End all, be all of African info/facts?

So im looking to start a 55gal African tank.

Im looking for the end-all, be-all of African Cichlid info.

I dont even know where to begin. Ive browsed some info. But i still cant figure what the pros and cons of keeping with one specific lake, etc.

I have so many questions and thoughts. But nothing is getting the job done =[

i don't think there is a end all be all info but a big key is keep the ph high they thrive better and show colors better with it do you all ready have the Africans or are you just starting?

what are some of your questions? so everyone here can help out better

Well the big main question i have. How do i choose which of the three lakes to go with. The deciding factors for that choice would be
size, variety, hardiness, colors, temperament.

After i figure that out. things like,
which species are good tank mates together.
Which species stay smaller.

I dont want 5 large fish in the tank. I mean, i dont want 1000 neon sized fish but i want lots of color low, med, high in the tank coexisting.

At that point finding the individual fishes needs will be easy.

Well if its your first time keeping africans
maybe you should star with lake malawi cichlids I think those are the easiest to keep

and about 15 or so in 55 should do well and keep the aggression down
if your looking for color its kinda trial and error on what works together and most max out about 4-6"

icer711 wrote:i don't there there is a end all be all info but a big key is keep the ph high they thrive better and show colors better with it do you all ready have the Africans or are you just starting?

sidekicking wrote:Well if its your first time keeping africans
maybe you should star with lake malawi cichlids I think those are the easiest to keep

Ive only had general petstore fish [neons etc] and my oscar.


So that sounds like an excellent starting point..

Any species you suggest that stay smaller? Not tiny. But a few inches. At that point i can look at them and figure out their needs [temp, pH, foods, subrates, etc] and their coexist-ability.

tem is 80-82 for most Africans they like higher ph and temps
foods most arnt picky
and substrates sand or crushed coral are good popular choices

if your looking for smaller shellies stay smaller
if your looking for lots of colors malawi are a better choice

Mbuna tend to be one of the more forgiving african cichlids. I'd suggest them as a starting point if you don't already have your mind set on something else. Wide variety of color, most are between 3" and 6-7" when full-grown, hearty and resistant to many common ailments, and broadly available.

I add cichlid salts and buffers to my water but that's not required in most locations. Keep my temp at about 78 degrees. Use a tank with a large rockscape and lighting to suit my taste. Pretty easy stuff.

You'll want to get some advice on what to keep together, as mbuna are fairly aggressive when they reach maturity. I would suggest you pick 1 species that you really like, and then look for 2 more species that will augment your colors, sizes, and temperaments. We can help once we know more about what you like.

A common 55g setup might be demasoni, yellow lab, and your choice of a 3rd color. I think I've got pictures of each of these on my for sale page - take a look [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] - just try to ignore the incompleteness of the page.

The coral substrate is a good option it helps give you more stable ph and buffer ability , that way you dont have to doctor it as much

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heres mbuna from malawi

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not great pics but you see the color variety

Thanks for all your help guys. I really appreciate it.

Whats the best way to get a hold of crushed coral and limestone? Im guessing most fish stores are going to have the coral but you guys might know a trick or too.

I currently use a lot of SeaChem products [love them]. You guys use their Malawi Salt? I was using their American Cichlid salt for my Oscar.