CryptKeeper54's 44 pentagon cichlid tank

Neoman · 05-01-2012, 06:35 PM

You'll be in for a treat when they get bigger, looks like some pretty solid yellows on those 2 in the front and the males will get some nice black outlining on their fins. Are you thinking about breeding?

Also, as far as stocking, IMO 12 Demasonis added to the 6 labs would be way too much, 18 cichlids between 4-6 inches each in a 44 gallon would just be asking for trouble. You'd probably be safe with 6 and 6, you've got a good filter for the tank and lots of rockwork for them to claim territories. I am really looking forward to seeing how this turns out though, I've seen quite a few demasoni/lab tanks and you're right, the contrast is awesome.

CryptKeeper54 · 05-02-2012, 09:06 AM

Breeding these fish has not crossed my mind. I think this tank is to small for that. And I would probably sell or give away my fish when they get bigger. That is unless I get a bigger tank of course. And I'm gonna do 6-8 demasonis. 12 sounded good but probably not realistic.

CryptKeeper54 · 05-17-2012, 12:55 AM

Added 6 demasoni cichlids. Love the look of these fish. Shrimp and Otos have disappeared. Now I know better.

Noticed some hair algae on some java fern leaves.... overfeeding maybe? Added frogbit and duckweed. Let's see if it helps out a bit.

My cichlids seem to hide a lot in the rocks when I'm near. They dart into retreat. Is this normal? They seem scared of me.

Excuse the phone photos. Gonna start practicing with my DSLR soon... any tips are welcomed.

2in10 · 05-17-2012, 01:24 AM

Beautiful tank and the behavior is normal. They may get use to you in a month or two.

wicca27 · 05-17-2012, 05:17 AM

i love the look of this tank and the rock an java fern are awsome. please keep updating. they cichlids will get used to you after a while. mine did that for a bit when i had them. get a chair and just sit in front of it for a while they will come out.

JEden8 · 05-17-2012, 08:46 PM

Very nice setup!

ikuzo · 05-18-2012, 01:34 AM

nice scape with the ferns on top

CryptKeeper54 · 05-19-2012, 01:00 AM

Thanks for the feedback, I love this tank. In retrospect, I think I should of used one type of rock. But I can live with this scape for a long time. I know most people hate it, but I like he look of the addition of frogbit and duckweed. Adds a more natural feel IMO. Gonna start practicing with photograhing this tank with my DSLR soon. I'm an amateur photographer but got to start somewhere; why not with a hobby I love:-)

CryptKeeper54 · 07-17-2012, 09:57 PM

Update:

My cichlids have been shy and always hidng in the rock scape. I've seen some yellow lab fry as well. Anyways, I read up on adding "dither" fish so I just put in 21 leopard danios..... to my surprise it worked like a charm. My cichlids have come out to play. The one dominant yellow has gotten huge.

Next update will hopefully involve my Nikon D5100 and a youtube video of this tank.

**akdylpickles** · 07-17-2012, 10:58 PM

Sweet tank! I hope youre cichlids don't try to kill eachother!

atomicjade · 07-23-2012, 06:32 PM

Awesome tank, I have never really looked at the corner/hexagonal types but yours really shines. The rock work is great, and as mentioned the ferns set it off! I also really like the frogbit and duckweed, I know some people don't care for the floaters but I'm not one of them

.

CryptKeeper54 · 08-01-2012, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atomicjade

Awesome tank, I have never really looked at the corner/hexagonal types but yours really shines. The rock work is great, and as mentioned the ferns set it off! I also really like the frogbit and duckweed, I know some people don't care for the floaters but I'm not one of them

.

Thanks. Some shots with my Nikon D5100. I need to work on my photography skills. Took shot during day time, sorry for the glare.

CryptKeeper54 · 08-08-2012, 08:19 PM

Update:

To my surprise, a few yellow and demasoni babies are alive. The baby demasoni looks awesome. Hard to see in pic but they are there. Need to transfer this setup to a 110 gal at least. Wish I had the funding and space.

Sidenote: my ferns look horrible. Yellowing and browning... just plain dying. Gonna try and add potassium after water change and gonna go back to weekly water change since my bioload is ridiculous.

I need to figure out how to catch/trap these babies so I can give'em away. Any suggestions?

Yuck....

05-01-2012, 06:35 PM	#16
Neoman Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Oswego, Il Posts: 353	You'll be in for a treat when they get bigger, looks like some pretty solid yellows on those 2 in the front and the males will get some nice black outlining on their fins. Are you thinking about breeding? Also, as far as stocking, IMO 12 Demasonis added to the 6 labs would be way too much, 18 cichlids between 4-6 inches each in a 44 gallon would just be asking for trouble. You'd probably be safe with 6 and 6, you've got a good filter for the tank and lots of rockwork for them to claim territories. I am really looking forward to seeing how this turns out though, I've seen quite a few demasoni/lab tanks and you're right, the contrast is awesome. __________________

05-02-2012, 09:06 AM	#17
CryptKeeper54 Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 346	Breeding these fish has not crossed my mind. I think this tank is to small for that. And I would probably sell or give away my fish when they get bigger. That is unless I get a bigger tank of course. And I'm gonna do 6-8 demasonis. 12 sounded good but probably not realistic. __________________ CURRENT: 12 Gallon Long, ADA mini M "Reborn", 75 gal Cichlid Tank CLUBS: 12 Gal Long Club,*Nikon Pimp #062* RETIRED: ADA Mini M, Schuber Wright Mini 66, Fluval Spec, Fluval Spec V, EheimAquastyle 6g, Fluval Edge 6g, 44 Pentagon Owner/Creator of Plantednanotanks.com

