My very first ciclid tank.

[Pamelajo]

About a month ago Waterpond sent me a couple of Lamprologus Occelatus. Then Badguy sent me some me from a friend of his. Now have different blood lines and 3 different ages.
I had read to add them to the tank at the same time so no one was at "home court advantage". So I took the ones I had out and put them in a smaller holding container and then added them back with the new one to the ten gallon. They took to bickering very quickly so I separated the new ones with a tank divider. Two new ones snuck through some how but they seemed fine on that size so left them. Then I removed all my brigs from the shrimp tank (another post on this in inverts) and could not see leaving the shrimp in the 23g by themselves. So the shrimp went into the ten gallon. Anyway since I moved the L.O. to a bigger tank they seem more content and no tank divider. Theysquabbled a bit last night, I guess working out who gets what shell. Today I stood back and watched and them seem very content.
Would really like to hear other's people experiences with them.

[Melody]

One thing to keep in mind is that aggression is relative. If you're used to community fish then the squabbles amongst cichlids will seem more severe than it is.

Otherwise, I'm no Cichlid guru so I'll leave it to them. :smile:

[WaterPond]

Agressive agressive agressive...

but all is well enless one of them gets excluded for the group. If any do not claim a shell then they will die of stress.

Do you have their shells spread out alot? Are there hiding spaces in the tank other than the shells?

I know some people will leave all the shells at the front, just so they can see them, but you have to spread them throughout the tank.

Sometimes they can be a bit stubbourn and claim shells which are next to each others, there is no harm in picking them up and moving them to a different location.

Im glad a pawned the curse of worring about agression onto you with these fish :rolleyes: :laugh:

[KnaveTO]

Well nice to see there are others out there that are into other varieties on here. Waterpond... Corunna eh? I have family there, used to visit pretty much every year.Oh and Pam... have fun!, I hear chlids can be especially addictive... :;):

[WaterPond]

Wow, really Knave? People actually come to visit corunna? :laugh:

Sorry to get off topic...

Whats the last name? Everyone pretty much knows everyone in corunna.

[KnaveTO]

Chapman's

[WaterPond]

Not familiar. :nah:

[KnaveTO]

Have a number of cousins there and my aunt worked at the Post Office for years until she retired. Out of both of the families that went there, only one produced a son to carry on the name. So the name is dying off in the town. But there were LOTs of girls though... lol

[Pamelajo]

In their new tank they have lots of shells spread out through the tank. Big pieces of driftwood with plants attached to hide. Along with planted pots. When I had them together in the 10 gallon the agression was great until I divided the tank. But in the 23 very little agression the occasional chasing one another out of each others space. Everyone appears to have picked a shell or two to call their own.

[KnaveTO]

That is the thing I find with any semi-agressive species. So long as you provide space and more than enough hiding/territory places you should be fine. I find plecos are pretty much the same for that. Now I just to see how the Apistos (Agazzi Dbl Reds) do when I add a second male and the females.

[Pamelajo]

Like to know how you make out with them. I am hoping to get some Apistos eventually.

Waterpond: I was a little worried when I added the second bunch but once I moved them. Worrying stopped. Now waiting for them to pair of so I can hopefully send you some back.

[WaterPond]

Hahaha, i will have some multies for you soon if you want them too. I have about seven fry that are developing well, and quite quickly. They are just starting to fill out and look like adults.

[KnaveTO]

well anytime I have anything to sell or trade my posts will always be up here and GTAAquaria.com first!

[hp10BII]

Pam, I'll follow your updates on your gold occe's. Right now, I'm moving some inhabitants around so I can free up a tank for some gold occe's too. I hope I can pickup 6 of these guys in a month or so. It'll be my first African cichlid tank, so been researching a ton - water parameters so much different from everything else I have.

[Pamelajo]

The good thing about the water param. is going up is much easier than trying to bring ph etc. down.

[hp10BII]

The good thing about the water param. is going up is much easier than trying to bring ph etc. down.

Very true. We're fortunate that we don't need to make R/O water for our freshwater finny friends in our area.

Are you adding anything extra to your Occe's water? I'm debating whether to use a mixture of Epsom Salt/Marine Salt to increase GH/TDS and trace elements.

[Pamelajo]

I have crushed coral in the filter and am adding a small amount of baking soda to bring the ph up a bit.

[hp10BII]

Bumpski.

How are your gold occies doing? I'm part of a group order for some African's, could not find a supplier of gold occies right now so I'm going with blues. Still another 3 or 4 weeks away. :err:

[Pamelajo]

They are doing good. No signs of anyone pairing off yet.