I am planning on getting a 55 gallon sooner or later. My lfs carries a large variety of cichlids so i am not too restricted. I want a list of types of cichlids that will work together in a group in my 55 gallon. (convicts, yellow + blue haps, etc.)
55 G community cichlid stocking...
- Thread starter stunt 101
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a convict is south american and the yellow and blue are african sothose won't work if u want alot of color go with africans or u can do some convicts
any specific cichlids i should look for that make good community fish with other cichlids? i want about 5 or more cichlids that will live together well, have good color and will not out grow the tank. any ideas/advice would be greatly appreciated. (I am going to the lfs today so i will write down every cichlid they have in stock) (will yellow labs work too?)
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For all out color you can't beat an all male hap/peacock show tank. But a 55g is much too small, I wouldn't try this with anything less than a 6 foot tank. With a 55 a nice group of yellow labs and acei would have alot of color. Both these two species are less aggressive than the average mbuna, but their still mbunas 
. yellow labs and acei
For more info click here
. yellow labs and acei For more info click here
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in a 55 you could get some mild mbuna (yellow labs, afras, rusties, etc), and some peacocks.
peacocks are aka alunocara (sp?) haps. they come in bright colors and are very impressive, and dont generally get over 4" long.
i would go to some cichlid sites, http://www.malawimayhem.com is good. they have a large species profiles section you can use to check out some different kinds of fish.
pick some that interest you, then ask if they are compatible. i would say do 5 or 6 mbuna, and 3 or 4 peacocks and you would be stocked nicely.
peacocks are aka alunocara (sp?) haps. they come in bright colors and are very impressive, and dont generally get over 4" long.
i would go to some cichlid sites, http://www.malawimayhem.com is good. they have a large species profiles section you can use to check out some different kinds of fish.
pick some that interest you, then ask if they are compatible. i would say do 5 or 6 mbuna, and 3 or 4 peacocks and you would be stocked nicely.
I think that peacocks max out about 6" (for males anyway). Also haps/peacocks need a meatier diet while mbunas for the most part are vegitarians, just becareful of bloat. Imho a larger groups of mbunas will workout better, more fish to spread the stress. With 3 full grown peacocks in a 55 you may loose the community atmosphere you are looking for. Just a thought.
interesting recomendations on a 55 gallon. I have a 65 gallon which is just a little taller than a 55 and have been researching a malawi tank recently and my final choice will be a 1M/3F ratio each of aulonocara bi-color, O.Lithobates "hap" and electric yellow mbunas and was actually told I could put a larger number of each fish with no problems by several experienced breeders who currently house these fish. Go to www.cichlidforums.com or www.cichlid-forum.com and read more on those fish, they don't require as much space as you think. Most Mbuna are vegetarians but some aren't. I have not stocked my tank yet so I can't speak from experience but one of the people who "approved" my list is a local fellow who I've met and seen his breeding tanks and he is fairly knowledgable. Kyle