55 Gallon Re-stocking 2.0

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BlazeitChris

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Aug 19, 2015
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Hey everyone. So long story short the rest of my rainbowfish have recently passed from a unidentifiable disease which has not affected the other fish in my tank to my knowledge. The current stock at the moment is: 2 juv. clown loaches, 1 bn pleco, 1 synodontis, 1 Siamese algae eater (NOT Chinese), and 1 juv. blood parrot.
I'd like some advice on my new stock additions:
1) 4-5 Peacock cichlids- I know these are less aggressive than mbunas but can get kinda big after awhile

2) X number of mbuna cichlids- I am aware these are considered aggressive fish, my only concern would be for the blood parrot and SAE

3) A fairly large school of tiger barbs- Semi-aggressive, I have limited experience with barbs
 

tanker

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1) The Peacocks may get along with the Parrot, but their water is all wrong.
2) The Mbunas will not get along with any of your other fishes.
3) Tiger barbs maybe OK, but the Parrot will probably starve, he will eat too slow.
 

BlazeitChris

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Aug 19, 2015
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1) The Peacocks may get along with the Parrot, but their water is all wrong.
2) The Mbunas will not get along with any of your other fishes.
3) Tiger barbs maybe OK, but the Parrot will probably starve, he will eat too slow.
-From what I understand, parrots are compatible with water parameters of both SA and Africans because they're a hybrid?
-A good friend of mine in the hobby has successfully kept mbunas with all of these fish for years minus the parrot and SAE, so I'm afraid I'd have to disagree with you on that.
-The parrot never comes up to eat with the other fish anyways so he always gets his fill from sinking pellets and/or algae wafers.

-Thanks
 

Tifftastic

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Sep 9, 2008
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From what I understand, parrots are compatible with water parameters of both SA and Africans because they're a hybrid?
Yes they are a hybrid, but not between an SA and an African. They're hybrids between species of SA cichlids that still like soft acidic water where the peacocks prefer hard alkaline water.

I agree with tanker on the mbuna. It is not likely to work. Its hard enough to keep mbuna with mbuna, let alone with a slow moving bright coloured target fish that cannot defend itself. Again, you also end up with the same water chemistry issue.

The tiger barbs may make it harder for the parrot to eat, but they are probably your best option out of your preferences.
 

BlazeitChris

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Aug 19, 2015
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Yes they are a hybrid, but not between an SA and an African. They're hybrids between species of SA cichlids that still like soft acidic water where the peacocks prefer hard alkaline water.

I agree with tanker on the mbuna. It is not likely to work. Its hard enough to keep mbuna with mbuna, let alone with a slow moving bright coloured target fish that cannot defend itself. Again, you also end up with the same water chemistry issue.

The tiger barbs may make it harder for the parrot to eat, but they are probably your best option out of your preferences.
I agree with you on the mbunas; however could parrots and peacocks coexist if water hardness was factored out?
-Thanks
 

Tifftastic

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I agree with you on the mbunas; however could parrots and peacocks coexist if water hardness was factored out?
-Thanks
I really think it depends on which peacocks. Aggressiveness ranges not only between species, but sexes and individuals. If they started spawning, I don't think the parrot would fair well in the end.
 

myswtsins

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Jun 15, 2008
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I agree with Tanker and Tiff.

-Parrot fish prefer soft neutral water, Mbunas and peacocks like really hard alkaline water
-Parrot fish should only be kept with peaceful fish, even the tiger barbs I would consider too aggressive for them so peacock are certainly too aggressive IMO.

Peacock or Mbuna , maybe mixed as well if chosen correctly, could work with everything except the parrot and maybe SAE, like your friends tank. But I don't see other suggested mixtures working out for long.
 
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