Restocking my cichlid tank

[Dubs1281]

My 55 African cichlid stock is awful. I have had the same stock for 7 months and they are maturing and not getting along. This is my stock, the ones with the asterisks are what I will replace.
Green terror*
Two yellow labs
Yellow top mbamba hybrid
Male auratus*
Electric blue Johnnie*
Venistus*
Red jewel
Bala shark*
Kissing gouramie*
Ngara flameback
Obliqueleden zebra
Snowball pleco

I want to add some of these to my stock
Yellow/red top Mbamba?
Cherry red zebra?
Christmas fulu?
Peacocks?

What I would want most is more mbuna. Have any interesting ones to suggest? Could I put peacocks in? I had a German red that was trapped under the bubble wand in a way where he could swim in but not out.
I will be selling all of my fish asap after the holidays. If interested pm me. I'm located in lacrosse, Wi local pick up only.



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[Dubs1281]

Hello?

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[erikmoseley]

I'd not get any more mbamba that may breed w your hybrid making more hybrids. I'd get a couple more labs and some orange zebras and some cobalt zebras. That's a good color combo. You could get a group of demasoni or rustys or saulosi which are my faves. Maybe some Snow White socolofi.

 

[Dubs1281]

I plan to buy only males. Will Denison work? I heard the get really aggressive. I had one but it was too small to compete in my tank.

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[erikmoseley]

Problem w demasoni is they're hard to sex and will need to be in a group. I'd do a group of 8 and hope you don't get too many males. I honestly don't know how to tell the sex

 

[Dubs1281]

Im looking for more variety. So a group of 8 d emosoni probably won't do. Could I mix in some tropheus?

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[erikmoseley]

Tropheus need to be in groups too. The problem is ordering a male of each type you want from an online spot will cost you tons in shipping. If you have a really good mom and pop spot local that's great. If not you're kind of stuck going to the large chain and picking one of this and one of that from their assorted African tank. This can be fine and make for a nice colorful tank but you're not really sure of what type of fish you're getting. Labs and socolofi and red/orange zebra and cobalts/ albinos are readily available so maybe you go that route? I'm somewhat lucky and have a great spot local that gets rarer and wild caught in so I got some Saulosi, flavus, white top hara, and chisumulae to go w my labs, rustys, and acei. Either way you can put together a nice stock. Just check what they have and don't impulse by (like we all have before!) and maybe take some pics and come back and research what they have on the web and in the forum and you're sure to get some good choices.

I'm partial to saulosi cuz the males and females are beautiful. I'd just stay away from the auratus and kenyi and bumblebee. They can be extra nasty as in sure you know.

What types do you have access to?

 

[Dubs1281]

I have a decent mom and pop that can special order things. There's a petco and petsmart.
Petco gets cleaned out the day they get there shipment in. I went there an hour after the cichlids came in and nothing good was left. The petsmart gets good fish, they are just all small.
Im going to try to special order everything and want to have many ideas of what I want because this lfs can only get so many options.

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[erikmoseley]

If spec order look into everything u want! Check out hongi, pseudotropheus flavus, and elongatus chewere and jewel spot. There's so many options. I'd stick to Malawi and avoid mixing many Victorians in. I see you have obliquidens which are nice but try and stick to one lake. Lake Vic's are nice but all cool ones look similar IMO. Let us know your options and we will surely give out opinions!

 

[erikmoseley]

Oh and stay away from peacocks. They're nice but 55 is too small. And the jewel is African but from the rivers not the lakes so maybe rehome that too.

 

[erikmoseley]

Sorry for all the replied but...

Also don't be afraid to add smaller fish. I have plenty of 2 in fish in w 4 in that do fine. Just don't add one at a time. Do groups. And rearrange the rocks/decor when doing it

 

[Dubs1281]

I am going to add them in two groups with about 3-6 fish each. I rearrange the rocks every two weeks too.

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[croatian2]

With peacocks I would only mix haps with them.

 

[Dubs1281]

Yeah my mbuna had always chased my peacock that I used to have.

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[Dubs1281]

I just picked up what I believe to be a white tail acei! He was in a assorted African tank. I will get a pic up tomorrow because the lights are off and his color isn't great right now from the stress.

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[erikmoseley]

Nice. Put up a pic. I wouldn't add any more of acei. They're supposed to like open water and require a bigger tank. I have 2 (yellow tail) in my 90 though and they do ok. Always swimming in the mid level area so I'm glad my rock work is low!