# 135g African stock list... opinions please



## AKAmikeross (Nov 5, 2012)

I wanted to get some opinions on my current stock list for a 135gal. I know its quite the mix but I was hoping to get a discussion going regarding possible problems that may occur.

The 135gal will house these fish until I can start my next project which is a 300+ gal setup. It will probably be finished within the year. Ideally I would love a 96x36x30 tank, if I can track down a used one; but its most likely going to be a 96x24x30 which is an easier tank size to locate used. So within the year or so I will be moving all these fish into their final home which will be at least a 300gal.

I plan to buy the majority of these fish as juveniles, just big enough to confirm sex. The only fish that will be large are the mobas and blue dolphins… Mobas being about 6-9” and the dolphins around 5-7”, everything else only big enough to confirm males. 

8 saulosi 2m/6f
3 yellow tail acei
3 blue dolphin 1m/2f
3 clown loach
3 Moba frontosa 1m/2f
1 Nimbochromis venustus male
1 Nimbochromis fuscotaeniatus male
1 buccochromis Nototaenia male
1 Placidochromis sp.Phenochilus Tanzania male
1 Placidochromis Phenochilis mdoka male
1 Protomelas sp.Spilonotus Tanzania male
1 Protomelas taeniolatus male
1 Chilotilapia rhoadesii male
1 Exochromis anagenys male
1 Aulonocara sp.Lwanda
1 Aulonocara Baenschi
1 Aulonocara Stuartgranti flametail

I plan to to start a tank journal with lots of pics of the process. I am currently building a DIY stand, canopy and filtration with a write up with pics to follow. I want to wait till the doors and moldings where on the stand before starting the journal so look out for it.

All comments and suggestions are much appreciated... thanks.


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## jbyoung00008 (May 16, 2011)

Do you have an African tank up and running now?

As for the list. That's one heck of a list. I cant wait to see your tank journal.  Here's my opinion and/or experiences. You have picked a lot of fish that get big. Vanustus, Fusco, Dolphins, Fronts, Placid, Clown loaches. All these fish reach 10 to 12". Ive never seen that many big Africans in a tank. So I can't really comment on what will happen. I have noticed in my tank that some species will not tolerate another male in the tank. The Protomelas species might clash. My Fire Blue empress decided one day that he didn't like the Red Empress anymore. In a matter of days the Fire Blue killed the Red. They had lived together for a year. So the 2 Placid's might not be found of each other either.

Another issue people will say is mixing Mbunas with Haps and Peacocks doesn't work. Im more on the side of you don't know until you try it.

I like the idea of Clown loaches but have read mixed opinions on Clown loaches in African water. They apparently arn't too fond of the high PH/KH. What are your plans for PH/KH/GH and what are you going to use to increase it? Clown loaches also live in an anarchy system and prefer to be in a group of 5 minimum. I wanted clown loaches in my tank but I fell in love with Petricolas. That's why I have 16 and will be buying a few more  They are my super cleanup crew.

Whats is your filtration going to be. All those big fish are going to create a lot of waste. Aficans are messy eaters and always hungry. I recommend adding a UV sterilizer. All those fish are going to be worth a lot of money so it's best to protect your investment. A UV takes away the worries of the fish getting ick or whatever other sickness. It also helps with algea and Ive noticed it seems to help with the overall cleanliness of the tank


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## Vancitycam (Oct 23, 2012)

Justin got it all summed up there perfectly. Things I would consider 

1. Adding more clown loaches they will be happier.
2. Any bnp? They are a nice visual addition, help keep it clean while staying small and do fine in the water you will have.
3. Size of some fish when full grown, there are a quite a few larger ones. 
4. Hap & peacock mixed with mbuna, as Justin said dont know until you try it. Some do it some wont, I have and will not now. 
5. Breeding groups in an generally all male tank, there maybe problems with potential cross breeding if you were keeping fry. There is also the potential for extra aggression with any females in the tank. 

