socolofi swallowed her eggs. now what?

[AquariumNoob13]

i know that she has a male in the tank now. . . should i still add more socolofi to the tank?

[Mgamer20o0]

now you wait.

[AquariumNoob13]

so i don't need to add anymore socolofi?

[tarheels910]

so i don't need to add anymore socolofi?

Your tank is too small. Get a bigger one and then you can.

[GirlieGirl8521]

Your tank is too small. Get a bigger one and then you can.

Agreed. :) Socolofi are really aggressive, and this can intensify as they mature and get older. You can add more to the group, but I wouldn't until you get a larger tank. 29g isn't near big enough for these guys.

[AquariumNoob13]

how many socolofi for a 55g with 3 labs and 4 red zebras?

[elementkid65]

add a female and 2 more labs

[AquariumNoob13]

and that isn't overstocking?

[tarheels910]

and that isn't overstocking?

Hes talking about the 55.

[AquariumNoob13]

i know. but i thought socolofi got pretty big. to have 1m/2f + 1m/3f red zebras + 5 labs just seems like a lot for 55g.

[GirlieGirl8521]

Mbuna are best kept in large groups to spread aggression, especially when you have males and females. Its said that overstocking them is good, but you don't want to go overboard, especially when you don't alot of filtration.

For a 55g, you could easily have 6 Socolofi, 6 Red Zebras, and 8 Labs.........or if that seems like too much, go for 5, 5, and 6-7. I'd definitely have more Labs than the others, since they are less aggressive.

If you can get a 75g, the extra width would be worth it.

[tarheels910]

24 seems a little too much unless you are turning your tank over like 40 times. It still would seem a little cramped. About 14-17 total fish seems good with superior filtration.

[elementkid65]

yeah more labs is best. anyway 6 red zebras would be too much as red zebras get reallly really agressive as the mature.

[AquariumNoob13]

so it is best to have fewer red zebras than the other fish and more labs? am i correct? what happens if i add blue "assorted african cichlids"? from what i've been told, they are normal socolofi. . . correct? so would they breed with my albino socolofi? also, the ones in the assorted tanks are very small. will my fish tear them apart? or will they manage if i have enough caves and hiding places?

[Mgamer20o0]

24 seems a little too much unless you are turning your tank over like 40 times. It still would seem a little cramped. About 14-17 total fish seems good with superior filtration.

no amount of filtration can over come overstocking.

[kay-bee]

so it is best to have fewer red zebras than the other fish and more labs? am i correct? what happens if i add blue "assorted african cichlids"? from what i've been told, they are normal socolofi. . . correct? so would they breed with my albino socolofi? also, the ones in the assorted tanks are very small. will my fish tear them apart? or will they manage if i have enough caves and hiding places?


For a 55gal, 4 red zebras (1m/3f), 4 socolofi (1m/3f) and 6-8 yellow labs would work. The yellow labs are the least aggressive of the three species and so a greater quantity of them would work in their advantage. Fewer male red zebras is probably more concise. The alpha fish in the stock list I suggest will probably be the male red zebra.

Blue 'assorted african cichlids' doesn't necessarily equate to pseudotropheus socololi. Cobalt blue zebras, elongatus, blue hybrids and a myriad of others can be found in these tanks. If you're interested in non-albino socolofi, make sure you get what you want to get (if you can find species tanks in your area select from them first, i.e., a tank at the LFS containing only socolofi). Of course you can find socolofi in the assorted tanks (they're very common). If doing that, select a socolofi rather than a fish that 'is similar' to a socolofi.

How small is "very small"? an 1"? 2"? We all have different standards. What's the current size of the fish you have? Tiny juvies may be viewed as a food item or too insignificant to be worthy of attention. Hard to say how your established fish will react. However one thing is clear, they'll be weakest fish in the tank (at least initially) because their size and 'newness' works against them.

I've kind of lost track on how many socolofi's you currently have? Acquiring the blue ones will risk adding more socolofi males. I actually find socolofi's to be more territorial (though less dominant) than red zebras, so multiple male socolofi's may be particularly aggressive with each other.

Albino socolofi's and the traditional 'powder blue' socolofi's are the same species, just different color morphs and are capable of breeding with each other (the fry would likely be powder blue but will carry the recessive albino gene, so you could potentially produce snow white socolofi from the powder blues).

[AquariumNoob13]

ok. by tiny i mean 1" or less. i'm not exactly sure where to find more socolofi. that is the problem. the petco i go to no longer stocks them, and when i ask the employees about them they have no idea what i am talking about. i'll check petsmart. maybe they have them? if i go to aquatic warehouse will they be able to tell the difference between m/f zebras?

[kay-bee]

....if i go to aquatic warehouse will they be able to tell the difference between m/f zebras?

Hard for me to say how much the LFS knows.

How large will the red zebras be? If they're 2" or larger you may see some gender differences (look for the males to be somewhat lighter in color with a blue sheened dorsal fin). With larger red zebras in addition to the above look for pointed dorsal and anal fin tips. The thing is, some males develop these traits later than other males so it isn't an exact science.

Some female examples (note the absence of the blue sheen of the dorsal):
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a259/y2kenny19/African%20cichlids%202007/femaleredzebrajuvie.jpg

Another female (mouthbrooding fry, note the quantity of eggspots, disproving the notion that multiple eggspots equals male)
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a259/y2kenny19/African%20Cichlids2/reddaughter.jpg

Some male examples (note the blue sheen of the dorsal):

Small 2" males:
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a259/y2kenny19/African%20Cichlids2/redz.jpg

6" Male adult (note the lighter color, almost pinkish, and distinct blue sheen of the dorsal):
http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a259/y2kenny19/African%20cichlids%202007/maleadultredzebra.jpg

[AquariumNoob13]

ok! thanks a lot!

[AquariumNoob13]

i'll try my best to get the biggest ones i can so its easier to tell the difference. if i can't tell the difference, are the employees at aquatic warehouse trustworthy if they say that they can tell the difference?