??Stock new 55g w/interesting cichlids--help plz

rosita

rosita

Here
Jan 11, 2006
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Cape Fear River Basin
:help:
Hey ya'll. After much reading reading reading, :look: I am thoroughly confused as
to what will make a good cichlid community. Learning from you over the
past few months I think I'm on my was to becoming a good fishkeeper!
:thm:
Hopefully some kind soul will help me figure this out:

*I have a new 55g (will start cycling next week during spring break)
*I want to have an interesting and colorful cichlid community, would prefer
fewer larger fish (eg 5-6") rather than dwarf rams, kribs etc.,
definitely not into overcrowding or swarming)
* One or two large fish would be nice, but the tank is too small for a happy
Oscar or Severum, etc (def. not for my dream, an arowana!!! LOL)
* Need a somewhat peaceful/graceful tank rather than Grand Central
Station at rush hour--semi aggressives are fine
*Thought about a thickly planted center with rock caves on either end,
putting tougher tetras for central area--but open to other design poss.
depending on stock needs
* Possibly sand base, gravel on top, crush a seashell to mix in?
* I've got more acidic, hard well water although my cories, tetras and
gouramis do fine in it
* I do frequent pwc to ensure a quality life and healthy happy fishies

Hopefully this is enough information, if not someone will let me know. I would really like to set up a tank for a population that will stay there, establish itself, rather than end up with fish that grow too big. However, from my studies I realize that some cichlids reported as getting along may not!!!

Thank you so much in advance!!! :bowing: Happy trails, Renee
 
Hmm.. May I suggest some peackock males? These are african cichlids that are really nice looking and you could get species in many different colors. These are on the mellow side and just kind of slowly swim around in the middle of the tank and don't hide alot. The females are all a bland brownish color for almost all the peacock species so I would suggest just getting males. They get to be 6in.
Or, you could do a group of m/f yellow labs and m/f rusties. Although a little more hyper than the peacocks, they are not quite like grand central station as with other mbuna.
Alas, you could do a group of m/f yellow labs and 2 male peacocks.
2 male/ 3 female yellow labs, and 1 red empress peacock, and 1 electric blue peacock would make a stunning tank.
You would have 5 yellow fish that would breed, and 1 red and 1 blue fish.
The yellow labs and rusties get to be between 4 and 6 in.
Hope this helps a little.
 
In the above mentioned setups, I would do either a strait sand substrate with crushed coral in your filter, or a sand/crushed coral substrate mix. The crushed coral will buffer your water for the african cichlids I mentioned. The rocks and plants sound nice, but you would have to stick with anubiius and java fern, cause these fish might eat other plants.
 
Thank you, Stingray. From what I've seen, the yellow labs and peacocks
would look absolutely stunning together--I've only seen the blue peacocks, have to check out red empress!! The males would be fine for me, as I'm not really interested in breeding at this point!! I hadn't even considered these species. At one point I was thinking a pair of firemouths and a pair of cons, but seeing as the cons breed like bunnies and get veeeery territorial, have been crossed off the list. Also, thanks for recommendations on "flooring," filter content and plants. I know alot of the Africans do root, but I really want plants as long as they're feasible.
Thank you again, I've got something to start working with!! I really do appreciate it. :hi:
 
stingray4540 said:
1 red empress peacock, and 1 electric blue peacock would make a stunning tank.
Click to expand...

Generally great advice stingray ;), but I have to point out that the Red Empress and the Electric Blue are not peacocks. The Empress is in the genus Protomelas and the Electric Blue is in the genus Sciaenochromis, while peacocks are strictly Aulonocara. :p:

;)
-Diana
 
Well, what can I say, Diana knows best. I don't know much about peacocks, I just know that the ones I mentioned look like peacocks. So, what would they be classified as then?
See Rosita, if luvmykribs agrees with me, then Its good, she knows everything about african cichlids.:bowing:
 
Hi,

I have always liked the Peacocks because they are generally less agressive and the males are quite colorful. That said I've had Tangerine Tigers and Red Empresses with Peacocks and they did just fine together I've also had an Electric Blue in the mix and they all did just fine in a 70 gallon tank. I think all the suggestions here are good and they would look quite nice together regardless of which way you go. Good luck!
 
stingray4540 said:
I don't know much about peacocks, I just know that the ones I mentioned look like peacocks. So, what would they be classified as then?
Click to expand...

