So over my cichlids killing each other...wanting something new.

Hello!

Just a little back history since I'm new. I've had at least one tank up and going in my house for about 10 years. Currently, I have a 50 gallon with 2 African Cichlids, an empty 30 gallon, a 20 gallon long with a red-earred slidder turtle (he's about to get upgraded to a 40 gallon), a 10 gallon with a fancy goldfish (he's about to get the 20 long that the turtle is in), and a 10 gallon with a leopard gecko in it.

The issue I'm having is with my African cichlids. I have been trying to keep them in the 50 gallon for a few years now. No matter what I've tried, they always end up killing each other until I have one left. Then the two times that has happened in the past, the single one ends up killing itself by hitting the glass or jumping into the lid. They are so skittish and jumpy, too, they never seem to get used to use moving around the house or my kids jumping around. I've got lots of hiding places in there so I don't know what the issue is. With this last batch, I followed a "Mom & Pops" type fish store's advice and put 10 babies in. When they got a little bigger and started getting aggressive, I put in 2 medium ones to settle the little ones down. That was almost 2 years ago. It seemed like it was going pretty well...until about 6 months ago when the carnage started. I'm now down to two...one super aggressive guy and another that can't even come out of hiding to eat.

I'm tired of investing money and time in these fish that just kill each other off. I'm thinking about moving the two cichlids into the empty 30 gallon and getting something new for the 50 gallon. I really want something colorful that gets a decent size. I was thinking discus, but I keep reading conflict info on them (how many for that size tank? Difficult to keep alive? Aggressive?) I'm not sure. I like Angelfish, but my husband doesn't. Might get them anyway, LOL.

Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated!

 

Do you know what species of cichlids you have currently? Some Africans are incredibly more aggressive than others, and you should not mix fish of different lakes (tanganyika and Malawi, for example). Certain MalawI cichlids are also more aggressive than others, like mbuna and peacocks and haps being very different. If you have a highly aggressive mbuna and a more peaceful peacock, it won't end well.

When setting up an african tank, it's easiest to add all the fish at once so no territories have been established yet, making it a free for all. You will also want to make lots of hiding spots and territories. Sorry if I'm repeating stuff you know, I just want to make sure I don't miss anything in case you don't know it

It's also important to mix fish that are similarly aggressive (yellow labs are less aggressive than JohannI for example, and may be harder to keep together) and overstock! It seems weird to do that, but its practically essential.

I suggest looking into 3 species you like, and research them. See if they are compatible. Don't do "mixed african cichlid" tanks, they require a lot of experience to get it to work. Try to find 3 species, and for a 50 gallon, aI'm for a ratio of 1 male and 3 females each. Multiple males with females are harder to coexist.

Good luck and welcome to fishlore!

 

I don't know what they are beyond African Cichlids...the little fish shop I go to gets them from a breeder. They have multiple large tanks with different sizes, but all the colors are mixed together. They just call them African.

These are the two I have left...

 

Hi! Welcome to fishlore! I don't know much about cichlids but generally with aggressive fish you want to give them as much room as possible so I'm not sure if the 2 you have would be ok togeth in the 30 gallon.

 

Hi! Welcome to fishlore! I don't know much about cichlids but generally with aggressive fish you want to give them as much room as possible so I'm not sure if the 2 you have would be ok togeth in the 30 gallon.

They aren't really okay together in the 50 gallon...the black one has killed 4 other fish, and if he could get the white one, he'd be done too. He literally circles the tikI hut that the white one hides in like a shark. :-/

 

The dark colored ones looks like some sort of zebra mbuna, the white is probably Snow White socolofI (albino)(Edit: could be a peacock but not sure...). SocolofI Snow White is one of the less aggressive mbuna, and zebras can pick fights easily. I'd rehome the "zebra" and get more socolofI if you like them. They do well with rusty, yellow labs, certain afras, and others I can name at the moment as I forgot lol. I'd recommend a minimum of 55 gallons for an mbuna community, but 50 may be OK.

 

The dark colored ones looks like some sort of zebra mbuna, the white is probably Snow White socolofI (albino)(Edit: could be a peacock but not sure...). SocolofI Snow White is one of the less aggressive mbuna, and zebras can pick fights easily. I'd rehome the "zebra" and get more socolofI if you like them. They do well with rusty, yellow labs, certain afras, and others I can name at the moment as I forgot lol. I'd recommend a minimum of 55 gallons for an mbuna community, but 50 may be OK.

How do I know what is what? Just color? I think the fish store may take the striped one back, but the larger ones are pricey and I don't want to exchange one super aggressive fish just to bring home another that is going to kill everything new.

 

If I were you I would look up the fish that you want to go with your tank first read read and read and look at as many pictures as you can and get familiar with the fish you want and then try to find those in the LFS tank.

The other method is if you see a really nice fish in the LFS take a picture try to find out what it is or ask in here and see if that is compatible but that is riskier and more chance of things going wrong in my opinion.

 

I have to rearrange my rock a lot and it mellows them out for a week or two

 

I have to rearrange my rock a lot and it mellows them out for a week or two

I thought about getting a huge decoration...like two halves of a sunken ship. Couldn't find anything for less than $100, though, and I'll be darned if I gonna pay that for a decoration!! LOL

 

Get rocks from a landscaping yard. MUCH cheaper and the fish seem to like thn better.

 

Have you ever thought about south american cichlids? They have nice colors and are less aggressive then most types of Africans. I would look on line if you still want to do the Africans. Wetspot has a really good selection of Africans and they will help you pick some that will live together better then the set up you have now. They are in Portland Oregon but ship all over the country.

 

Aren't convicts South American? Those were the worst I've owned. And I wasn't talking about a single decoration. You need lots of rocks and caves and to move them around frequently

 

The more I think about it, the more leaning towards Angelfish. They aren't bright, but they do get big and are really pretty. Thoughts on a good number to keep in a 50 gallon? I'm not interested in trying to breed them, just want them to be healthy and happy!

 

You could do a pair of Angels in a 50 and a pair of dwarf cichlids. You could have s small school in there also.

 

Mbuna means "rock Fish" in the native language
Give them tons of rock and they are happy (ISH)

 

Yes seems angels are the way to go. Much easier than discus. Although in my opinion I much prefer discus, way more colorful and interactive. They need lots of water changes though.