I need stocking help

[Lauren]

I was going to do an all male peacock tank in my 55 gallon, but I can't find a store that will cooperate. Now I have no clue. Requirment is simple: I want pretty fish.

I would really like to go Rift lake, but I'm getting so I don't know the word not overwhelmed, but just tired, or trying to figure out stocking. If I don't go Rift I'll get some rainbows and angel fish, but that would probably make me want to do planted, which I DON"T want to get into on this tank.

So give me some suggestions. It's a standard 55 with sand and rocks (again, it was set up for male peacocks). I'd still like peacocks but I'm open to suggestions. Mbunas are my second choice, I think.

 

[toddnbecka]

If you can't get single male peacocks locally, you could try some online dealers. Shipping costs are the downside, but you'd get what you want.
Otherwise, a 55 with 12-16 P. demasoni and 5-6 yellow lab's would make quite a colorful and active display.

 

[Lauren]

the all male works best if you try out 3 or 4 fish of the same species and wait for one to become dominent, and return the other two, which makes online tough.

THat is a good suggestion, I may go with it, but I think I'd like a little more variety in the color.

Thanks

 

[Lauren]

anything else?

 

[tarheels910]

I would do a color combination to make the peacocks stand out.

4-5 Yellow Labs
1 Male Yellow Peacock

4-5 Red Zebras
1 Male Red Peacock

4-5 Blue Cobalts
1 Male Blue Peacock

I think this would be the perfect combination for a 55 setup like you described. I just set up a 55 and am going to do this combination of fish.

 

[Lauren]

Thanks for your suggestion, that sounds like a beautiful tank. Is there another fish I could replace the red zebra with?

 

[tarheels910]

I cant think of any other africans that are red. There is an albino red zebra that has a lighter body with red fins. They are a little less aggressive.

 

[kay-bee]

Are peacocks absent from you area or do they just have a limited species selection and/or uncolored juveniles?

Zebras (and several other types of mbuna) operate on a higher scale of aggression and might be a little too rough with peacocks (and may prevent them from displaying their full coloration).

If you opt to do a mbuna tank rather than an all male peacock tank you have lots of options (depending upon the availability of mbuna species in your area).

A group of yellow labs and pseudotropheus acei would make a nice low aggression combination. Both species would probably work with peacocks if you decided to keep mbuna and peacocks in the same tank.

 

[Lauren]

I don't have a good fish store in the area. And I don't feel like driving 30 miles for fish a few times a week. I tried getting them closer and can't. I don't mind driving for a few fish, but not for a whole tank worth.