Need help figuring out my stocking dilema

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Manafel

Manafel

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Oct 10, 2011
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Kayla
I got all of my fish on black friday, and my lfs owner picked all of the africans out for me based on the fact that I liked the frontosa. I have them currently in a 75 gallon and they all are still small. only one is almost as long as my index finger. I know that I don't have enough space for all of these guys when they are adults. here is the list:

2 frontosas, 1 electric yellow lab, 1 white lab, 1 yellow finned acei, 1 peacock cichlid(might get to 9 inches), 1 electric blue ram, 1 dwarf geophagus and 1 perlmutt lab.

I am already planning on removing the south americans and putting them in their own tank and also getting a 125 or bigger in the future(but not within the next few months). does anyone have any ideas on what fish I should give back to my lfs? any help is appreciated, thanks!
 
Last edited:
efors

efors

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Jun 17, 2008
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As you say, adult fronts are not fish for a 75gal and IMO, they are too gentle to be with Malawians. So, there you have to reasons to return them to your lfs. If as you say, you are taking out the South Americans (good idea), I would make it a Malawi tank increasing the numbers of some of the species you already have. That tank would look great with 6 yellow labs, 6 yellow finned aceis and 4 or 5 different male peacocks that should be OK with these 2 lesser aggressive mbuna (aceis and labs). Doing this, IMHO, I would also return the white lab and the perlmutt for being less colorful than their yellow cousins; yellow labs will look better with the peacocks, just my opinion. Remember to have a nice amount of rockwork in the tank.
 
Manafel

Manafel

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Yeah I read that the malwais like caves and rocks. Maybe I will have to just wait until I get my bigger tank to do fronts(for a species only tank), but whats weird is that(what I believe to be) the perlmutt tha I have isn't white at all, but actually very colorful. I like the aceis, but the yellow labs I'm not really partial to. the peacock I have right now is only brown with stripes. I'm hoping that when they grow a little more, they will get more color. ok. So I need to return the fronts, and stick with malwai. Thanks for the help!
 
jpappy789

jpappy789

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Feb 18, 2007
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I agree that Fronts are not suitable for the tank, regardless of it not being full size. There are instances of full grown adults doing fine with less aggressive Malawi's but IMHO they deserve to live in a colony of their own. And at a smaller size I'd be worried about them getting pushed around.
 
efors

efors

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You are welcome! You can have then 6 perlmutt labs instead of the 6 yellow labs. IMO that will work too.
 
Manafel

Manafel

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suprisingly, everyone gets along fine(for now) except for the peacock I have chases my Acei around quite a bit until the acei can get a chance to hide

I guess I'm just afraid to overstock too much on the fish since this is my first cichlid tank
 
efors

efors

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Aceis and all Labidochromis species (labs), are lesser aggressive mbunas. Peacocks are supposed to be "gentle" Malawians compared to most mbunas; maybe yours is right now bigger than the acei. As I said, with plenty of rockwork, all should be OK. Enjoy your Malawi tank!
 
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