"Peacock" is the trade name for the genus Aulonocara, named for being colorful like peacocks.

Fish from a different genus like Protomelas or Sciaenochromis are not peacocks, they are haplochromis (versus the mbuna). But, Aulonocara is classified under haplochromis as well. It can get a little confusing :p:. Basically, if its not Aulonocara, then its not a peacock and is just considered a hap.

Its important to make this distinction, because usually peacocks are more peaceful and generally stay smaller, whereas the other haplochromis species from the lake usually get larger and can be more aggressive, so they are not good for "smaller" (55 and under) peaceful tanks like the peacocks are.

;)
-Diana
 
Stingray, you're a hoot!!! (It's a good thing.) LMK, I appreciate the differentation since I do want a more peaceful environment--I looked up all the fish you've all recommended--so I'm thinking the Yellow Labs and Blue Peacocks would look really great together, and are both Malawi--which would make it a biotope? I love yellow and blue together (I'm an artist), and the size sounds perfect for a 55g. ballen, thank you for the additional info on the
temperament of your fishies together. I will send good karma to all of you (I know, I've always been weird!)

So, just in case you check back here, my next questions are:
* What amount of each specie, preferably all males if possible (less aggression or more?) since I'm not into breeding them;
* Would a school of, say, black veil tetras, work well as dithers?
* And finally, would a series of caves across the tank work best, with
a bunch of the sturdy plants Sting recommended? I don't know if the
two different species will actually play/merge or be separatists???
I really want my first big tank to be a happy place for my fishies and
me!!
Thank you so very much! Mille grazie, muchas gracias, merci beaucoup!!!
* Renee :clap: :clap: :clap: woo hooooooo!!!
P/S how long does it take to remember the latin names? I'm trying, but I guess I'll need to do my mnemonics!! Or just stick to this group for a while!!
 
luvmykribs: thanks, I get it now.
rosita: well luvmykribs could probably help with the numbers better, but I would think maybe 7 total? 5 yellow labs and 2 blue's, or 4 labs 3 blues? However you want to mix it, maybe you could do more? Diana will help better, but if you do 5labs and 2 blues, I would get 2male labs and 3 female labs and the blues would both be male naturally.

* I know you don't care about breeding, but the male and female labs look so simalar you might as well mix them so they can mate. the babies will just most likely get eaten when the female spits anyway. but it's kinda cool to watch the males "fight" sometimes. they just flare up and circle each other so it's nothing to worry about and is interesting to watch.

*Is there a reason you want tetras? I don't think you will need dithers as the fish you are considering are relatively mild. and I think it would be nice to keep it to malawi's.

*The naturall habitat is very rocky and sandy for these fish so they will apreciate lots of rocks and caves. You could do a few plants if you want to add some green, I would just stick with anubius and java furn though, as they don't require any special lighting and they can be attached to the rocks so you don't have to worry about them being up rooted. And they will apreciate a sand bottom. You can put crushed coral in your filter to buffer the water or mix some in with the sand.

*The two different fish will most likely swim amongst each other. the blues and male labs will spend more time out in the open and the female labs will spend more time amongst the rocks.

*Well, your on the right track to makeing you tank as nice for its occupants as possible by asking lots of questions.
*Oh yeah, here is a link to the red empress if you are still interested at all, sounds like your just going to stick with the blues, but what the heck at least you can see a picture. http://www.malawimayhem.com/profile_show.php?id=377
Hopefully Diana can elaborate or correct/offer differnt options.
 
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