Tankmates Ideal (what to stock, wehn, and how many?)

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jayson6464

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Apr 8, 2012
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I have a 55g tank that had a three year old Pseudotropheus Saulosi female in there acting as police officer, but now that she is gone the 3 Jewel Cichlids have became very aggressive. They appear to have formed a gang and are trying to take over the hole tank. All of the fish are about 1.5 inches long.

How many other African Cichlids do you guys think I can safely add to a 55 gallon tank?

Any ideal on what I should add to the mix?

Right now in my 55g is the 3 Jewel Cichlids, 1 Aulonocara German Red, 1 Yellow Fin Borleyi Cichlid, and 1 Plecostomus.

Also when do you think is safe to add fish to a tank that just cycled?
 
efors

efors

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Jun 17, 2008
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If the tank is already cycled, you can add the fishes you want without any problems. As for what to mix, I would create an all male Malawi peacocks/haps tank. For that, you can keep the Aulonocara (a peacock) and the Borleyi (an hap)...I hope they are both males, but IMO, you should rehome the Jewels; they are too aggressive for haps and peacocks and they prefer other water parameters. You can keep the pleco too.
All that been said, I would have a total of 12 peacocks/haps (males) in that tank. They will make an amazing display of colors and beauty.
 
stormywendyann

stormywendyann

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Apr 21, 2012
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Wendy Lubianetsky
The fewer cichlids that are in your tank the more aggressive they will be. There is a train of thought that if you "overstock" your cichlid tanks there are just too many fish for any one fish to dominate. I think efors is right, the jewels have to go. But if you really want to try to keep them you can add your fish and see how they respond. If they become aggessive toward the larger group of fish, then you will need a back-up plan to rehouse them. I have a 60 gallon tank with 18 Mbuanas in it of all various colors and sizes. Haps are also a very good choice.... I have had luck mixing mbuanas and haps and have not had a problem in the past.
60Gallon Tank
1 Peacock Cichlid
5 Red Zebra
4 Yellow Labs
1 Demasoni
1 Albino Zebra
1 Chinese Algae Eater
4 Pseudotrophis Elegans
1 Crawfish
2 Dwarf Tanganyikan Cichlid (Blue-Faced) Duboisi Cichlid
1Moss Ball
1Willow Moss
20Fish Total



That being said, I would not add more than than 3 at a time as the bioload in your cycle will go haywire. When I have added to many fish in the past my ammonia and nitrite shoot up until my cycle caught up with my cycle. I hope that helps a little bit.
 
M

Mirschbird

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Jul 24, 2012
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Brenda
Wendy. I'm new to cichlids and your list is very helpful. My tank is a 50 gal, 4 ft long. I'll be starting it up soon. Which 3 fish would you recommend adding first, next,etc for dominance issues when getting the tank started and cycling?
 
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