Need help from with Cichlids

[99SH]

To start, I have a 90 gallon tank with a fluval 304 and bio-wheel 330 filter. Temp is at 80. PH around 8.0. Nitrite and ammonia around 0. So far the tank has been good. I have
3 plecos
3 clown loaches
2 platys
4 rainbows
6 giant danios

All the fish get along great with each other, no problems. My girlfriend has 3 cichlids in her tank and wants to get rid of them.

I want to put them in my tank, but will they get along with the rest? I'm not sure exactly what kind they are, but they're pretty small. She had them in with a big goldfish (don't ask) about 7" long, and they would nip at the goldfish! Any ideas?

 

[Twilight]

Can you search the species profile and pictures here at Ac to find out what they are? What do they look like?

 

[99SH]

I've been looking but no luck. Two are orange with horizontal stripes, one is blue with vertical stripes.

Wait, here's one:

 

[FuzMugly]

You might get a better response over in the Cichlid forum.

 

[Rare Cichlids]

The fish in the picture is a Melanochromis auratus, and Mbuna (rock dweller) from Lake Malawi in Africa. It requires a high pH and salt in the water. It is also exteremley aggressive. I would not take them unless you want to get rid of the magority of your existing fish.

 

[99SH]

Nice, I didn't even notice the cichlid forum. Thanks. Can somebody move this for me?

 

[Sumpin'fishy]

That is an Auratus, and they can be some of the most aggressive of all Mbuna (rock dwellers). Like most mbuna, these fish are known for being highly territorial and confrontational. They establish pecking order quickly and, in my experience, is usually not pretty when this "order" gets disrupted! I would not add them to any kind of community tank. I would only place them into a planned-out mbuna community. Even then, there can be quite a few losses, if you don't know what you are doing!