75 gal stocking (haps)

[Forum221]

Hey,
I just got my 75 gallon tank tonite and I am still thinking about how to stock it. I wanted Jack Dempseys or some other large cichlids. But I had the idea of trying to school Electric Blue and Yellow haps. Has anyone done this or do you think it will work?

[ChilDawg]

That would be a good size for a mbuna tank...it would be fun to see the interactions within such a tank!

[Forum221]

anyone?
No one has tryed to have a tank with electric yellow labs/haps?

[GEV83]

I dont know much at all about Africans but Ill try to help. If both fish come from the same family like putting a Hap Venestus with a Hap Livingstonii they would try to breed and now you got mutt fish. If there from diff families you got to make sure there tempermant isnt to differant. Also some africans I dont know which one but the put them with other fish but in masses its suppost to prevent any single fish from being pick on and makes it pretty much more peaceful I guess. It would be nice if some experts here would help this person out. Well HTH. I wanted to do the same setup till I discovered a fish called a buttikoferi several years back like 12yrs back.

[ChilDawg]

Clarification: All cichlids are from the same family.

Venustus is actually in the genus Nimbochromis, as is the Livingstonii. They are thus closely-related.

Any of the former Haplochromis species are close enough to each other, taxonomically-speaking, that they may interbreed.

[GEV83]

I know al cichlids are related but you know what I mean you cant out a oscar with a buttikoferi and get them to breed but you could get a livingstonii to mate with a livingstonii. Like a mbuna wont mate with a livingstonii.

[ChilDawg]

Right. All that I was saying was that the use of the term "family" in your previous was erroneous, as you have now just restated for me.

[Verse914]

I have several peacock and hap tanks. My largest being a 75 gallon. You can see pics of them on my website. But s. fryeri(electric blues) do great with yellow labs.
Some pics I posted of my fish are here...
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7830

[Luca Brazzi]

Ive got a bit of everything in my 75 G

1 Scienochromis Ahli (Not quite yet Electric Blue Hap or whatever. I think I want another one of these)

1 Auluconara yadda, yadda

1 Venustus

1 Chipokae

1 Kenyi

2 Yellow Labs

2 PS Zebra

1 PS Scolofi

1 Mamba Afra something or other orange with black stripes and big lips

2 (I forgot their names orange face with purple striped bodies)

2 (others that I forgot the names)
1 Borleyi

1 Other small striped thingamabob that should eventually turn red

1 Kribensis (That everyone else in the tank pretty much ignores, and just hovers in one spot all day)

The way I see it if it looks cool, cost less than 5 bucks, and doesnt get to be too big (Oscar)... get it.

Just feed a mix of Spirulina, and pre soaked cichlid pellets, and away we go!

Maybe I could throw in a couple of small bottom dwellers... catfish?

Just as long as you properly cycle your tank using my pantented Fishless Cycling Shortcut... You are cool with me!

[Verse914]

sounds like a tough mix for the aulonocara. Ive never had much luck putting mbuna in my peacock and hap tank except for yellow labs.

[Luca Brazzi]

They are all still small 3.5" and under. Maybe it will be a problem when they get bigger?

[Verse914]

yeah, its usually when they mature when they start to get aggressive ime.

[VoodooChild]

4 of each would be a good mix. I don't think you should have much problems. The caeruleus' should stick to the rocks and the ahlis should be at the mid level. Of course once they figure out you're the food source they'll always be out when you're around! I really doubt you could get a venustus and a livingstoni to mate. Maaaaaybe a polystigma and a livingstoni, but I still think that's pretty doubtful. And I think the peacock will be ok in that sized tank Luca. Aulonocara will stay farther away from the rocks and usually can outrun an mbuna. I could be horribly wrong here though and you could end up with an black and blue peacock.

[Luca Brazzi]

So far all of the inhabitants are getting along. They have grown a little but not much. They are constantly chasing each other around... Its like a Soap Opera.... one day Fish X has been chased from its territory by Fish Y, then 2 days later Fish X is chasing Fish Y into the corner...

Africans ROCK...

Definitely better than having a bunch of fish that just mindlessly wander around the tank (Goldfish)

[dbcb314]

ive had success putting mbunas with peacocks... until i put an auratus in there and pretty much all my fish were killed. i still like that fish though, but i had to give him back.

[Luca Brazzi]

Folks have told me that I may be in for trouble since I have a Female Chipokae in there. So far shes been fine, (actually one of the least aggressive in the tank) but who knows what will happen when she is full grown?


I guess if I come home to a tank full of dead fish...

[Oxboy666]

I like this mix:

All male Aulonacara (aka Peacocks)
Labs (any kind)
Cynotilapia (any kind)
Protomelas
Copadichromis
A single Juli
A single Compressiceps/Calvus
A single leluipi
A single daffodil
A single Tretocephalus

I'd stay away from Mbuna and big active haps like Venustus/Livingstoni mixed in with any of the above. IMHO, 75 gal really isn't big enough for a big hap tank but would suit a reasonable combo of the list above nicely. I'd keep any of the above out of an Mbuna tank.

My recommendation: either go overstocked all Mbuna (and a big hap here and there if you like) or for a more tranquil tank, any combo of the fish from above. Try to get all male Peacocks/Utaka with different colors to minimize aggression and avoid the breeding thing altogether (if you want). And either way you go, get really good filtration if you plan to overstock or even come close.

[Luca Brazzi]

I guess my tank would be considered overstocked? 75 gal with the list I mentioned above?

The only 2 fish in the tank that will get very large are the Electric Blue Ahli (Hap) and the Venustus... right?

How long does it take for this guy to become electric blue? It has some blue areas, and it looks like its scales are starting to change. Right now its about 2.5" long.

Africans sure do grow slowly!

[Oxboy666]

It takes about a year for an Electric Blue to get full color all over. They change color rather slowly.

[Luca Brazzi]

Thanks for the info... I guess I should get anotherone then, that is if I want to have 2 at full color in a year.

Man... I should get into the business of raising these things... Id probably be willing to pay good money for a full grown electric (if all the other fish were full grown too)