cohabitant suggestions?

Traci

Traci

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Jun 27, 2003
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Austin, Texas
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I am interested in getting something for my dad's African tank as a gift for fathers day. Ideally, I'd like something that contrasts with the cichlids (yellow lab, blue ahli, red empress pair, zebra obliquidens). Can anyone recommend a native to the same habitat? The tank is a 55, heated, rockwork, small diameter gravel substrate.
 
I think I would lean more towards a gift certificate or an "IOU" for a fish. I don't think I'd want anyone adding a fish in my tanks without researching it myself first so unless you are the one that takes care of your dad's tanks and he's just the "owner", I wouldn't go buying a fish for him without knowing he's wanting it first. Kyle
 
one mature male blue ahli, one mature male yellow lab, 3 juvenile yellow labs (about 2 inches @ 6 months), one mature male zebra obliquidens, mature pair red empress, 1 mature male flavescent, 1 common pleco about 8 or 9 inches.

My dad's a "naive" fishkeeper. He basically goes to the LFS and says that's pretty let's get it, thus the hodgepodge of variety in the tank. He is fine with me assisting with a tank addition. I explained that the African lakes are an ecosystem with other types of fish, not just cichlids.
 
On pfish someone suggested Synodontis Multipunctatus, which I understand prefer being in a small group. There are other Synodontis species from Africa I know. Would one of these be acceptable even though they aren't native to the rift lakes?

I don't know that there would be enough "space" to add more than say 2 new fish, but I think returning the pleco would give us the real estate for at least one more. Are there any inverts that can be kept successfully with cichlids? The only really aggressive one in the tank is the zebra. He did have a mate, but harried her to death with courtship. Now his agressions seem to be tank wide, but as my dad raised him from a fry he won't part with him.
 
Syno. petricola is also from lake Tang. and works quite well with malawis also. They are also a bit smaller then the syno.multies. It is still best to get them in groups of 3, I have 3 in my 90g and just love them. I think adding some to your dad's tank wouldnt' be too much.
 
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