Frontosa with Africans?

[Edwards36]

As anyone ever had frontosa with africans cichlids? I have many cichlids and are very good together, ive read that frontosa are not very aggressive but i worried at its max size it would just eat the cichlids. Any advise? The only reason i ask is bc i found a frontosa in great condition for $5 and always wanted one but i dnt want to put my cichlids in danger when the frontosa gets big

 

[chagoi]

Frontosa is a African. What cichlids are you putting it with. Size of fish,tank.

 

[Edwards36]

Well i havnt bought him yet i have labs, aceis, feullabornis and damasonis, in a 75 gallon

 

[Lady_Alia]

It is possible, what other fish do you have?

 

[kay-bee19]

In the long term frontosa's aren't compatible with the type of fish you have. They require a different diet (high protein meat-based rather than low protein veggie-based), are very slow swimmers (not fast active swimmers like mbuna's, they're swimming habits will stress them; though capable of bursts of speeds when spooked), and are nowhere as aggressive as mbuna's.

Any mbuna up to 4" in length will be in danger of being eaten by a full grown frontosa (they reach 12" or even more). They're nocturnal piscovores and may prey on edible-sized tank mates during hours of darkness (when fast swimming mbuna's are most vulnerable).

Frontosa's are best kept in colonies and in larger tanks (125gal+).

 

[Edwards36]

Thankyou i will prolly bot get a frontosa

 

[kdpuffer]

I have kept frontosa with Malawis in the past and didn't have issues but once I sold all the Malawis and just had frontosa they were much more outgoing. At $5 I doubt the frontosa will pose a threat to your mbuna as its likely about an inch long. Growth rate is fast in the first year and the males grow faster and get up to about 5-6 inches in that year, females to about 3 inches. After that they grow at about an inch a year. Personally frontosa are my favourite African cichlid.