question about pseudotropheus Acei

[silentskream]

are there other color variations?

the only one i can find online is indigo with yellow fins/tail.

my LFS has a space for them (although they're out ATM) and i just wanted to know what to expect.

also, how are they with smaller africans?

[Coler]

Yes there are two that I know of...you have the indigo with yellow trim and one with a dark purple black with white trim (pseudotropheus acei 'ngara')...in fact you also have the latter with a yellow touch to the dorsal fin which is pseudotropheus acei 'tanzania'. I prefer these other two myself.

They all are amongst the more peaceful mbuna and not seriously aggressive. As with all mbuna that depends on tank mates and tank size.

e.g. stocking with demasoni = potential disaster because the demasoni will potentially make mince meat of them as demasoni are smaller but far, far more aggressive.

[silentskream]

i'm thinking more like yellow labs or other pseudotropheus spp.

the stuff we saw that we liked at the LFS were:
the yellow labs,
the acei,
sciaenochromis ahli,
melanchromis auratus,
and then a mix of various pseudotropeus spp.

i'm just tryin to get an idea of a possible mix. i'd like to avoid ordering online if i can.

[Coler]

Ok the ahli's are nice but big and not a great option with mbuna unless in a big tank, and even then maybe not...its a piscevore and very aggressive.

The labs and the acei would go very well together, both/either variety of acei.

The auratus I reccomend against unless again in a very very large tank - they are absolutely amongst the most aggressive mbuna and are often considered tank killers in smaller set-ups. Also, the males lose that lovely coloration as they mature and turn quite dark and murky looking imo.

How big is the tank going to be ?

[silentskream]

its at least 200gal.. from the math i figured it was about 250


ok so what about mostly labs and acei (like maybe 10 of each?)
then a handful of the "assorted pseudotropheus"
and like one of the ahli? assuming it's small to begin with. i definitely dont want to get a big one cuz all the others are still juveniles, and that would just up the probabilily of some lunch.

if that doesn't work.. maybe could i just order some blue peacocks instead of the ahli?

i know a lot of this is a numbers game, finding the right ratio of males to females and fish to caves, and big fish to little fish and cranky fish to nice fish.

thanks for the tips!

[silentskream]

anybody have an opinion on this?

[spirals]

That set up should be ok, although I'm still wary about the Ahli ( I dunno, they scare me when with other fish, like Oscars). Most of the ahli we get at our store are about 4-5" long, and I think our thing says they get 6"? I just know that when I started there I was told "the ahli are very aggressive so make sure the tank is very large or they are the only ones in it" . Then again, 250G is pretty big, and I am so jealous..lol Time to go research them....

[Coler]

Sorry missed your reply.

Labs and Acei will look really good together...ration of 1 male to 3/4 females applies.

You could try the Ahli, but I think it would limit your other choices a bit.

What about pseudotropheus socolofi...same ration of 1 male to 3/4 females minimum, or iodostropheus sperengae (rusty cichlid)

And then some peacocks...people say don't mix them with Mbuna but I don't accept that this always applies, and you have a great big tank.

So...e.g 7/8 of the labs, acei and socolofi, some synodontis catfish and some male Peacocks...pick out 8/10 or so that you like, go for different colourations to minimise conspecific aggression...would be a great, colourful tank...use natural looking substrate, or the black stuff...black background & lots of rockwork...I'm jealous :D

As with any african set-up you would ideally have a Plan B to deal with aggression - sometimes you just get a Peacock with a little too much 'personality' and you have to be willing to remove him from your tank, especially in an all male Peacock setting.

[DeputyChiefJR]

I just got another variation on the Acei...It has a black body and white fins...Look it up under the name "White Tail Acei"

[Weezer]

We have peacocks with labs and they seem to do fine, i wanted an acei but upon reading about them they are said to be very aggressive and prefer a darker substrate and lighting, if some one has a different experience with them please post, i would like to add one but don't need a bully......:)

[silentskream]

i have a 39 gallon that's just been holding water and no fish for quite some time.. i might set that up as a "just in case" tank.

its also probably a good idea because all the africans that my LFS sells are teeeeeny tiny.. they're like an inch or less long, so there's no telling what gender they are.. and this way i can get the right number, and then if i find out that i have too many males i can split them up.

i kinda wanted to do a lighter substrate.. so i might try them with a light substrate and if it seems to be causing problems, i'll add something darker. i definitely want to do a huge dark rocky pile (i'm gonna do the DIY concrete/styro thing i think)

i think i'm gonna scratch the ahli idea.. i like the other suggestions, the issue is just going to be how to find them without breaking the bank to do so.

thanks for all the help/ideas guys! i really appreciate it.

[Weezer]

It sounds like your LFS is selling fry, i asked ours if i brought some in if i could get credit for them , they said no and they would be used for feeders,,:eek3: ..I think not.......:)

[silentskream]

yeah some of the littlest guys have gotten through the divider to the goldfish side.. and although the goldfish are still smallish, they're WAY bigger than the little babies. it makes me so sad 8(

[Coler]

We have peacocks with labs and they seem to do fine, i wanted an acei but upon reading about them they are said to be very aggressive and prefer a darker substrate and lighting, if some one has a different experience with them please post, i would like to add one but don't need a bully......:)

I think you are likely to be OK; I've always understood them to be way down the relative scale of aggression for mbuna. I have one in a smaller tank than you and it's working fine; he's about 4 inches now and never a bother.

[Weezer]

Thanks, just wondering.............:)

[silentskream]

any ideas for a "Centerpiece fish" that i can keep with these guys? the man of the house wants one that can be individually identified as his own.
*rolls eyes*

[Weezer]

Just an update, we purchased an Acei a few days ago and is doing well, still alittle shy but active, he is about 2 inches, his colors are mainly purple with yellow fins and tail, although that may change as he grows, he hangs out in one of the plants most of the time so its difficult to get a good pic, when things calm down I'll make a vid,, we also got 2 more Blue Cobalt's, also doing fine.............:)

[silentskream]

awesome! let me know how he does!