Another Stocking As Usual

[timbruun]

Just working out my final stocking here. It's a 90 gallon. 48x18x24. Sand substrate with rocks. No shortage of filtration.

So what I have planned so far is:

20 Demanosi

? Electric Yellows

? Synodontis Petricola

I have 2 Longfin Albino Plecos already

? Other fish

And I'd like to add another species. Was looking at acei, red zebra or auratus. I was told that might work. But what would be good. I just want something that isn't blue like the Demanosi and not bright yellow like the Electric Yellows. Similar color with different designs would be fine. Give me some ideas would be great.

Thanks in advance

[Kaiote]

Here are some of my suggestions:

Pseudotropheus Polit http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=914

P Acei Itungi "Black Tanzanian" http://www.malawicichlids.dk/html/acei.html

P Socolofi Albino http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1786

If your not diehard on staying Malawi-true, there seems to be quite a few zebra obliquedens

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1556 around.

[jesp]

I have not had good experiences with electric yellows with my mbuna. They have always been so timid in my tanks, and they end up being fish food.

I have LOTS of recommendations. I really enjoy OB peacocks. They can be in lots of cool colours. I love lake victorians. I have rock kribs, crimson tide, and zebra obliqueden. Good red zebras add great solid colour. Venestus are awesome if you get some with solid patterns. They are among my favorites. My aurutas are nice because you can put in a blue, white and black male with 3 or so yellow, black and white females. I think that it is also fun to put in some odd looking cichlids too, like a nice eye-biter, or a few from lake tang. I love the perticola too, they are cool cats.

I would say get some of the cichlids you know you want for now, then just wait around to see what else you come across over time.

Be sure to tell us what you decide on and maybe get up some pictures.

Cheers

[timbruun]

Yea I really like the Petricolas also. Very neat. I will for sure get some pictures up when I'm all settled in. So how does this look? Fully stocked? Looks like it'll be great color and nice active fish.

15 Demanosi

5 Electric Yellows

5 Firecracker Leleupi

5 Eureka Red Males

6 Petricolas

2 Albino Longfin Bristlenose Plecos

[RD.]

Personally I would stick with just the mbuna, especially in a 4ft tank.

15 demasoni

8 electric yellows

7 red zebras (shoot for 3 males)

+ whatever synos & BN's that you decide to add. That keeps your number of cichlids at 30, as posted above.

For the most part those fish will spread the aggression out amongst themselves.

I would not mix haps such as venustus, or peacocks in an mbuna tank, but that's just me. Been there, done that.

Yellow labs will generally mix with almost anything, I've kept them with scores of other mbuna species with no issues.

A. jacobfreibergi males do NOT play nice with each other, so I would most definitely pass on the 5 Eureka males.

Edited October 23, 2009 by RD.

[timbruun]

Are the red zebras not pretty aggressive? And if the eureka are only males without the females that should curve aggression?

[RD.]

All mbuna are aggressive, some just more than others. IMO P. demasoni can be twice as nasty as red zebras, they just happen to be smaller. Females or not, the Eureka's will beat the tar out of each other. Most male jakes simply don't mix well with other male peacocks, and most certainly not with other male jakes. (even in much larger tanks than yours)

[jonnytens]

i keep several different mbuna species in my 110 gallon tank, i have no losses due to aggression because i overstock my tank , and it gives you a very active colorful tank. i am not into mixing lakes hence i wouldn't add petricolas , leleupi's or brislenoses, i prefer to mimic there natural conditions. here is an article which may be helpful.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/why_...an_cichlids.php

[timbruun]

Than what would you recommend jonnytens?

I'd like to keep the

Demanosi, Yellows, Petricolas and Plecos. Leleupi and Eureka are changeable. I have the plecos right now and I don't want to get rid of them. And I really enjoy the Petricola.

[Wingin' It]

Pseudo. Polits are nice...and available locally and could probably keep up with the others.

[Vallisneria]

Ps. Acei are nice as they are more of an open water swimmer. That way the yellows and demasoni will use the rock work and the Acei will be more out in the open.

I have Yellow labs, M. Cyaneorhabdos, Ps.acei and Synos in my 90g. Looks great and there is barely any aggression, only a tiny bit of chasing.

[RD.]

Tim .......... Ultimately what you add is your call. There are certain mixes that I wouldn't recommend as the odds for long term success are low. That's not saying it can't be done, or even shouldn't be done, but some set ups & mixes of fish tend to work out (long term) much better than others.

The only downside to keeping petricola with 30 or so mbuna is that they may be outcompeted for food. If you add enough rock work, with lots of small caves, holes, & crevices, the petricola should be able to get their fair share. (see Val's post above)

Same with the BN's. If you enjoy petricola then my advice would be to get some.

African cichlid tanks all boil down to personal preference. The only African tank that I currently have running is an all male hap/peacock 125 gallon. Nothing overly natural about keeping nothing but males in a glass cage, but this tank has been running for several years, and it works very well. Far less aggression than when I was keeping only 2 species of haps (C. moorii & Taiwan Reef) in a 6ft tank who constantly harrased their females, with the 2 male haps fighting for breeding territory on a daily basis. It's all about balance, and the personal behaviour of each fish. Some fish that are classified as very aggressive can turn out to be total wimps, others known for being very passive can turn out to be stone cold killers. I have a male yellow lab that co-existed with another male & females for years (in a 6ft 125 gallon tank) , and one day when challenged by the sub dom male decided to rip him to shreds. That fish was dead before I returned home a few hours later.

Keeping some of the info posted above in mind, my advice would be to pick some fish that you personally like, and see how things play out over time. Nothing saying that you can't change things up down the road if you feel the need.

HTH

[timbruun]

Thanks RD. I know that every fish is different. I'm just more worried about ones that will not work together at all. Don't really want cross breeding either. I'll be getting quality stock and I don't really want to mess it up if they do decide to breed. I can easily, and will if need be, modify my tank if there are issues. I have rocks in the tank right now, but I am looking to add more since some of the fish I'm looking at can be more aggressive. If the need ever arises I also do have a spare 29 gallon that could be set up in an emergency. And always looking for input. Every fish that someone mentions I read up on if I haven't already, and find lots of pictures to see how they look. I'm fairly new to the African Cichlids but I'm really enjoying it and doing lots of reading.

If anyone else has more input keep it coming. It's geatly appreciated. Learn from others mistakes. But like you say, some with will be fine for me whereas with others they weren't. I currently have Piranhas with a variety of fish and really haven't too many issues where others can't keep anything with them.

[RD.]

So far the only ones that will definitely not work together at all would be the 5 Eureka Red Males.

[jesp]

RD. said it perfectly. Sometimes all the planning in the world and things just kill each other; on the other hand, sometimes I hear about the craziest mixes ever and they seem to work well. I think my tank is more on the side of mix and match, but I have no aggression in my tank other than the rare curfuffle between big males.

You gotta just let the tank evolve, and sometimes that does mean taking out something that is not jiving with the crowd. It's good to have that 29 gallon around.

Also, with the petricolas, they are great eaters if anything touches the bottom for the most part. Just make sure that when you are feeding that you see them getting their share. They are a great addition to the tank, and really are not a challenge to keep. IF though, you decide to get something else that is going to compete for food on the bottom, the petricolas are going to win. I had a hillstream loach that ended up starving.....