My second planted cichlid tank

[tiger15]

Having success with my first planted cichlid tank which I documented in a journal,

https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/threads/my-first-planted-cichlid-tank.685287/page-6

I am ready to start my second planted cichlid tank. The challenge is greater because the tank is bigger, 125 gal, and the residents are bigger, more powerful and destructive. But with experience of my first planted tank, I am better at taking the challenge.

Here are pics of my existing fish only set up with three piles of carved rock to provide hide out for the fish. The rockscape is functional for the fish, but bad design from aquascaping perspective. Carved rocks are artificial, and mixing rock type is unnatural as you will never see rock mixing in nature. So I broke up the larva rock pile and laid them out as foundation for future planting.

I will attach epiphytes exclusively on larva rock with no substrate plants as cichlid dig . I have good supply of epiphytes from my planted 75, multiple varieties of Anubias,, Buce and Java ferns that I can transplant. Initially. I will use use only regular JF and narrow leaf Trident JF, as they are toughest. My largest inhabitants include a 11” Bifas, 10” Frontosa and 10” Malawian trout, and 5 severum in the 7” size which I heard are herbivore, but hopefully, the JF are too destasteful to them. My remaining fish are aulanocara size fish not anticipated to be problematic.

I have already cartooned out the plants on the rock scape and will follow through in the next couple weeks when CO2 equipment come. I have no plan to rehome the big guys now and waiting to see how it goes, but my long term plan is to replace them with fish no larger than aulanocara. I’ll update the journal as it progresses and welcome comments.

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[J. H.]

Nice. I see you have a champsochromis. Is the tank big enough, or do you feel he's cramped?

 

[twentyleagues]

Sevs are omnivores. So yes plants on the menu...but in my experiences with them is they are picky about it and would rather eat meaty foods. I like how you have it planned! My guess in the paint pic that the guy on the left end is going to be your main problem keeping plants. I dont know the type for sure but looks sa/ca herbivore/omnivore.

 

[tiger15]

The champsochromis is about 2 year old, 10”, slender but not bulky. I think it is a female because it hasn’t colored out yet, and probably will gain no more than a couple inches. I’m giving her away for free if someone has a male to match.

The big guy on the far left in the last pic is a Vieja Bifas, 11”. The Bifas and the Frontosa are potential problem because of their size and power, regardless of whether they are carnivour or herbivour. I don’t think the champsochromis is a problem because she is docile, and not much an earth mover. Big guys are problem in my planted 75, and hopefully they don’t give me problem in a bigger tank, So I don’t need to rehome them.

 

[tiger15]

This is day 1 after planting.

 

[tiger15]

The list of plants are short, just regular broad leaf JF and narrow leaf Trident Java fern. Setting up my second planted tank is easier as my first tan supplied the stock of plants to transplant. It would be very costly if I had to buy all that much plants to fill up a 125g.

The JF are as tough as garden perennial as I had to pull hard to divide them. Hopefully the toughness can resist cichlid abuse.

 

[tiger15]

Here are the list of fish in the tank. I am pushing the limit, as the fish load and size are huge. I wish I can retain most of them, and wait and see who are distructive and need to be rehomed. It’s interesting that after adding the plants, the tank appears to be less crowded because there are more hiding places for the fish.

Vieja bifasciatus 10”
Hypsophrys nicaraguensis Male 8”, female 4” x 2
Cryptoheros nanoleutus 3” x 3
Sunshine peacock 6”
Dragon blood peacock 6”
Malawian pike 9”
Zaire Tembwe Frontosa 9”
Cryptoheros sajica 3” x 2
Red shoulder Severum 5” x 2
Red spot Severum 4” x 2
Torquois Severum 5”
Electric blue Ashli 5”
Lamprologous elongatis 5”
Bristlenose pleco 3” x 8

 

[Mitchell The Monster]

How have the plants stood up? Did you end up having to rehome anyone?

 

[tiger15]

The plants have stood up and do very well now, after a couple months struggle to replant (reglue) float out plants on weekly to daily basis. It also helped that I reformed a few large destructive fish (10” Bifas, 7” turquoise Severum, 10” Malawian pike, 9” male Nics ). The distruction is not just size issue, but nesting hbehavior of subtract spawners so I cannot allow spawning to take place. For instance, my female Nics behaves well now after I rehomed the male as she was pulling plants, picking up sand and blowing everywhere before. The only big guy left is a 9 “ Zaire Frontosa and he is well behaved. I added a school of 2 to 4” roseline barb, rosy barb, Siamese algae eater, and a pink tail chalceus. I couldn’t house these open water small fish before because they would be too skittish among former big threatening fish, though none will likely prey on them as they have lost their predatory instinct from dry food diet.

Here are update pics of the tank.

 

[Mitchell The Monster]

Looking good! I like the thinned out stock personally.