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New Member
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Last Login: 7/31/2008 11:22:35 AM
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| i'm tired of saltwater and want to change my tank to freshwater. a suggestion was made to me to switch to african cichlids and i like the idea the more i think about it. has anybody done this? i've kept africans in the past in a 20 gallon tank, this tank is a 100 gallon, sand bottom. what are some concerns, considerations, problems? water parameters lighting filtration will they eat each other like they did in the smaller tank? stocking levels anything else i havent thought about?
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Average Member
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Last Login: 9/12/2008 8:17:43 PM
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| Not an expert here I've been keeping FW fish for less then a year now. I think I read something somewhere though about once a tank is used for saltwater you can't use it for FW. Something about copper traces, or something about metals or something. I could be wrong/mistaken, might have been a species thing. Just thought I'd put that out there, wait for the experts advice! FW has been enough of a challenge I don't think I'll ever go saltwater  Anyway I think african cichlids are beautiful and very colorful, and are a good alternative to saltwater fish!! Hope it works out 
Everything Freshwater Aquaria Blog 1.5 gal: CT Betta Schuyler 1.5 gal: Betta Gideon 2.5 gal: cherry shrimp & male guppies 10 gal: Platies (wag tail,sunburst,marigold) 20 gal: Dwarf gourami, Molly, Fancy Goldies 10 gal: Betta, Corydoras, and 2 African dwarf frogs  pix of my very 1st tank----->Original 10 gal:
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Fishkeeping GURU
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Last Login: 10/8/2008 4:09:27 PM
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It's the other way around maraqua...freshwater tanks that have ever been medicated with copper or anything toxic to saltwater inverts should never be used for saltwater. Saltwater tanks just need a good rinse down with vinegar to remove hard water deposits before they work fine for freshwater. There is some equipment that can't be used (like skimmers), and the sand should be replaced since live sand would be filled with organisms which would die and pollute a freshwater tank, but other than that, it's fine.
African cichlids can be tricky to stock, but with the right combination, they won't really hurt each other. The bigger the tank, the easier it is to stock properly as well. Most non-mbuna (peacocks, etc) are not all that aggressive and should get along with each other fine, and mbuna just need lots and lots of caves to call their own (they are very territorial, so a big rock pile or two is the way to go with aquascaping).
The important thing is to read up on every species, and get fish that are compatible in terms of aggression, size, and diet. Also, never buy "mixed african cichldis" because you never know what you are getting (they may be hybrids).
As far as water parameters, it depends slightly on the fish you choose (cichlids from Lake Tanganyika for instance like harder, more basic water), but for the most part they will be happy in any water that has no ammonia or nitrite, reasonable nitrate, and isn't extremely soft. Most people's tap water will be fine, and substrates can be chosen to buffer the water if it is too soft/acidic.
And lighting won't matter unless you want live plants, which they will probably destroy anyway, so I wouldn't worry about that.
When stocking them it is generally best to either go light so they have plenty of room to call their own, or fairly heavy so that the aggression is dispersed on many individuals. Wet-dry sumps are great for the second option, as they provide more water volume and are very effective filters.
Just post your ideas as you plan your system, and we can help you troubleshoot.
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New Member
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Last Login: 7/31/2008 11:22:35 AM
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| thanks for the help gang! i'll be glad to get rid of the skimmer AND the salt, and every other headache that goes along with keeping a saltwater tank! i already have 2 emperor 400 filters and as far as lighting goes, i'll get rid of the metal halides and keep the pc and add a pc fixture i had replaced in favor of higher wattage. so, that'll be 2 96 watt pc and 2 65 watt pc, i think that should be plenty of light. i'd really like to keep the sand bottom though. i'm not in any big hurry, is there a way to rinse the sand with fresh water to kill and remove at least most of the worms and such? i'm going to my lfs again this weekend for more water and i'll check on pricing some of this stuff out. i'llmake more decisions after getting a handle on how much it'll take to stock it and with which type of cichlid i want to go with. thanks again for your help!
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Starting Member
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Last Login: 9/18/2008 6:56:19 PM
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You could try angelfish instead, but I really like the idea of African Cichlids
angelguppie
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Senior Member
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jberta1030 (5/9/2008)
that'll be 2 96 watt pc and 2 65 watt pc, i think that should be plenty of light. That's a lot of light. What size is the tank?
__________________________________________ 46 Gallon Tank Planted-1 Female German Ram-5 Gymnogeophagus Sp. Norte-6 Class N Endlers Black Bars (Pure Strain)-4 Otto Cats 25 Gallon Planted (High tech)- Two Bolivian Rams- 10 endlers/guppy cross 10 Gallon Tank Planted. (At the office)-6 Class N Endlers Black Bars (Pure Strain)
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New Member
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| it's a 100 gallon tank. was going to try to sell it, but, my wife was against that idea mainly because my dad made the stand and the top for it. and, did a VERY nice job i might add. i think we'll get alot of enjoyment out of the cichlids, and i'll enjoy not having to fuss over it nearly as much and worry about how much we're spending on it. one of the guys at my lfs suggested this to me when i was in getting water last weekend. i have to go back for more water tomorrow and i'll talk more to him about it then. i'm ready to start the conversion, but, i have to figure out a few more things before i can actually start the process. it should be fun!
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Senior Member
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That's more than enough light. African cichlid's are a great choice for a tank that size. If the rock work is done right it should prove to be an entertaining tank.
__________________________________________ 46 Gallon Tank Planted-1 Female German Ram-5 Gymnogeophagus Sp. Norte-6 Class N Endlers Black Bars (Pure Strain)-4 Otto Cats 25 Gallon Planted (High tech)- Two Bolivian Rams- 10 endlers/guppy cross 10 Gallon Tank Planted. (At the office)-6 Class N Endlers Black Bars (Pure Strain)
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