Adding stock to a 55 gallon

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sammbaxter

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Nov 4, 2013
Messages
79
Location
Utah
So here's my 55 :) View attachment 251838
My current stock is as follows:

1 pleco
1 OB peacock
4 red zebras (two males one female and one tiny fry that has yet to be devoured)
1 german red
1 sulphurhead
1 lethrinops intermedius
1 Azureous
1 apache
1 yellow lab

All are males except for the one female red zebra, and I'm actually trying to get rid of all my red zebras. I'll probably end up taking them to the pet store. But I was thinking to add more stock to my tank but I wanted a more variety in size. Right now my cichlids are all around 4-4.5 inches and I was thinking of adding maybe a venustus or slightly larger haps that would still be okay in a 55. But then I also have a sort of "wish list" which is

Taiwan reef
Red empress
Lemon jake
Blue orchid
Demasoni
Otter Point

Would my tank size work out well with these and would the compatibility be alright? Do I have too many rocks or fake plants? I'd like to hear your guys' experience and advice you might have. I have a very open mind. ?
ImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1412453951.603859.jpgImageUploadedByAquarium Advice1412454188.219224.jpg
 
Why no you want red zebras!!! I want one


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Cause they're mbunas and I want my tank to be peacocks and haps :) they're starting to get real aggressive. My sulphurhead is all beat up cause of the big beastie.
 
Hi. Good morning. Try to utilize the rule of thirds when you aqua scape your aquarium. There should be one focal point- a big, tall rock or a spot where you can rest your eyes. Minimize or even avoid using fake plants. It makes your aquarium look artificial.


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Demasoni are even more aggressive than Red Zebras and are also Mbuna. Same for your Yellow Lab. The Yellow Lab is more peaceful as far as Mbuna go. I would also forego one of the Jacobfriebergi Peacocks. Otrer Point is pretty Aggressive. Lemon Jakes are more peaceful.
Good luck and your tank looks nice. You may also want to consider some Synodontis Multipuctatus. They are really cool and if you have three r four they swim around a lot. If you were in Toronto I would give you a few. I breed them in my hap, peacock, mbuna tank.
 
Demasoni are even more aggressive than Red Zebras and are also Mbuna. Same for your Yellow Lab. The Yellow Lab is more peaceful as far as Mbuna go. I would also forego one of the Jacobfriebergi Peacocks. Otrer Point is pretty Aggressive. Lemon Jakes are more peaceful.
Good luck and your tank looks nice. You may also want to consider some Synodontis Multipuctatus. They are really cool and if you have three r four they swim around a lot. If you were in Toronto I would give you a few. I breed them in my hap, peacock, mbuna tank.



Thanks for that advice, I'll definitely rethink on the demasoni...and the Jacobfriebergi Peacock does look pretty enticing! Do you know anything of the Tropheus species? I'm really interested in the tropheus moorii but I don't know how well they would do in my tank seeing as how they're from Lake Tanganyikan.
 
Stay away from Tropheus. They need large tanks and large schools to disperse aggression. They are also sensitive to food and get bloat easy. To help you here is a link where you can read on each species. Their is also a library for cookie cutter fish set ups.

Cichlid Profiles

Good luck
 
Thanks for the link, it's very informative. I think my list will go as follows

Taiwan reef

Red empress

Lemon jake

Blue orchid

Otter Point

Butterfly Peacock

I think I'll take my chances with the otter point and see how thinks go. Hopefully swell :)
 
The Otter Point Jacobfriebergi is also known as the Malawi Butterfly.

Good luck with your stocking of the tank. I would add the Otter Point as the last Peacock and make sure that he is smaller. I love these as well and had to get rid of both Red Shoulder and Otter Point Peacocks. I have a 180 gallon show tank and they still bothered my other peacocks. My neighbour has the Otter Point in with a Copadichromis Borleyi and 2 Frontosa's and he is doing well.
 
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