Can you mix?

[turkey]

I know this has probably been ask before but i'm new here I have 7 african cichlids an electric blue a yellow and some spotted yellow ones. I also have a red tail shark and a yoyo loach

so can i put an american cichlid in there I want a jack or green terror as the main center peice fish they all play nice now but would it be wise to add one

 

[JustOneMore20]

I'm gonna say no because you aren't supposed to mix Africans with other cichlids. I'll let others chime in though.

What size tank is it?

 

[Zagz]

I wouldn't recommend it at all. The fish from different areas have different water requirements. What size tank are they in?

 

[triazole]

more than water requirements, its more of the aggression issue that should be taken into consideration. the two types of fish basically are ignorant of each other's language of aggression. that results in unnecessary stress and/or death.

 

[Jchillin]

I agree. The combo is deadly, GT's are named that for good reason. JD's are just plain beasties as well. There are regional species that should not be co-habitating a tank either, let alone different regions.

 

[turkey]

IT's a 55g tank well any other suggestions on a nice bigger fish to drop in

 

[JustOneMore20]

You should probably get your African cichlids IDed first before adding anything else. A 55g is on the small side for some Africans. Also, some are more aggressive than others and therefore need a bigger tank, so its hard to suggest fish to add, without knowing the specific fish that are already in the tank.

Can you take pictures and post them for IDs?

 

[turkey]

Yea I can take pics but I know I have a electric blue that is maybe 5" and a electric yellow that is 3" and then the other five are young from 1 1/2" to 2" and they are just the yellow spotted ones I Think orange blossom looking they are very young and don't have their color yet

Then there is a red tail shark that spends most his time hiding he is 1"

and a yoyo loach that just sits around the bottom and just eats and eats

 

[JustOneMore20]

The Electric Blue will get about 7 inches...I'm not sure how aggressive they are. Yellow labs are probably the least aggressive type you have. I'd get a few more of them. They are Mbuna and usually do best in groups. The orange spotted ones I'm not sure about. Since you know what the other two are, you could just post a picture of those and maybe someone can ID. You could get a few more Electric Blues as well, though I'm not sure that a 55g is the best forever home for them. You may want to look at upgrading them eventually.

I think once you increase the groups of the Blues and Yellow labs then you'll be at the stocking limit...especially since the Electric blues get so large. You could possibly add one more group of Africans to the tank, maybe some Cynotilapia afra cobue or Red Zebras.

I would definitely get more Yoyo loaches too. They like groups, so I'd get atleast 3 more. Keep an eye on them...they aren't aggressive, so the cichlids could be aggressive towards them. The red tail shark should be able to hold his own.

 

[turkey]

thanks for all the info they usually leave the yoyo alone the yellow chases the shark around but he always comes back for more I would post a pic of the little guys but they haven't got any of their color yet so it would be hard to ID

what about a Frontosa they look to be very nice and then some more yoyo's

I just want one big fish to set of the whole bunch

oh and to clarify they aren't orange they are just spotted yellow I can't find them ether

 

[JustOneMore20]

Frontosa can get up to 12 inches so they shouldn't be kept in a 55g.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/c_frontosa.php

oh and to clarify they aren't orange they are just spotted yellow I can't find them ether

I'm sorry...I meant yellow, but put orange in there.

I just want one big fish to set of the whole bunch

The Electric Blue doesn't fit this description? Maybe others will chime in. Most Mbuna need groups...and actually Haps can be kept in small groups, so I can't think of just one fish that you could add. I guess it doesn't matter if its in a group or not....you could just pick a smaller type Malawi (max of about 6 inches for a 55g).

What about a Ruby Red Peacock? http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1311 I'd be afraid about the Electric Blue though...I think they are pretty aggressive and I don't think Ruby Reds are.

Or what about a Snow White Socolofi? http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1786 They would look differently than the other fish, so it would stand out.

I know you want one big fish, but really, with the fish you have now, I wouldn't add anything that gets over 6 inches...its just too much for a 55g, unless it was empty.

 

[DeFeKt]

and they are just the yellow spotted ones

ummm hopefully not venestus

 

[triazole]

and they are just the yellow spotted ones

ummm hopefully not venestus

-thinking in the same lines too...peacocks won't have the spots, none of the mbuna i can think of would have them...damn the superstores!
check if they look like this -
http://www.wetpetz.com/venustus.htm (there's a photo slightly lower down the page)

and JoM20 is right about the fronts, they'd be extremely stressed by the mbuna/haps.
your best bet would be to strengthen the numbers of the labs. with so much yellow hovering around in the tank, you'd probably forget that you need a big fish. and you just need to give them time - believe me, they get pretty big too! you'd have to see some large labs in person to appreciate that.

 

[JustOneMore20]

ummm hopefully not venestus

thinking in the same lines too...peacocks won't have the spots, none of the mbuna i can think of would have them...darn the superstores!
check if they look like this

The juveniles look like giraffes! Do yours look like that turkey? Those guys get huge..about 10-11 inches...you'll definitely be looking for a larger tank when they get bigger. They are quite cute though...with their little giraffe spots.

 

[turkey]

Ok guys went back to the LFS and they are a mix of yellow and blue orange blossoms I didn't know what yellow OB or Blue OB stood fore so I ask

They told me the same thing not to mix and just stick with Africans so I got another loach a african cat a jewl cichlid and a blue crab that they have in all their tanks

Dropped them in they all place nice

thanks