Electric Yellow cichlids in semi-aggressive community?

[pzuzu]

I know cichlids are to be kept in a species only tank, but I was wondering if anybody had any experience with electric yellows, since they seem to be the smallest and least aggressive of their kind. Would two of them do okay in a semi-aggressive to aggressive community tank (butterfly fish, rainbow shark, peacock eel, etc.)? Or is this asking for trouble?

Just wondering.
Thanks!

 

[~*LuvMyKribs*~]

Cichlids do not need to be kept in species only tanks, actually very rarely do they need to be with only thier own kind, however keeping several memebers of the same species together is ideal for some genera.

Yellow labs would not work in your tank because yellow labs are a rift lake african cichlid, and from very hard, high pH water. They are also almost completely vegetarian and will suffer from protien in their diet. In general they are not compatible with your other tank inhabitants.


-Diana

 

[kay-bee]

There's no requirement that cichlids are to be kept in species only tanks, although there's nothing wrong with species-only tanks.

I've got a group of yellow labs (along with various other types of mbuna). I'd rate the males to be occasionally semi-aggressive (there are actually more show downs of aggression in my tank between the yellow labs (the dominat male and his rivals) than between my red zebras which are a more dominant.

Full grown yellow labs aren't 'small' (compared with most other mbuna) as they can get big 4"-5"...I've seen a 6" yellow lab before.

I wouldn't recommend two of them (mbuna in general are best kept in groups (6+)...having only two will permit the conditions for the most dominant one to take out all of it's aggression against the other.

They're probably most suited to an african cichlid tank...they're mildly to semi aggressive in relation to other african cichlids. They might push their weight around in a tropical community set up.

**edit**
I had a feeling Diana would beat me to it! :duh: