how the filter medium are horizontal and not vertical...are those cheap filter horizontal or vertical?

 

[Caleb]

I put the rainbow shark back in the 55 gal...been in there since 10:30am, so far, they seems to be getting along just fine. I'm thinking about assembling couple more bridges/caves for the fish to chill out in

 

[DarkRose]

cheap filters...are they good filters? I really like the aquaclear 30 I have on my 10 gal, does a really good job and I like how the filter medium are horizontal and not vertical...are those cheap filter horizontal or vertical?

I've got two Fluval Aquaclear 50s on my 29gallon, but have really been eyeballing one or two of these for my 40 breeder setup, since I don't have room for a sump or canister...

Amazon.com: Fluval C4 Power Filter: Pet Supplies

Looks like the way they're designed they'd have less 'blow-by' than my Aquaclears...

 

[Caleb]

I've got two Fluval Aquaclear 50s on my 29gallon, but have really been eyeballing one or two of these for my 40 breeder setup, since I don't have room for a sump or canister...

Amazon.com: Fluval C4 Power Filter: Pet Supplies

Looks like the way they're designed they'd have less 'blow-by' than my Aquaclears...

how do you have your medium set up in your aquaclear? I have a polish pad in the area that the intake tube sit in...no blow by

 

[Caleb]

Any experience with the eheim quick vac pro? I may have an engine sold today, so I might pick one up. Having to do couple WC a week just to clean up the fish poop, sucks.

Here's a short review...

Oscar Fish Advice Forum :: Topic: Ehiem Quick Vac Pro (1/2)

 

[Frosty]

Any experience with the eheim quick vac pro? I may have an engine sold today, so I might pick one up. Having to do couple WC a week just to clean up the fish poop, sucks.

Here's a short review...

Oscar Fish Advice Forum :: Topic: Ehiem Quick Vac Pro (1/2)

what kind of engines do are you selling caleb?

 

[Caleb]

what kind of engines do are you selling caleb?

4.0L straight 6 from a 1998 cherokee

 

[MikeDVB]

The 4.0L is a good engine.

 

[Caleb]

The 4.0L is a good engine.

Agreed. Was going to rebuild it for my jeep, no time, space, money, and tool for such an involved project...

 

[HeadlessRoland]

Eheim stuff is quality caleb, but I don't have any experience with canister filters.

Eheim 2217 is amazing, but don't ever store a canister filter on its side while wet, ever.

 

[MikeDVB]

I have friends that are hard-core into racing... I could drop an engine off and pick it up a week later and it'd be fully rebuilt and ready to handle 20 PSI of boost to boot... My friends are all crazy into turbo'ing EVERYTHING.