Hi, my names shawn and im 15, my parents a few months ago bought a 80g tank with some african cichlids (temperature is a steady 82f, as for water hardness, and ph, and nitrates and all that i dont have a clue, i the filter every two weeks, vacum the rocks at the same time, and move a few rocks every now and then). Im not entireley sure what kinds we have in there but i think i know all the classifications for the ones we have: Copadichromis, Cynotilapia, Labidochromis (yellow labs), Metriaclima, Pseudotropheus, Neolamprologus. Now i think these are all the classes of fish we have but i cant seem to figure out what the class is for one other fish we have, there are two different kinds of them but in general one is orange on the top with a white belly and black eyes and black specks, the other one is the same but it is pale colored. Also a question i would love to have answered is: For all the classes i listed, altough there are different kinds within it, do they all have the same beahviours and like the same things? Cause if thats the case then it would make it alot easier for me to take care of them (its my parents tank but im more into it). Its very hard for me to narrow down the fish to one specific name other than the yellow labs because i wasnt the one that bought them. At first i thought it was just cool to have a nice fish tank in our living room but then a week ago we had a yellow lab pregnant (her first time im assuming), and also a pseudotropheus (electric blue, or as what the pet store called them), im pretty sure they have been pregnant awhile cause when we first noticed them they already had fry in their mouths. We got a 10 gallon tank and moved the two fish to that and the electric blue released some of her fry that day and then some more the next morning so there was a total of 13, i thought maybe it was both the fishes fry out there but when i payed extra close attention to the yellow lab she was still holding and it seemed like she wouldnt let them go. I looked it up on the internet and it said that sometimes the first time a mother has fry she tends to eat them or she just plainly wont let them go. Because of that i got worried and looked up how to strip the fish and i did and she cooperated very well, she was carrying 13 fry. Both of the adults are in the main tank and are doing good. So back on topic, i thought it was just cool to have a fish tank but then the fish got pregnant and i got hooked. Since im gonna be taking marine biology when im out of high school i thought this would be good for me. So now im gonna try to breed some more of the fish. Once i move out i will end up getting a tank of my own (a 200g lol), and set up a room with a breeding tank and a fry tank. Its the most interesting hobby i have ever started. I just think it sucks that its my parents tank so i cant be fully responsible for it, but that day will come. I know for sure that when i have my own tank i would be condtioning my water, controlling the ph, nitrates and everything, and since it isnt my tank it is a good learning experience for me before i get my own. Thanks if you read this, fully appreciated :), and if you have anything to say i would really, really love to hear it.
Oh and also i should mention we have a pleco in the tank when the fish were little, and the fish dont bother it, but when they do he just chases them off a little and then thats it.

Hi.

I had a tank back when I was around 16-18, 20 gal long with angel fish. Went to college and my parents let it rot. Came home to green water and only a few fish still alive. Luckily my father let me move it to his house and he took it over and it was very nice for awhile until he got rid of it. He had a tank when I was a kid and I think thats why I like them so much. Didn't start a tank again until recently (almost 10 years later) and did a 75g mbuna tank, now I'm hooked and want to move to a place with room for at least 1 more 75g and a 125g. Maybe a 40gall tall hex for some lace angels too.

I'd recomment getting a basic testing kit and testing ammonia, nitrite, nitrate etc. Even if the tank is cycled it might be good/interesting to see the levels change between water changes, and during the cycle for a new tank. You can also keep track of how healthy the water is that way.

Im pretty new to cichlids, but scanning those names (psuedotropheus, cynotilapia, etc) looks like you have Mbuna, I can't speak too all the different ones you have, but for the most part they'll all like to to eat and do the same things. I'm not sure about the Neolamp tho, I think it's from lake Tanganyika as opposed to Malawi where your Mbuna are from and I have never kept them.

If you have fish you can't identify you should try to take a good pic and post it up in the right forum, there are alot of knowledgeable people here that could probably tell you at a quick glance what it is.

Gotta admit, I'm jealous, I have a lab that's gotten pregnant twice, and never held to term. My next move is a 10 gal or so to seperate her into like you've done.

Not to nit pick, but next time use paragraphs instead of a wall of txt, easier to read.

That would suck alot to come home and just see your tank rotting into nothing. Angelfish are some pretty nice fish. Thanks for replying by the way :P.

Ill try to take a picture of the fish, to me he looks kind of like a goldfish just uglier. I hate how the pet stores dont name them right, they keep tanks called eletric yellows, electric blues, then they also have tanks labeled misc. cichlids.

Also im surprised with my lab, since it was the first time ive ever seen anything like it i thought maybe she had only 4 or so, but when i stripped her they were flying out, i dont think she would have lived much longer if she held onto them.

And paragraphs do make it easier haha, but i just cant get ver the fact i have to wait till i move out till i get my own tanks.

Ill look up the testing kit. How exactly do they work?

The testing kits are basically just little test tubes and containers of chemicals that change the color of the water based on how much of a certain chemical is present. It may be awhile before you get your own place and get to do your own tank, but when you do you might want to google cycling an aquarium and the nitrogen cycle.

Thanks, the more i learn now, and practice with the tank we have in our house the more better it will be for when im on my own with my own tank

Hey Shawn, welcome to ACF!!

Sounds like you have a good sized tank and a nice mix of Africans.

Looking forward to the pics, and should be able to help you identify which species they are.

Congrats on the fry!!