Who Gives A Fish Forums

I upgraded last year, and my fish seem happier. The water stays cleaner longer, and I don't have to do as many water changes. But it's a big upfront cost, so maybe start with used equipment if you're on a budget.

I've had them with other species, no issues, mbuna and Hap's are fine. But conspecifics are a different story altogether. The males are brutal once they mature, just as likely to kill the females as they are to spawn with them. Rival males are even worse, it's a real bloodbath.

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'll try adjusting the light and maybe add a second one. I don't have a PAR meter, but I'll keep an eye on the plants for signs of stress.

I've got a 30 gallon tank that's 24 inches deep. My Java Fern and Anubias aren't doing great, and I'm wondering if it's because the tank's too deep. The light is a Fluval Plant 3.0, set to 70% for 8 hours. Substrate is sand with root tabs. Anyone else deal with this?

I've got BNs in most of my tanks these days. The ones that spawn in my cichlid tanks - think mbuna, peacocks, CA or SA - aren't really a concern. I actually take the new BN fry from my breeding tank and toss them into the cichlid tanks, see how they fare. It's a numbers game - the ones that manage ...

I'd say Tanganyikan cichlids are indeed more suitable for a 30-gallon tank compared to Malawi. A combination of multis and a pair of J. transcriptus or N. buescheri could work well, and you could even consider adding a single Calvus if you wanted to mix things up a bit.