Tanganyika cichlid combo

HI all,

I have a new 4ft x 18 x 18 tank (i.e. wider but shorter that the standard 14 x 18).

This is around 220 litres (55 gallons).

I have it set up with sand and it is heavily rock scaped (there are also a few plants and some driftwood).

Parameters are:

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 20 ppm
Temp: 27 degrees C
PH: 8

I bought Eheim equipment, 200 watt heater, 200 watt pump with bubble wall and 600 litre external canisters filter.

Currently there are 5 Danio’s which were lucky enough to experience a surprisingly quick and painless cycle.

I have set the tank up to accommodate Tanganyika cichlids (I am aware that I might have to pump the ph up a little more- happy to take advice).

Ok, now to business: fish combos! I last kept tanks as a kid and always wanted a trio of Gold head Comp’s. So these will be the starters but I would also love (in order):

A pair of MultI Punks
A pair or trio of Multi’s or Gold Occs
A pair of Lemon Cichlids

I know that all of these together would be bedlam, but does anyone have advice on what combo’s could possibly work?

Other options are welcome.

Also, as I am still nursing a newly completed cycle and have to stock slowly, as such, suggestions on the order of stocking are welcome!

Thanks!!

 

hI Matto, I would not bother changing the PH, 8 is fine. trying to do anything more will cause swings when doing cleanings and water changes. consistency is more important.
as for the species, I think lemons ( unbelievably beautiful)would be a bad idea with the others, but I think the Multis and Occ's would work. although you say a pair of Multis,
don't they need to be a part of a colony, or is that when you just when yo want to breed them?
if it were me, I would choose the Lemons and select a few mild mannered Tang tank mates like the Auloncranus dewindtI or Cyprichromis leptosoma (Mpulungu) -Blue Flash or Paracyprichromis nigripinnis.

 

Thanks mate, good advice, I hadn't though of Auloncranus dewindti.

You are right about the multi's, I am thinking a small colony. I have rockscaped heavily (about $240 in white rock) to create three areas, an area each for 2 rockdwelling pairs and a nice sanded area with shells for a shellI group, walled off with high rocks.

Will absolutly consider your combo. Thanks again.

 

the rocks sound great, love to see pictures

 

Sorry for the delay mate.

I ended up getting a nice trio of gold head comps (they were NFS at the fish shop but I made them a nice offer ). They are still pretty shy but are sterting to come out a bit and are showing signs of breeding.

The boy is in the right cave, biggest girl in the middle and smallest girl on the left. The design has changed a little from how I originally had it and I just put 10 esgargot shells in there, a few in each of the girls territory (they love them and sleep in them funnily enough).

The danios are going into a pond this weekend and I think I might have a go at spawining the comps before I put anything else in there.

Sorry for the quality of the pics, they are from a blackberry.