Complete noob. Need help with id and general care!

[beazie0885]

Hi! Im totally new to this forum and the fish world. I'm trying to learn as much as I can as I just set up a 46gal bow front. I have no idea about species and sexing and I was never told that this was important when buying (imagine that right?!) I currently have 7 cichlids 1 Leopard catfish and a red crayfish in the tank.

Could anyone help me id these guys? I'm looking to get more and want to make sure I do things right. Thank you in advance...

Also general care as for food and such. The only thing I have to feed them is Xtreme cichlid peewee 1.5mm pellets. Should I have anything special for the cat or cray?

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[dogofwar]

The cichlid pictures:
1) Not sure
2) Blue zebra (Metriaclima ?)
3) Elongatus?
4) Red zebra (M. esthrae)
5) Pseudotropheus acei
6) Female Lake Victoria Hap?
7) Male Lake Victoria Hap (same species as the female - who knows?)
8) Unknown mbuna

They're all African cichlids.

I'm not sure crayfish are good to mix with African cichlids.

Not sure what a leopard cat is. Picture?

Is Woodstock near Atlanta? There's a GREAT fish club there (http://www.atlantaaquarium.com/forum.php)

Matt

 

[beazie0885]

Thank you so much! And yes I am 20 mins North of Atlanta. I bought 4 new today. And here's the pic of the cat and new additions.

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[Avatar]

I like crayfish

The claws are primarily defensive assets - far too slow IME to be good tankmates. Find the blue and white ones get along well with fish, understand the red (orange) ones however can get quite large. Your fish are large enough that it shouldn't be a problem and crays aren't picky eaters.

 

[dogofwar]

The cat looks like a Synodontis multipunctatus. They get about 6-7" eventually. Great fish and will live forever (with the right care).

Check out the Atlanta club. They have great speakers and auctions.

Right now you're on track to get a bunch of random, albeit pretty, African cichlids. What buying at club events will allow you to do is to get larger groups of a couple of kinds (for pennies on the dollar), which will give you a better chance or breeding them.

Take care,
Matt

 

[beazie0885]

Wish there was a "Thanks" button on this forum. I would have wore it out on yall. Thanks so much though. Could somebody tell me a good rule of thumb for feeding these guys? I feel like a complete retard but I really want to do this right. I understand as much as they can eat in 3 minutes but I would prefer a more measurable amount. Now I have four 4 inchers, two 3 inch, and five 2 inch.

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[Rasta Fish]

Please dont put those new additions in your tank they are sick

 

[Avatar]

Those fish do look stressed - especially the yellow one.

Could somebody tell me a good rule of thumb for feeding these guys? I feel like a complete retard but I really want to do this right. I understand as much as they can eat in 3 minutes but I would prefer a more measurable amount.

The 3-5 minute rule is the really the only one right rule that works for various reasons. And just for your reference, "rule of thumb" refers to Old English Common Law that legally allowed a man to beat his wife provided that the switch he used was no thicker than the diameter of his thumb. No kidding.

 

[beazie0885]

Please dont put those new additions in your tank they are sick

What do you mean? Are you serious? ?? Two of them have been acting wierd

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[beazie0885]

The 3-5 minute rule is the really the only one right rule that works for various reasons. And just for your reference, "rule of thumb" refers to Old English Common Law that legally allowed a man to beat his wife provided that the switch he used was no thicker than the diameter of his thumb. No kidding.

Yea I've heard of that. I like to beat my wife so that's why I use the expression

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[jonclark96]

The clamped fins are a sign of distress, if not disease. Always look for healthy specimens when purchasing new fish, and have a place for quarantine if you are adding them to an established tank.

 

[Avatar]

Not laughing

Yea I've heard of that. I like to beat my wife so that's why I use the expression

-----

 

[beazie0885]

$#!t hopefully it is because I had just added them to the tank? Geez im freaking out now. Already put them in their new home. I'm going to start looking into a quarantine tank tomorrow. Only one is showing signs of not being okay now. i.e. Not active and not interested in food.

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[todda]

yellow guy kinda looks like he's got sunken belly -IMO

 

[MarkK]

Synodontis Petricola

Thank you so much! And yes I am 20 mins North of Atlanta. I bought 4 new today. And here's the pic of the cat and new additions.

That cat is a Synodontis Petricola. This site has some useful info on that cat. http://www.scotcat.com/factsheets/s_petricola.htm

Cat will do fine with the other Mbuna you have. Cat is best left alone and not bothered. You will see it from time to time. You should add some cichlid stones type caves or other caves to your tank to give those that wish to hide, places in which to do so. The cat will hide a lot but if you just sit in front of the tank and watch it will eventually come out, usually around feeding time.

You should consider dropping in a sinking pellet or two after 'lights out' for the cat. Just one or at most two, in same place. Not every day, but every few days. Cat will eventually find it if hungry.

Room with fish should not be completely dark at night, if it is then get a nightlight and put it someplace in the room, does not have to be bright just not complete darkness--it is almost never completely dark in the wild. Cat is nocturnal and needs a tiny amount of light to find its way.

 

[beazie0885]

That cat is a Synodontis Petricola. This site has some useful info on that cat. http://www.scotcat.com/factsheets/s_petricola.htm

Cat will do fine with the other Mbuna you have. Cat is best left alone and not bothered. You will see it from time to time. You should add some cichlid stones type caves or other caves to your tank to give those that wish to hide, places in which to do so. The cat will hide a lot but if you just sit in front of the tank and watch it will eventually come out, usually around feeding time.

You should consider dropping in a sinking pellet or two after 'lights out' for the cat. Just one or at most two, in same place. Not every day, but every few days. Cat will eventually find it if hungry.

Room with fish should not be completely dark at night, if it is then get a nightlight and put it someplace in the room, does not have to be bright just not complete darkness--it is almost never completely dark in the wild. Cat is nocturnal and needs a tiny amount of light to find its way.

Thanks for the input. I'm definitely going to get a night light in here ASAP.

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[Avatar]

Sleep is good

--it is almost never completely dark in the wild.

I don't spend much time underwater (where things are generally even less illuminated) but plenty "in the wild" and its frequently "completely dark" as in can't see the hand in front of your face as in overcast, moonless, foggy or raining. For diurnal freshwater species, I maintain that lights out is generally a good thing as it allows/compels most everyone to "shut down" and provides for a respite from the challenges of close confinement.

 

[Avatar]

On reflection

Could be that surface dwelling African Lake species are used to and would benefit from dim night illumination - no idea what the lake does to local weather - may well be that moonlight and starlight are semi-constant features for some Rift denizens. Still not much light beyond a few feet down where I believe the majority of species reside - done enough night diving to know that it be black down there.