Peacocks and mbunas coinhabitating?

[chrisgaucher]

Will peacock cichlids and my lake malawi mbuna cichlids go together without problem?

 

[CichlidLady0312]

Yes. I started them young and they get along great.

 

[chrisgaucher]

I have 5 cichlids in a 55 now all africans and about 3 1/2 inches long... If I put one peacock in there will it be bad?

 

[CichlidLady0312]

As long as you have good hiding places I dont see a problem. Instead of one try to add 2. When adding turn off the lights so it helps them settling it w out getting stressed. And add api stress coat that helps too

 

[chrisgaucher]

Okay well im adding other africans at the same time. Im getting them on monday! Im so excited. And whats the api stress coat thing?

 

[aquandrew]

its a tap water conditioner, it enhances their protective slime coat

 

[chrisgaucher]

Okay ill have to pick some of that up

 

[haleybeth30]

I have peacocks/mbuna/haps. If you end up having aggression issues make more little caves, can also rearrange the rock caves, that helps with mine.

 

[chrisgaucher]

Okay thanks!

 

[FrankoQ]

I currently have 9 mbunas and all are juvies (under 2 inches).
I heard one strategy to avoid aggression is to add peacocks that are bigger than the mbunas. If I add peacocks that are in the 3 to 3.5 inch long, will this be ok?
I'm thinking that perhaps the peacocks will get aggressive on the mbunas.
this is a 90g tank btw.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

With the right amount of space and decor it's easily done. I would recommend not mixing the two in a four foot tank though.

 

[mistersprinkles]

You guys...
Nobody's mentioning what species of Mbuna they want to mix with peacocks. With some Mbuna it'd be fine. With others it would not. You need to list your tank size and what species of Mbuna you already have, as well as what species of Peacock you plan to add.

You should know though, that officially, it's not recommended to mix Mbuna with haps and peacocks at all. You're not supposed to do it.

 

[Mebbid]

This really depends on what kind of mbunas you have in the tank as well as how they are stocked. The mbunas are bruisers and it isn't really the best idea to put the more docile peacocks in with them as the peacocks will usually get beat up. However it might work with the more docile Mbunas that are out there such as the yellow labs.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

I disagree with the statement that they shouldn't be mixed. That's generally what's said because most people don't have a large enough tank to pull it off successfully. Ime having a large enough tank plays the biggest role in playing it off.

 

[FrankoQ]

Thanks for all the feedback.
To be more specific, my tank is 90g but 5ft long. trying to keep an all male tank and trying to stock it well to minimize aggression.
Current stock:
Electric Yellow
red zebra
powder blue
Demasoni
yellow tail acei
snow white
cobalt blue zebra
OB Zebra
Red top Hongi

Wishlist for Peacocks/haps:
german red
dragon blood
flavescent
lemon jake
ob
red top lwanda
sulfur head
taiwan reef

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

IMO that list looks good, the demasoni is the only worry I see. The 5ft tank helps you out a lot.

 

[FrankoQ]

IMO that list looks good, the demasoni is the only worry I see. The 5ft tank helps you out a lot.

Thanks.
Going back to my original concern:
if I get larger peacocks, could they go aggressive on the juvie mbunas?

if I get peacocks that are the same size as mbunas, could the mbunas go nasty on the peacocks?

Bottom line, I will likely get peacocks that are larger just because I need them to be males. and I can only get larger males. smaller peacocks are unsexed and do not have their colors developed.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

I can go either way in my mixed tank the peacocks are the bullies and the mbuna just tolerate them. I would say your better off going with sexable peacocks too

 

[toddnbecka]

I keep mixed breeding groups Maingano, perlmutts, and ruby red peacocks in a 4' 90 gallon tank w/out any problems. Also have a good-size Carapo knife in that tank, so no fry or juvies. I have a ruby red male around 2" in another tank who's been showing full color for several months now. (Single fry I found when cleaning the 90 and moved some time ago.)