Convict Cichlid & Tank

Specs

• 55 gallon tank (Only filled to probably 40 gallons)
• old substrait gravel & sand)
• old filter ( I cleaned all the gunk and put in new carbon filter)
• water heater (I set it to 71*F)
• air stones
• 10 Convict Cichlids (2 adults 1-Male 1-Female the rest are young or fry don't know sex yet)

I've been getting into aquaponics and posted a request for donations on Craigslist. This guy gives me all this stuff and more as he can't leave it at his old appartment. I've never had fish before and have been giving myself a crash course.

Yesterday I picked up the tank and everything he gave me. The filter was disgusting as it looked like it was never cleaned.

So this is what I did:

1. Took filter apart and scrubbed and rinsed everything with tap water
2. scrubbed tank with clean rag and salt water
3. Rinsed everything out thoroughly and let air dry.
4. Put old substrait and water in tank (bout 1-4 gallons)
5. Put about 30-40 gallons of tap water
6. Used AquaSafe (5 tsp)
7. Used PROPER pH 8.2 ( 2 packets for 20 gallon each)
8. Left fish in plastic bags hanging from the side to get used to temp for about 30 minutes +
9. Added a few things for fish to hide in or around

What i'm concerned about

1. After using chemicals water is still cloudy but I think has cleared a bit
2. My male Convict still has some yellow stripes where the female's and babie's color has started to come in
3. Male fish does not seem to be eating nor are some of the smaller fish
4. They lived in a 30 gallon rectangular tank now in a 55 gallon corner tank (otagonal)
5. Male fish keeps swiming up and down and sometimes chasing the female

I think the fish are happy as they are active and swimming around but the yellow stripes and behavior of the male makes me think that he is stressed. When I first got them they did not have their normal colors. The gravel from my understanding was never cleaned but I could put live plants in to make the fish feel safe right?

The male and female are probably close to a year old I think.






This is weird... Just now they changed colors to yellow and silver.....the female seems to be following the male everywhere.

 

Why is the tanks water level so low? Why are you using a pH chemical they don't like high pH. Closer to 7 would be better. Only Africans like pH up that high. Do some small water changes 5-10% over the next few days. You want to bring the water back to normal but don't do it to fast.

 

I filled it to where the siphon going to the pump would be below the water line. I could add more water.

I figured since the fish were use to a 30 gallon tank (probably no more then 2-3 feet tall they wouldn't swim up to get the food as all I have is floating food.

I'm just not sure if the pump / filter is rated for 40-50 gallon tank. It was the one he gave me with the tank.


I know I need to do a better job of landscaping so they have places to hide and dig. The female has been gaurding one paticular spot and moving substrait around.

Have you guys ever had a problem with the water being cloudy?

 

The water should clear up in a few days. It most likely a bacteria bloom meaning your tank isn't cycled. Do you have a test kit? What are your waters numbers? When you cleaned the tank you washed off the good bacteria with the other junk. Keep an eye on the ammonia nitrate and nitrite get ready to do daily water changes till it cycles.

Get a few PVC elbows or rocks you can set up as caves. She might be getting ready to lay eggs if she is clearing out a spot in the gravel. How big are the other fry? You might have to move them out if they have another brood.

Fill the tank up they will be able to find the food.find out about the filter also.

 

The water should clear up in a few days. It most likely a bacteria bloom meaning your tank isn't cycled. Do you have a test kit? What are your waters numbers? When you cleaned the tank you washed off the good bacteria with the other junk. Keep an eye on the ammonia nitrate and nitrite get ready to do daily water changes till it cycles.

Test kit? No, I don't have one. The reason why I did such a thoughral job of cleaning was this tank had a different sub strait and different fish (Koi & Goldfish). The water was brown and the filter resivior, pump, siphon had not been cleaned in a long time.

I took all the sub strait that had been in their 30 gallon tank put it in this one. put a new activated carbon filter in the filter resivior.

Get a few PVC elbows or rocks you can set up as caves. She might be getting ready to lay eggs if she is clearing out a spot in the gravel. How big are the other fry? You might have to move them out if they have another brood.

Fill the tank up they will be able to find the food.find out about the filter also.

Unfortunately I do not have another tank. My thought was to make hiding places so only the smaller convict cichlids could squeeze into and hid. It looks like though the adults are leaving them alone and the small ones seem to swim together while 2 adolescent ones swim throughout the tank.

Why is the tanks water level so low? Why are you using a pH chemical they don't like high pH. Closer to 7 would be better. Only Africans like pH up that high. Do some small water changes 5-10% over the next few days. You want to bring the water back to normal but don't do it to fast.

I was asking the local PetCo about my system and what was going on. Showed him the same pictures and he suggested the API PROPER pH 8.2 which has 2 pouches for a 40 gallon tank but mine is a 55. I may just go ahead and finish filling it up

Different websites are telling me different PH levels...

Guess I will stop by the petshop and pick up a test kit. Just hoping I don't kill these guys.


Since this is such a big tank what other fish would be a match? I'd like to put some bottom feeders, top feeders ect.. once the tank is established

 

A mating pair of convicts can be very aggressive be careful on picking tank mates . Central american cichlids like lower pH between 6.8 - 7.8. Temp should be 76-82.

Great an API master test kit. Its worth the extra money. Check your levels daily till your cycled.do lots of water changes or try looking into tetra safestart look in the forum there are a lot of people who use it.

When transferring filter media and substrate to a new tank its best to clean it a little at a time. If you rinse it in tap water the chlorine will kill any beneficial bacteria. Its best to rinse things in a bucket with old tank water or conditioned tap water.

 

A mating pair of convicts can be very aggressive be careful on picking tank mates . Central american cichlids like lower pH between 6.8 - 7.8. Temp should be 76-82.

Great an API master test kit. Its worth the extra money. Check your levels daily till your cycled.do lots of water changes or try looking into tetra safestart look in the forum there are a lot of people who use it.

When transferring filter media and substrate to a new tank its best to clean it a little at a time. If you rinse it in tap water the chlorine will kill any beneficial bacteria. Its best to rinse things in a bucket with old tank water or conditioned tap water.

Just did a few tests

PH 7.6 maybe less
Tempature 78*F
Test Strip Not sure maybe my nitrates / nitrites are high possibly amonnium?


Just found a bunch of stuff he gave me



Did a test with the test strips



PH Test Its a litte brighter but looks darker on camera i'd say less than 7.6



The water looks like its been clearing up since the yesterday. I don't see any lethargic fish though kinda hard to tell if any died. There were / 11 fish from adults to fry.

 

Test strips are better than nothing but are inaccurate. The liquid tests are much better. If your pH is higher then 7.6 its going to give you a reading of 7.6 you want to use the test for high pH as well to make sure where you are at.

Anything above 0 on ammonia is high and means you are not cycled.

 

Test strips are better than nothing but are inaccurate. The liquid tests are much better. If your pH is higher then 7.6 its going to give you a reading of 7.6 you want to use the test for high pH as well to make sure where you are at.

Anything above 0 on ammonia is high and means you are not cycled.

I guess I will have to top off the tank to dilute the water and tomorrow do a 10% change.

He did give me a tube to clean the gravel and rocks. Just have to figure out how to use it.

I will check into the API test kit.