Quick questions on setting up a new 55 gallon (4 ft long) African Cichlid tank? Cycling? Liverock? Timeframe?

Question

I'm getting ready in the next couple weeks to set up an African Cichlid tank. I hope to get several different (compatable) species but haven't decided exactly what I'll end up getting. Oh yea, and I'm getting a Hybrid Blood Parrot. I've seen it done twice now.

When I talked to a local pet store guy specializing in Cichlids he said that there was absolutely no reason to wait longer than 24 hours after you set up a tank to put fish it in. Basically because once you know the filter, heater, and air pump are working nothing changes within the tank until you introduce some sort of bacteria.

So: I read some stuff about using feeder goldfish to get a tank started. Am I crazy or isn't that kinda cruel if they're just going to die after a couple days?

And: What's the point of liverock? It's like way more expensive than the regular rock, and definately much more expensive than running out to the creek and grabbing some from there. (What are the potential problems with that? If any...)

Answer 1

Live rock is almost always a term given to porous rocks that have been seeded with nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria for SALTWATER tanks.  The process that will allow the bacteria to establish, whether freshwater or saltwater, is called cycling.  For this process to begin, there must be an ammonia source, which can either be from fish waste, decaying organic material, or pure ammonia.  Some people use fish, which is rather cruel, as it subjects them to toxic levels of ammonia and nitrite, both of which can cause permanent damage to the fish, and in many cases, lead to death.  A much better method is to get live media (filter floss, foam, gravel, ceramic rings, etc.) from an established tank (a bit like live rock), as this will seed the new tank with the bacteria you need.  This will allow you to add a FEW fish immediately, as the bacteria will be able to support the fish for a while, and slowly grow as you increase the bioload.  Until you have such a seed, I would not add fish.

As far as stocking, I would strongly caution you against adding a Blood Parrot...  The chances of it surviving long term are about as good as it breeding by itself (it won't happen).  The common species of African Cichlids are Mbuna, which are very territorial, need a high pH, and have a low protein diet.  The Parrot is almost exactly the opposite-- too mutated to defend itself, needs a low/neutral pH,  and a high protein diet.  It will NOT be good mixture.  I would much prefer a rocky tank with Zebras, Electric Yellows, Powder Blues, and some Haplochromis species for the upper levels.