Now all those are really just personal opinions on things, you are of course free to decide for yourself. Now for the must, PICS! Please


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## AKAmikeross (Nov 5, 2012)

Back in the day, almost 8 years ago I was pretty active in the local african community. Use to post under 2klude over on malawimayhem.com as well as here... Met many of the local guys. I had a 135gal and a 4 50gal breeders. I relocated to the states for work and have been without a tank for some time. I am back in BC for good and its time to jump back into the hobby. I bought 135gal last month and have been cleaning it up and working on a custom stand and canopy. I just got back from the VAHS monster auction and scored some good items, A 33 long with canopy and t5 light. So jumping right back into the hobby to say the least.

My old 135 setup was very similar to what I plan to stock this new tank with. I had a fusco, venustus, blue dolphins, ink fin calvus, various peacocks and mbuna as well as clown loaches. There was no aggression to speak of and most of those fish were acquired and added to the tank as adults.

BNP? I assume this mean brittle nose pleco? Most likely going to add something to keep the algae down. I had a very large common pleco in my old tank he seemed to thrive and keep everything clean. In fact the only mess you could see in my tank was from him. I am going to research these brittle nose plecos. I need something that will do the job, stay small and wont leave huge amount of **** on my white PFS.

So far for filtration I have a fx5 and plan to add another canister when I come across a deal. All these fish may take months to acquire. The fx5 should do the job considering most of these fish will be small when purchased. I am going to research a UV unit and possible plumb it into the second filter I buy. I was thinking of a xp3/4 since I have been seeing a few come up for sale. Going to use this second filter to polish water... I figure if I stuff it will filter floss and polishing pads it will slow the flow down enough that would good for a UV sterilizer. 

I am adding a internal overflow cover to the tank. Its going to have no purpose other than covering up all the filter intakes, heater and running wires behind it. I like my tanks with no background with a white wall behind. I hate seeing any equipment so the overflow will hide everything. The return for the fx5 will run behind the overflow cover up over the tank and will split into 2 90's on either side of the tank. I am using the returns solely for surface water agitation so your only going to see 2 small 90's popping into the tank. I plan to run 1 large or 2 small power heads for water circulation.

I have been collecting holey rock for over 10 years as well as dead colorful corals. This tank is going to have over 250lbs of texas holey rock and about 30 pieces of dead corals... I like the marine look.

Will probably post some pics tomorrow of the current progress.


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## AKAmikeross (Nov 5, 2012)

I have never tested my KH or GH. Have always kept my ph high with the holey rock in the tank and a small bag of crushed coral in my filters. Always keeps it above 8.

The guy I bought the 135g used from mentioned to be a home made buffer recipe he uses. I am going to try it out with this tank.


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## Steve (Mar 27, 2013)

Another problem I've noticed is that you're planning on doing a "male only" type tank - which can be great and stunning.. but you've also added a couple females into this tank which could be a HUGE disaster. Essentially, as those fish grow up, those females could be terrorized by almost every male in that tank since they're almost all essentially breeds that could hybridize with one another. I'd switch out clown loaches for synodontis catfish as some people have had their entire loach populations get killed by mbuna and predatory haps. Furthermore, if that venustus gets large enough it will eat all of those saulosi if it gets hungry


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## AKAmikeross (Nov 5, 2012)

The only females in the tank are very different from each other... frontosa, blue dolphins and saulosi. Do you think just being female, even though they are very different will cause issues with the males? I have kept a frontosa and blue dolphin trio with similar tank mates with no issues... will the small saulosi males try and bully the bigger fish?


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## Steve (Mar 27, 2013)

What I mean is that any mouthbrooding cichlids could attempt to breed with the blue dolphins and fronts. I don't really think the saulosi will try to breed with anything other than each other but they could end up becoming snacks


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## Vancitycam (Oct 23, 2012)

One good example, I have an all male malawi type tank and a deep water hap I figured was male picking it out but turned out to be female not just sub dom. I saw it breed with my red empress so if a placidochromis and protomelas can make it happen, what else can happen is anybody's guess.


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## jbyoung00008 (May 16, 2011)

The Fx5 will be sufficient for awhile but 2 filters is a better idea. Im running the Fx5 and Rena xp3 and they work well together. I run my UV on the outtake of my Xp3 as the numbers matched perfect for flow rate. I run a third hang on canister to polish my water. My hang on canister has a micron filter similar to a hot tub or pool filter. I found it easier to clean that filter every week rather than having pull out my Rena or Fx5 weekly.