05-17-2012, 12:55 AM	#18
CryptKeeper54 Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 346	Added 6 demasoni cichlids. Love the look of these fish. Shrimp and Otos have disappeared. Now I know better. Noticed some hair algae on some java fern leaves.... overfeeding maybe? Added frogbit and duckweed. Let's see if it helps out a bit. My cichlids seem to hide a lot in the rocks when I'm near. They dart into retreat. Is this normal? They seem scared of me. Excuse the phone photos. Gonna start practicing with my DSLR soon... any tips are welcomed. __________________ CURRENT: 12 Gallon Long, ADA mini M "Reborn", 75 gal Cichlid Tank CLUBS: 12 Gal Long Club,*Nikon Pimp #062* RETIRED: ADA Mini M, Schuber Wright Mini 66, Fluval Spec, Fluval Spec V, EheimAquastyle 6g, Fluval Edge 6g, 44 Pentagon Owner/Creator of Plantednanotanks.com

05-17-2012, 01:24 AM	#19
2in10 Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4/100%) Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Sparks, NV Posts: 2,585	Beautiful tank and the behavior is normal. They may get use to you in a month or two. __________________ *2in10's 75 Gallon Jungle part duex* *2in10's 75 Gallon Jungle part 1* 8 Gallon Biocube Canon Pimp Club #041

05-17-2012, 08:46 PM	#21
JEden8 Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (8/100%) Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 787	Very nice setup! __________________ 90 Gallon Rainbowfish/Angelfish Tank 27 Gallon Cube Cherry Shrimp & Albino Bristlenose Grow Out Tank *FILSTAR PIMP #173* Canon Pimp Club #44

05-17-2012, 05:17 AM	#20
wicca27 Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: May 2009 Location: Fort Knox Posts: 2,812	i love the look of this tank and the rock an java fern are awsome. please keep updating. they cichlids will get used to you after a while. mine did that for a bit when i had them. get a chair and just sit in front of it for a while they will come out.

05-18-2012, 01:34 AM	#22
ikuzo Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Indonesia Posts: 2,029	nice scape with the ferns on top __________________ ikuzo-scapes The Pseudomugil Tank

05-19-2012, 01:00 AM	#23
CryptKeeper54 Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 346	Thanks for the feedback, I love this tank. In retrospect, I think I should of used one type of rock. But I can live with this scape for a long time. I know most people hate it, but I like he look of the addition of frogbit and duckweed. Adds a more natural feel IMO. Gonna start practicing with photograhing this tank with my DSLR soon. I'm an amateur photographer but got to start somewhere; why not with a hobby I love:-) __________________ CURRENT: 12 Gallon Long, ADA mini M "Reborn", 75 gal Cichlid Tank CLUBS: 12 Gal Long Club,*Nikon Pimp #062* RETIRED: ADA Mini M, Schuber Wright Mini 66, Fluval Spec, Fluval Spec V, EheimAquastyle 6g, Fluval Edge 6g, 44 Pentagon Owner/Creator of Plantednanotanks.com

07-17-2012, 09:57 PM	#24
CryptKeeper54 Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 346	Update: My cichlids have been shy and always hidng in the rock scape. I've seen some yellow lab fry as well. Anyways, I read up on adding "dither" fish so I just put in 21 leopard danios..... to my surprise it worked like a charm. My cichlids have come out to play. The one dominant yellow has gotten huge. Next update will hopefully involve my Nikon D5100 and a youtube video of this tank. __________________ CURRENT: 12 Gallon Long, ADA mini M "Reborn", 75 gal Cichlid Tank CLUBS: 12 Gal Long Club,*Nikon Pimp #062* RETIRED: ADA Mini M, Schuber Wright Mini 66, Fluval Spec, Fluval Spec V, EheimAquastyle 6g, Fluval Edge 6g, 44 Pentagon Owner/Creator of Plantednanotanks.com

07-17-2012, 10:58 PM	#25
akdylpickles Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Alaska Posts: 495	Sweet tank! I hope youre cichlids don't try to kill eachother! __________________ Aks 90 glallon emersed

07-23-2012, 06:32 PM	#26
atomicjade Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Englewood, FL Posts: 20	Awesome tank, I have never really looked at the corner/hexagonal types but yours really shines. The rock work is great, and as mentioned the ferns set it off! I also really like the frogbit and duckweed, I know some people don't care for the floaters but I'm not one of them .

08-08-2012, 08:19 PM	#28
CryptKeeper54 Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 346	Update: To my surprise, a few yellow and demasoni babies are alive. The baby demasoni looks awesome. Hard to see in pic but they are there. Need to transfer this setup to a 110 gal at least. Wish I had the funding and space. Sidenote: my ferns look horrible. Yellowing and browning... just plain dying. Gonna try and add potassium after water change and gonna go back to weekly water change since my bioload is ridiculous. I need to figure out how to catch/trap these babies so I can give'em away. Any suggestions? Yuck.... __________________ CURRENT: 12 Gallon Long, ADA mini M "Reborn", 75 gal Cichlid Tank CLUBS: 12 Gal Long Club,*Nikon Pimp #062* RETIRED: ADA Mini M, Schuber Wright Mini 66, Fluval Spec, Fluval Spec V, EheimAquastyle 6g, Fluval Edge 6g, 44 Pentagon Owner/Creator of Plantednanotanks.com

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