Yellow Lab compatabilty

[Sidman24]

Slowly but surely I've been converting my 75 gallon tank into a cichlid tank. The only community fish left in there are cories, neons ( which I know won't last ) and some lemon tetras. The lemons have a good size too them so I dno if they will last or not. But so far all my cichlids are pretty calm. I have one krib, he is the meanest. Then I have two firemouths, one buffalo head, and a keyhole. I wanted a bright cichlid so I was thinking yellow lab. The local pet store has 3/4 inch ones in. Would it work? If not I may add another buffalo head. I also have a ramshorn snail. Forgot about that little guy.

Happy holidays and thanks for replies!

 

[molliwopp]

Im not a fan nore do i recommend mixing african and central/south american cichlids and really you should remove all tetra as they will most likely become snacks and or be killed. Mbuna and american have vastly different water needs and mbuna wont thrive in soft or acidic water.

 

[Sidman24]

Im not a fan nore do i recommend mixing african and central/south american cichlids and really you should remove all tetra as they will most likely become snacks and or be killed. Mbuna and american have vastly different water needs and mbuna wont thrive in soft or acidic water.

What's the main reason you believe this? I know some care and some don't.

 

[molliwopp]

What's the main reason you believe this? I know some care and some don't.

The main reason is theyve evolved in different parts of the world and like i said have vasty different water requirements. And i care.

Sorry what reason do i believe what?

 

[Sidman24]

The main reason is theyve evolved in different parts of the world and like i said have vasty different water requirements. And i care.

Well yes I agree. But I see people all the time mixing them. And Africans have evolved to live in fish tank water with the usual "lower ph" then required no? I mean I'm sure over half the fish people stock as a community would never cross paths out in the wild. I just think if people look at aggression levels and know what they are doing it should be fine no? Just curious.

 

[molliwopp]

Well yes I agree. But I see people all the time mixing them. And Africans have evolved to live in fish tank water with the usual "lower ph" then required no? I mean I'm sure over half the fish people stock as a community would never cross paths out in the wild. I just think if people look at aggression levels and know what they are doing it should be fine no? Just curious.

Well whats your personal definition of fair? I know mine. No they have not evolved to live in a fish tank with a lower ph and neither has any other fish. Evolution takes serveral hundreds if not thousands of years to change even in the slightest. Just because they can survive in different water conditions doesnt make it ideal for the fish. Theres fish that wouldnt meet and theres fish that have evolved in different chemistry altogether. All my tanks bar none 0 are species only and are matched and suited to my waters chemistry perfectly and youre right many fish keepers wont and dont choose or like to do this, you can call this boring but you cant argue my integrity or passion towards my fish. I guess you can because im still selfish enough to keep them in a enclosed box for my own pleasure but i do go the extra mile. Really im just lucky that the fish i find most interesting i have matching water so now refuse to keep anything but lake malawi cichlids and theres still too many too choose from!

 

[JRT83]

Slowly but surely I've been converting my 75 gallon tank into a cichlid tank. The only community fish left in there are cories, neons ( which I know won't last ) and some lemon tetras. The lemons have a good size too them so I dno if they will last or not. But so far all my cichlids are pretty calm. I have one krib, he is the meanest. Then I have two firemouths, one buffalo head, and a keyhole. I wanted a bright cichlid so I was thinking yellow lab. The local pet store has 3/4 inch ones in. Would it work? If not I may add another buffalo head. I also have a ramshorn snail. Forgot about that little guy.

Happy holidays and thanks for replies!

Only 1 way to find out, give it a try... I have never kept Africans and I wouldn't mix new world/Africans personally but if u get the yellow lab and it works, good for u. If not, rehome some fish and try something else. If you'd like to please everyone, u could try a severum. Not aggressive by any means but can definitely hold their own with the less aggressive cichlids that u already have, and they're from south america. You'd be approaching your stock limit too, but you gotta experiment with different things in this hobby. Choose what u want and make the appropriate changes as u go

 

[JRT83]

Well whats your personal definition of fair? I know mine. No they have not evolved to live in a fish tank with a lower ph and neither has any other fish. Evolution takes serveral hundreds if not thousands of years to change even in the slightest. Just because they can survive in different water conditions doesnt make it ideal for the fish. Theres fish that wouldnt meet and theres fish that have evolved in different chemistry altogether. All my tanks bar none 0 are species only and are matched and suited to my waters chemistry perfectly and youre right many fish keepers wont and dont choose or like to do this, you can call this boring but you cant argue my integrity or passion towards my fish. I guess you can because im still selfish enough to keep them in a enclosed box for my own pleasure but i do go the extra mile. Really im just lucky that the fish i find most interesting i have matching water so now refuse to keep anything but lake malawi cichlids and theres still too many too choose from!

Giving your fish good, or even great water quality is hardly "going the extra mile." I'd say that's what's expected... and neither is having a high pH coming outta your kitchen faucet. Giving fish good quality water (low ammonia, nitrates, etc) is much more important than matching a fish to their preferred pH. Acclimate the fish correctly and most fish will be just fine...

 

[twiddlemuffin]

Only 1 way to find out, give it a try... I have never kept Africans and I wouldn't mix new world/Africans personally but if u get the yellow lab and it works, good for u. If not, rehome some fish and try something else. If you'd like to please everyone, u could try a severum. Not aggressive by any means but can definitely hold their own with the less aggressive cichlids that u already have, and they're from south america. You'd be approaching your stock limit too, but you gotta experiment with different things in this hobby. Choose what u want and make the appropriate changes as u go

I agree with the sev.

 

[gilpi]

Slowly but surely I've been converting my 75 gallon tank into a cichlid tank. The only community fish left in there are cories, neons ( which I know won't last ) and some lemon tetras. The lemons have a good size too them so I dno if they will last or not. But so far all my cichlids are pretty calm. I have one krib, he is the meanest. Then I have two firemouths, one buffalo head, and a keyhole. I wanted a bright cichlid so I was thinking yellow lab. The local pet store has 3/4 inch ones in. Would it work? If not I may add another buffalo head. I also have a ramshorn snail. Forgot about that little guy.

Happy holidays and thanks for replies!

Molliwopp is giving good advice, Africans and South Americans have different requirements, I personally would not mix them.
The other fish in your tank will become fish food.
I have seen people mix Africans with South Americans and at the end of it all, they're your fish and you can do what you want with them.

Happy Holidays!