Mbuna Cichlids

"Gill Passman" <gillnospamat.RemoveThis@taylorpassman.co.uk> wrote in message
news:43de8064$0$87290$5a6aecb4@news.aaisp.net.uk...
> Bob wrote:
>> I am going to setup a Mbuna Cichlids 75gl tak. I would like to keep the
>> top open and suspend a 4' shop light over the tank. Would there be a
>> problem with the fish jumping out? I am not sure if they are jumpers or
>> not. My tank is in the garage and I will build a simple stand. Is it
>> recommended to place styrofoam between the tank and stand?
>> One more question, I will have a lot of rock and sand. would it be best
>> to put a plastic eag crate down and then sand and rocks?
>>
>> Thanks
>> Bob
>
> As I sit here with the Mbuna tank behind me the number of splashes would
> suggest to me that an open tank would not be the best idea...as for
> styrofoam I would go for it if you are building your own stand - you can
> get away without it with a factory built tank and stand - but don't risk
> it...
>
> I don't have egg crate in my tank and have around 30Kilo of ocean
> rock...most people would describe me as reckless doing this - I'd probably
> agree with them :-)
>
> Gill


A common method is to put a sheet of Styrofoam down first inside the
aquarium. Then assembly all your rock structures. Then add your substrate.
Then add water very slowly (on to a plate to not stir up the substrate
unnecessarily). As the waterline rises, you might want to pause
occasionally to tweak the rockwork. The Styrofoam under the rockwork
provides traction (they won't slide around), and removes point-load contact
point from stressing the glass.

Keep in mind that Styrofoam is buoyant, about 60 lbs per cubic foot.
Generally, mbuna tanks have more than enough weight in rocks to hold the
Styrofoam down. You could silicone the Styrofoam down to the base, but I've
never seen a case where this was needed (the more rocks you have, the more
you need Styrofoam, and more unlikely it is that the rocks are lighter than
the Styrofoam).

Egg-crate is used when you want to stop digging fish from exposing UGF
plates. Expanded polystyrene (Styrofoam made of little bubbles of foam) is
not as good as extruded polystyrene (little bubbles of air) if you have
aggressive diggers (many medium-large cichlids) or chewers (some Plecos).
Also expanded polystyrene will degrade with time and begin falling apart
after several years. The extruded stuff lasts *much* longer underwater.

The use of any Styrofoam under the tank is to account for minor
imperfections or protrusions in the stand's surface. It's use depends on
your application. It's more commonly used with tanks over 500 lbs (your 75g
is in the 675-750 lb range).

hth
--
www.NetMax.tk
 >> Stay informed about: Mbuna Cichlids 

Don't keep the top open on an Mbuna tank -- they will jump out. Mine are
quite active and aggressive feeders and splash water quite vehemently.
Styrofoam is a good idea if your unsure whether your floor is even or not.
A friend of mine recently setup a 180G marine tank and went with the
styrofoam just in case. Egg crate at the bottom of the tank is a good idea
and I've done it myself. The main reason for this is to assist in
distributing the weight of the rocks across the tank floor and to prevent
and unnecessary crack in the tank floor from an industriously digging
cichlid. When you place a rock in a tank, the pressure is going to be
exerted most on the point of contact. The eggrate helps to distribute the
pressure.

Cheers,

J
www.jaysaquaria.com
"Bob" <bob1942.TakeThisOut@suscom.net> wrote in message
news:AMadnZ2A_4P57UPeRVn-oA@suscom.com...
>I am going to setup a Mbuna Cichlids 75gl tak. I would like to keep the
>top open and suspend a 4' shop light over the tank. Would there be a
>problem with the fish jumping out? I am not sure if they are jumpers or
>not. My tank is in the garage and I will build a simple stand. Is it
>recommended to place styrofoam between the tank and stand?
> One more question, I will have a lot of rock and sand. would it be best
> to put a plastic eag crate down and then sand and rocks?
>
> Thanks
> Bob
>
 >> Stay informed about: Mbuna Cichlids 

You put styrofoam inside the tank? No toxic chemicals seep out of it I
guess then?

I have just set up a 30 gallon cube I was thinking of stacking up some rocks
for a few small peacocks or maybe some mbuna. probably 15 - 20 lbs worth.
Should I put styrofoam in the tank under the gravel?

