# Cichlids new home



## tdOtjunior (Apr 22, 2012)

I will be bringing home African cichlids this weekend possibly thats is in a tank currently established. Please! Are there any suggestions on how or to break down transport and setup at my home that's safe for them. Thanks in advance :fish9:


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

Drain the tank completely and remove all rocks. Keep the filters moist. Move the brute, level it etc. Then add most of the water (leave displacement room for rocks). Treat for chloramines. Decorate and restart the filter after the water is free of chlorine. 
You will lose a lot of bacteria, but you should be set for a restart if you work fast and keep all decorations and filters from drying, or sitting more than a couple of hours.
Do a lot of 25% water changes in the first few weeks, as the bacterial life of the tank is resetting itself.


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## tdOtjunior (Apr 22, 2012)

Thanks for the quick reply. Should I bring a 5 gallon bucket to place the fish in with the water from the tank before I empty it?? What product do you recommend that I use to treat chloramines??? Also to be on point and clear..set up the tank with decorations filter and such AFTER I fill with water and treat THEN start the filter let it run. When during this process do i add back the cichlids and what product should place in before or after adding them if needed. Sorry so many questions but I wouldn't agree to take them if I can't transport them and there be minimal shock/stress.


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

You want to make sure the chlorine or chloramine in the new water doesn't destroy the bacteria your system works on. That's why I would fill with rocks/decoration and filter out, and treat the water before I added them or the filter. You want the biocides out of the water. 
You can move the fish in a 5 gallon bucket - with no more than half full and ideally a cover for the car ride.
I can't recommend products, as they vary by country and you're probably not in mine. Any good petshop will have some, and hopefully, a US aquarist will make a suggestion.
If you are on the same water system as your friend with the fish, you're ahead. There will be stress on the fish, but not undue stress for a move.
Once the water is treated, the tank is decorated, the temperature is correct and you've wiped your brow from working so fast, add the fish. 
I've done a couple of moves using that general strategy, and it has worked just fine.


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## tdOtjunior (Apr 22, 2012)

So the cichlids are here... I only kept the tank decorations from their old water/setup as mentioned before. Tank is filled with new water also treated abd I put in the old decorations. They seem to be doing well eating, playing and such. The tank water smells HORRIBLE! LOL Is it the tank decorations??? The tank has only been up for 4 days now....HELP! Should I take out the decorations and give them a vinegar solution rub down dry out and put back?? The filter is brand new...


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

Read up on the cycle. The decorations are a source of useful bacterial life.

I'm not sure what the smell is - somethimes if the gravel transferred was dirty, you get that. 25% water changes every day or two will clear that fairly quickly, but it may take a week or two. The tank shouldn't small bad. The decorations are probably too small to produce it - it's likely the gravel.

A brand new filter doesn't filter for about 3-4 weeks, due to its own need to cycle, so it is just moving water now. Watch carefully, change water and hopefully, it will be a smooth transition.

It's kind contradictory. You need to keep the water clean, but if your tank is too 'clean', it's a disaster.You want every possible surface to be coated in beneficial microscopic bacteria. And you want to remove the waste products that are dissolved in the water.


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## tdOtjunior (Apr 22, 2012)

I rinsed the gravel at the bottom around 4 times when we brought it home it was really dirty. It has a big reef rock and around 12 other rocks and a flower. I took those out except for the huge reef rock. I will give another month because I had to use a new filter. Watching my boogers carefully until then THANKS NAVI!


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

Sounds like you're well on your way. I just wanted to throw in that since you are using a new filter the tank may have a small cycle. If you have a liquid test kit like the API master freshwater one you can monitor the ammonia and nitrite/ate, and do water changes appropriately


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## tdOtjunior (Apr 22, 2012)

Yes I have the API ammonia and PH test liquids.. I'm testing again today. She also gave Me akaline buffer. Thanks Summer I know Im asking a million questions but I want to do what's best for them


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## Aquarist03 (May 1, 2012)

I would also recommend getting yourself a nitrate, nitirite and ammonia test kit as those are the three toxins that will kill your fish. When I brought home my first group of cichlids I did not test often enough and ended up losing 4 out of my 13, including my electric blue (Sciaenochromis fryeri)! Anytime I make big changes with a tank now I test everyday for the first two weeks just to be safe. 

I also do big water changes between 50 and 70% once a week and my cichlids are extremely healthy and always seem to love the fresh water. I treat my tanks with Prime to remove chlorine and chloramine from the new water, it also detoxifies ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.


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