Heres my tank journal. I havnt updated it in awhile but I setup a similar tank to yours
http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/tank...ichlid-tank-new-pics-my-fish-pg12-13-a-28602/


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## AKAmikeross (Nov 5, 2012)

can you give me more info on this "hang on canister". Are you referring to a hang on style filter like a ac110 or emperor 400? I read your tank journal but don't recall you doing in a little more in depth on your filter setup... sweat tank setup though.


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## jbyoung00008 (May 16, 2011)

Messed up see post below


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## jbyoung00008 (May 16, 2011)

The hang on canister is a Marineland Hot Magnum. The canister is a work horse. The filter is a micron filter and it comes with an empty filter cartridge that you can put carbon in or whatever else. I ll run carbon for a day or 2 every now and than. I bought 2 of the micron filters so I alternate them weekly. While one is in the filter the other one is in a bucket with bleech. In 6-7 days the filter is plugged. Than I switch them. I went out and bought a second hot magnum I liked this filter that much. When I got to someones house to work on their tank I bring both and run them while I work. They are water polishing machines. 

View attachment 34018


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## donjuan_corn (May 6, 2010)

http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/atta...close-55-gallon-w-everything-dscn2426.jpg.att

All male tank I used to have, you should get some melacronomis the striped blue ones


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## AKAmikeross (Nov 5, 2012)

jbyoung00008 said:


> Messed up see post below


Thats pretty slick... think I might run one strictly for water polishing.


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## jbyoung00008 (May 16, 2011)

The only downfall to the filter is the top seal can be a pain. It doesnt leak water out but It can let air in. Which causes the filter to drain itself into the tank. Than you have to go fill it again and try again. I have a few tricks to solve the problem if you run into that issue. Other than that it works like a hot damn!!!!! Super polisher. You can point the outake in any direction which is nice if you want to blow debris up off the bottom or point it where evr you want. The intake tube is moveable aswell

You can buy a bio wheel attachment for it aswell. Ive never used it but Ive seen pictures of it. I prefer it as a polisher without the wheel.

J&L had them est price I could find Marineland Magnum 250 H.O.T. Canister Filter


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## AKAmikeross (Nov 5, 2012)

jbyoung00008 said:


> J&L had them est price I could find Marineland Magnum 250 H.O.T. Canister Filter


j&l have the best prices for many things. I bought a lot of bio media from them recently and their biomax is cheaper per liter then anywhere I could find online.


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## AKAmikeross (Nov 5, 2012)

jbyoung00008 said:


> The only downfall to the filter is the top seal can be a pain. It doesnt leak water out but It can let air in. Which causes the filter to drain itself into the tank. Than you have to go fill it again and try again. I have a few tricks to solve the problem if you run into that issue. Other than that it works like a hot damn!!!!! Super polisher. You can point the outake in any direction which is nice if you want to blow debris up off the bottom or point it where evr you want. The intake tube is moveable aswell
> 
> You can buy a bio wheel attachment for it aswell. Ive never used it but Ive seen pictures of it. I prefer it as a polisher without the wheel.
> 
> [/url]


I actually am going to have no equipment showing in my tank and not going to run a background either. I am going to make a fake overflow cover. Inside the overflow will be a 300w heater, fx5 intake, 25w UV sterilizer and a hot magnum with enough room to add a second canister intake down the road. All the plumping and wires will run outside the tank behind the overflow. The return of the fx5 will run up the tank behind the overflow, over the top of the tank and split to 2 90elbows on either side of the tank.

So with that said I have planned for a internal UV sterilize and this hot magnum to run in the overflow, the fx5 will eventually suck up the water that these 2 piece of equipment pump out and it gets returned back into the tank. The overflow cover I am building will have holes towards the bottom rather then the top to allow water in.

I have seen planted tanks with no background and a white sheet or vinyl taped to the wall behind the tank. With no equipment showing and crystal clear water the effect is pretty awesome.

I am going to try and take some pics tonight to show my progress. I setup all my holey rock and corals on a 72"x18" board to get an idea of how I want to scape the tank... looks pretty good thus far. Now I just have to figure out how to take it all apart and place it back into my tank the exact same way once it setup.


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## AKAmikeross (Nov 5, 2012)

started my journal with pics of course... http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/tank-journals-16/135g-african-setup-67922/


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