Question about tank mates

mudskippers

AC Members
Jun 1, 2007
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Tempe, AZ
Im currently turning my 150gal into a Malawi tank. I got some fish from from a petco (sucks) and they didn't know anything about the fish,or even what kind they were, so they said that I can research my info and if those fish arn't what im looking for then, i can always return them. ;)

Anyways, I apparently got 1 male, 3 female Kenyi Cichlids
and then a pair of peacocks. Im not sure what type though..
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=120717

anyways, I read that the peacocks can be very calm, is this true? Am i already starting off with a bad mix? So far, everyone seems to be getting along well in my tank, but i want to make sure.. I know very little about thease two fish, so if anyone has any input, that would be greatly apprechiated.

I'm very attracted to the ice blue zebras, jewls, blue johannis, electic yellows, ect...

are any if all of thease fish ok together? if not, does anyone have any suggestions on tank mates for a few of thease fish?
 
Jewel cihclids can be aggressive, just like any other fish can. I'm not into african cichlids myself, im more south/central american cichlids. I have owned some africans in the past, had a couple electric yellows, some jewels they did ok together.
 
West africans don't belong in a tank with malawi. A good rule of thumb is to stick to the lake they belong in. i.e. If you want malawis, do fish from that lake. Tanganyikans, etc.
 
West africans don't belong in a tank with malawi. A good rule of thumb is to stick to the lake they belong in. i.e. If you want malawis, do fish from that lake. Tanganyikans, etc.
yea, thats what im going by.. keeping fish together that are all from lake malawi. Wich fish from that list isn't? Ive found ALL of those fish under a malawi section, so im curious....

I orignally wanted to do a Tanganyikan tank. I reaseached a lot of stuff, then last the prices of the fish, :( so now im going with more common cheeper fish, malawi. But seeming how ive done all my reasearch on Tanganyikan fish, im having to start fresh with malawi. :( so if anyone has any info that theyd like to share on malawi fish, feel free...
 
from your list, they're all malawi except the jewels.

a peacock tank would be great - lots of colour, and yes, they are generally more mellow than e.g. mbuna.

If you don't do an all male tank, stock them in ratios of 1 male to 3/4 females. The females are pretty drab but this ratio is necessary to prevent any one female being harassed to death.

An all male Peacock tank would have amazing colour, but it can be tough to balance - you would try and stock just one of each species, and avoid too similar colourations, so it can be hard to source enough different fish; also, you can end up with WWIII in your tank, so a back-up plan (e.g. 'time-out' tank) is necessary.

Stocking Peacocks with Mbuna is often advised against, but in a large tank (and yours is a good size) it is very achievable.
 
Stay with a male tank for color....
 
humm... all male tank? not the ratio of 1 male per 3 females??

also, i dont belive i ever got my question answered...

I apparently got 1 male, 3 female Kenyi Cichlids
and then a pair of peacocks. Im not sure what type though..
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums...d.php?t=120717

are thease cichlids ok together? there both from lake malawi right? if not i can always return / exchange them.

Also, would thease cichlids be ok with others such as,
ice blue zebras, blue johannis, and electic yellows?? <those are all from malawi as well, right???
 
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