New tank options: tropheus or malawi cichlids?

[dune9]

Hi,

I recently scored a great deal on a tank and just couldn't pass it up.

The tank's dimensions are 124cm x 40cm x 52cm high.

Initially, I was thinking of setting up a Lake Malawi tank, with a focus on yellow labs, but having kept them before, I thought, why not try something different?

I've always been fascinated by tangs, specifically Tropheus Ikola or Bemba.

Do you guys think this tank is suitable for these fish, and if so, what would be the ideal stocking levels?

I'm keen on keeping just one species of Tropheus - any recommendations would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

[coltin]

When it comes to Tropheus, there are a couple of key things to remember. Firstly, their diet should consist entirely of plant matter - think plant-based foods, and definitely no meat. This includes frozen bloodworms, as they can cause the fish a lot of problems. You see, Tropheus have long digestive tracts, and if you give them meat-based foods, the food often starts to rot before it's expelled, leading to bloat and other issues.

In terms of keeping them, it's generally recommended to keep them in colonies of around 10 or so. This way, you can remove the weaker males as they get picked on, and you'll be left with a dominant male and a group of females. This seems to work well for them. Of course, you'll also want to make sure you're keeping them in hard, alkaline water, and that your filtration system is up to the task of removing any ammonia as soon as it's produced.

As for your tank, I think you could easily keep 10-12 adult Tropheus in there. I'd recommend buying smaller ones and letting them grow up - it's always more fun to watch them develop, and it's better for the fish too.

[dune9]

Thanks for the advice, I think I'll go with 12 Ikola, sounds like a plan to me.

[dune9]

I'm considering mixed species - Ikola, Bemba, Kiriza, for instance. My main concern is if they breed, the fry would be harder to rehome due to interbreeding. Would this setup work in my tank, or am I better off sticking with a single species like the Ikola I mentioned earlier?

[coltin]

I'm not a fan of mixing Tropheus species, it's just better to stick with one type per tank. You've got enough space for a nice colony, so why risk the potential issues that come with mixing different strains.