compatibility?

[Lou Slack]

I have a 60 gallon Malawi set-up, with 2 yellow labs, 2 electric blues, 5 cobalt blue zebras and 4 yellow regal, the questions is Are tiger barbs compatible or will they just become food? if they are not what others species may i purchase instead? thanks for your time!

[norfolkboy]

Hi Lou, I'm no expert but if you have a Malawi set up I would stick with Malawi cichlids, Tigers might look a little out of place and the water parameters might not suit them, but someone in the know will be able to advise you better than I can. Good luck mate!!


Pete

[blue2fyre]

Mbuna are best kept with other mbuna unless you get some kind of syno catfish. I keep petricola with mine and they look fantastic. I don't think the barbs would enjoy all the aggression the mbuna have to dish out.

[Coler]

Its not so much that barbs would be eaten but as blue says they would likely not thrive in the aggressive environment.

When you say you have electric blues do you mean ahlis ? Or are they johanni or another species ?

Also do you know what gender your yellow regals (Aulonocara Baenshi/Benga) are ? More than one Male may be problematic as they mature.

Its a little tough to give you good recommendations with the mix you have which don't involve fundamental change to your stock but here is one plan :

Presuming your Blues are johanni :

Add to the yellows (labidochromis caereulus) to bring up to a group of 5, no more than one male. Make a decision between the blue zebs and the johanni, as you have a good size group of zebs I would remove the 2 johanni (two groups of blue rift lake cichlids can be problematic) Work out if your regals (aulonocara baenschi/benga) are male/female. If you have 4 male, remove 3 and replace with 3 male peaocks of a different species and more importantly colouration.

You could then add one more group of mbuna, non-aggressive species ideally - e.g. Iodotropheus Sperengae (rusty cichlids) - 1 male and 3 or 4 females. Or you could add the catfish mentioned by blue above. In this tank the zebras or johanni will be the natural bosses. The others are a level less aggressive.

If your electric blues are ahlis (Sciaenochromis ahli) it is tricker. I would remove one (they get too large to keep a group in that tank I think and two will fight or if male female the female will be harassed too much). Add to your labs as above. Same advice re the regals. The Ahli gets to be a a big old aggressive fish and needs to be watched especially versus the peacocks. Other additions are tricky as you would have quite the mix but basically you want to avoid blue colourations. Rusties as mentioned above might work, as could Pseudotropheus Acei (the purple with yellow fin)...actually my mind is gone a bit blank and I have to go out for a bit so I will come back to you with a couple more thoughts on this one lol. The syno catfish are again an option.

Can you let us know if the blues are ahlis or something else ?

[Lou Slack]

the blues are Johannahi, and my regal appear very similar to Aulonocara Baenshi, ALL your advice is brill, please read mt latest thread see if ya can help! Called really confused newbee!