Jr
 >> Stay informed about: Mbuna Cichlids 

"Big Dummy" <nobody RemoveThis @nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:CLYGf.19612$_S7.2013@newssvr14.news.prodigy.com...
> You put styrofoam inside the tank? No toxic chemicals seep out of it I
> guess then?
>
> I have just set up a 30 gallon cube I was thinking of stacking up some
> rocks
> for a few small peacocks or maybe some mbuna. probably 15 - 20 lbs
> worth.
> Should I put styrofoam in the tank under the gravel?
>
> Jr


It would help keep it from sliding around. Mbuna like to dig and cause
rocks to shift. I'm not sure you want mbuna and peacocks in such a small
tank as a 30g though. This could be problematic unless you select very
carefully, species which don't get too big, and are not too territorial or
argumentative. You also don't want them spawning in that size set-up. jmo
--
www.NetMax.tk
 >> Stay informed about: Mbuna Cichlids 

"NetMax" <computeralias.TakeThisOut@hotmail.com> wrote >
>
> It would help keep it from sliding around. Mbuna like to dig and cause
> rocks to shift. I'm not sure you want mbuna and peacocks in such a small
> tank as a 30g though. This could be problematic unless you select very
> carefully, species which don't get too big, and are not too territorial or
> argumentative. You also don't want them spawning in that size set-up.
jmo
> --

I was thinking of putting in a few labidochromis caeruleus that I already
have and some sunshine peacocks which are on sale at the LFS, plus a couple
of silver dollars for dithers, and a wierd yellow puffer I have. Maybe a
couple of other small haps or peaceful mbuna if there are any. Any
reccomendations?

DB
 >> Stay informed about: Mbuna Cichlids 

"Big Dummy" <nobody.TakeThisOut@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:aiYHf.29664$F_3.8992@newssvr29.news.prodigy.net...
>
> "NetMax" <computeralias.TakeThisOut@hotmail.com> wrote >
>>
>> It would help keep it from sliding around. Mbuna like to dig and cause
>> rocks to shift. I'm not sure you want mbuna and peacocks in such a small
>> tank as a 30g though. This could be problematic unless you select very
>> carefully, species which don't get too big, and are not too territorial
>> or
>> argumentative. You also don't want them spawning in that size set-up.
> jmo
>> --
>
> I was thinking of putting in a few labidochromis caeruleus that I already
> have and some sunshine peacocks which are on sale at the LFS, plus a
> couple
> of silver dollars for dithers, and a wierd yellow puffer I have. Maybe a
> couple of other small haps or peaceful mbuna if there are any. Any
> reccomendations?
>
> DB


Get a bigger tank! ;~) You hit capacity with the Labs. I think the
Peacocks would need more swimming room than a 30g cube tank could afford.
Silver dollars definitely need swimming room and a larger size tank
(longer). The puffer is a ymmv. These fish come from quite different water
conditions.
--
www.NetMax.tk
 >> Stay informed about: Mbuna Cichlids 

"NetMax" <computeralias RemoveThis @hotmail.com> wrote in message news:UI-

> Get a bigger tank! ;~) You hit capacity with the Labs. I think the
> Peacocks would need more swimming room than a 30g cube tank could afford.
> Silver dollars definitely need swimming room and a larger size tank
> (longer). The puffer is a ymmv. These fish come from quite different
water
> conditions.
> --
> www.NetMax.tk
>

Well, I'm only going to be in this Apartment for about a year, after which
I'll probably be returning to New Orleans where I have two 75 gallon tanks
which I will be transfering the fish to.

As for the puffer, I don't know what ymmv stands for, but I don't really buy
all these hard and fast rules for mixing different types of Cichlids. For
that matter incidentally, the Silver Dollars don't like the same kind of
water conditions that haps or labs like either.

I've had lot of success over the years mixing Central and South American,
and African cichlids of various types together. All you have to do is
manage aggression with various tricks, mainly by knowing the behaviors of
the various fish and which are on the top of the pecking order. I've even
acclimated Cichlids like Red Devils, Black Belts, Urupthalmus and Mangaguans
to fully saline tanks and had them living with Trigger fish, Damsels and
Panther Groupers.

I'd like to figure out what kind of puffer this is though. It's sort of a
metalic lemon yellow in color, quite thin, with yellow eyes. It's behavior
is very peaceful for a puffer, though it's quite active.

DB
 >> Stay informed about: Mbuna Cichlids