new tank and fish questions

[navycigarsmoker]

Ok I had a few cichlids when I was stationed in Japan and I was really unsure about what I was doing. I am thinking about getting a new tank and I was hoping for some suggestions. Here is a list of fish that I am thinking about getting:

4- Yellow Peacock
4- Albino Peacock
4- Electric Yellow
4- Blue Peacock
4- Electric Blue
3- Pleco

Any suggestions on what size tank I should get. Along with filtration as well, and any other suggestions. Thanks.

[Lisachromis]

I can offer one suggestion right away. Figure out which species of peacock you really want. They will hybridize quite readily and females can be tough to tell apart. Unless of course, you are buying all male fish that are showing their colours already. Also, electric blues (Sciaenochromis fryeri) will also readily interbreed with peacocks. What sort of pleco were you thinking of getting? They have a large range of size (3"-24"), so we need to know that too.

[navycigarsmoker]

Ok I think that I have settled on the yellow Peacock and I think that I am going to go ahead with the electric blue and yellow. As for the pleco the Trinidad Pleco is the one that I am leaning towards. Hope this helps.

4-6 yellow Peacock
4- electric blue
4- electric yellow
3- tri. pleco

I was actually wanting to get around a 55gal but I am not sure if it will be big enough for all of these fish.

[MatsP]

I'll leave the cichlid questions for Lisa or someone else wih some experience with these... I've never kept any of those mentioned.

As to the Trinidad pleco, I would advice against it, and go for a common ancistrus (bristlenose/bushynose) instead.
There isn't much info on Glyptoperichthys punctatus, but I can certainly say that it will outgrow a 55g tank without a doubt. It'll probably reach 16-20 inches at full size, if it's being looked after correctly. It is closely related to Glyptoperichthys gibbiceps, which is listed to grow to 18 inches, but I've heard of larger ones...

A Common bristlenose http://www.planetcatfish.com/scripts/cl ... strus+sp(3) would be a much better choice. They are also available in albino - and even a long-fin version, but I would suggest that you stay away from that one, since it may be targetted more harshly by the aggressive cichlids. They are really great algae eaters, and will not grow too large. If you get a male and a femal, you'll probably get babies too - whether those survive the predatory tendencies of your cichlids is of course a different matter...

Note: there seem to be a bug in phpBB in the way that it interprets the URL when it's got parenthesis in the URL, so you'll have to copy'n'paste the URL fro the bristlenose, including the (3) at the end into a browser... Sorry about that...

--
Mats

[Bas Pels]

I only partly agree with the above from Mats

Having both species, I noted a huge difference between the growing speed of them - in my tanks that is.

I got 6 punctatus, for a year now, I got them at 1 inch, now they are 4. The giggiceps were larger when I got them, between 2 and 3 inches, but grew to 6 inches in a year I have 13 gibby's.

For both species, I have solitarily kept individuals and other I have in a group. I did not see differences in growth speed

Further, I have the idea that the punctatus is a better algae feeder, but I can not substantiate this

However, regarding the original questions, the punctatus seems to be more shyly, and perhaps the slower growth rate is due to my water. They are kept with Central American cichlids, in medium hard water, while Peru has very soft, acidic water.

I agree with Mats that this fish is not to be recommended for a Malawi tank, but due to its shyness and the eventual larger sensitivity to hars/ alkaline water

Bas

[Lisachromis]

Ok I think that I have settled on the yellow Peacock and I think that I am going to go ahead with the electric blue and yellow. As for the pleco the Trinidad Pleco is the one that I am leaning towards. Hope this helps.

4-6 yellow Peacock
4- electric blue
4- electric yellow
3- tri. pleco

I was actually wanting to get around a 55gal but I am not sure if it will be big enough for all of these fish.

It's probably doable in a 55. Just remember it's always better to go as big as space and money allow. If you can afford a larger tank, go for it. They are more stable as far as conditions go, and larger tanks allow you to keep
a) more fish
or
b) different species
Filtration and water changes are also a factor in this equation.

[MatsP]

I agree with Mats that this fish is not to be recommended for a Malawi tank, but due to its shyness and the eventual larger sensitivity to hars/ alkaline water

Bas

In my experience, most pleco's seem to not be too bothered with alkalinity/hardness - aside from some particularly sensitive blackwater species, which aren't exactly the common varieties that we talk about here...

I think you're right that the G. punctatus is a little bit slower growing, and it's ultimate size appears to be smaller too - at least if you believe fishbase. But 28.5 cm SL is still a good size too big for a US 55g tank, as the tank would be about 13" wide, and the fish a shade over 11" - a bit big in my opinion at least. Yes, I know, fish in captivity don't always reach the maximum wild size, and so on, but I still think a fish that potentially grows to ALMOST the same size as the width of the tank is too large for the tank, even if they don't reach their full potential growth...

Generally, it's said that Glyptoperichthys species loose their "taste" for algae when they grow up. So that may be why you feel that the gibbiceps aren't quite as good algae eaters... On the other hand, you may also be right - I don't keep either species, but I've seen plenty of people on Planet Catfish that are trying to "do something about" a 8, 10 or 14 inches long "common pleco" that they have in a tank not so suitable for that size fish.

--
Mats

[Bas Pels]

I can only agree with this. all fish should be able to turn in their tanks - with room to navigate on all sides. a 25 cm plus pleco is much too large for a 55 gallon - UK gallon - 170 liters, US gallon 230 liters tank.

I have 1 for a 325 liters tank - or 2 for a 460 liters tank.

Regarding the gibby's I used, 12 yaers ago or something, to have a group of gibby's which did not eate much algae, but did like the cichlid food I provides in sometimes a bit too generous amounts.

The gibby's I currently have, 7 of 2.5 yoars of age, 1 of 13 years, do eat algae very well. They hardly eat the food I till provide, less generous, but the Cichlids still grow nicely.
However the punctatus are even better (doiing the same job, while being only half their size).

Bas