How to mix cichlids in one tank

[Komodo]

I know that not all cichlids can coexist. Is there a guide available on which ones can be mixed together in a single tank?

 

[CCXGT]

You talking about New/Old World?


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[Komodo]

You talking about New/Old World?


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I’m new to all of this; all I know for now is that cichlids are so beautiful. I also want to do it right. As for old world or new world, I don’t know the difference, can you recommend the ones that are easier to care for. I have an empty 90 gallon tank and a few accessories so I’m able to purchase whatever is needed for your recommendation.

 

[CCXGT]

I’m new to all of this; all I know for now is that cichlids are so beautiful. I also want to do it right. As for old world or new world, I don’t know the difference, can you recommend the ones that are easier to care for. I have an empty 90 gallon tank and a few accessories so I’m able to purchase whatever is needed for your recommendation.

So you've got AFRICAN Cichlids, these are Old World. These are the aggressive ones.

And AMERICAN Cichlids, these are New World. Things like Oscars, Jack Dempsey's ect..

I'm assuming that you're talking about Africans since I think you mentioned the aggression.

Well a 90G is a great place to start with Africans, you'll be able to keep most of them comfortably.

The thing with Africans is you need to overstock the tank in order to tone down the aggression and this means buffing your filtration.

Malawi Africans split into 3 main groups: Mbuna, Peacocks and Haps.

Mbuna are considered the most aggressive, they grow to around 5" and are herbivorous, they are generally pretty cheap and also very hardy.
They also have some of the more attractive colours to them, both males and females get rather good looking.

Peacocks and Haps are generally more friendly, they grow much larger, in the 7+" region, they are carnivorous and CAN be very expensive.
A lot of people keep a male only Peacock and Hap tank simply because they look amazing, but the males are the expensive ones.


So, first things first, what type strikes your fancy?


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[Komodo]

So you've got AFRICAN Cichlids, these are Old World. These are the aggressive ones.

And AMERICAN Cichlids, these are New World. Things like Oscars, Jack Dempsey's ect..

I'm assuming that you're talking about Africans since I think you mentioned the aggression.

Well a 90G is a great place to start with Africans, you'll be able to keep most of them comfortably.

The thing with Africans is you need to overstock the tank in order to tone down the aggression and this means buffing your filtration.

Malawi Africans split into 3 main groups: Mbuna, Peacocks and Haps.

Mbuna are considered the most aggressive, they grow to around 5" and are herbivorous, they are generally pretty cheap and also very hardy.
They also have some of the more attractive colours to them, both males and females get rather good looking.

Peacocks and Haps are generally more friendly, they grow much larger, in the 7+" region, they are carnivorous and CAN be very expensive.
A lot of people keep a male only Peacock and Hap tank simply because they look amazing, but the males are the expensive ones.


So, first things first, what type strikes your fancy?


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I looked up the groups you mentioned, Wow, they are all so stunning. What I will do is over the next two weeks I will visit a few pet shops and have a closer look. I think we might have one or two fish specialty stores in town. Then I will get back to you with my choice.

Also, I don’t quite understand what you mean by “overstock the tank in order to tone down the aggression and this means buffing your filtration.” Are you saying that I need to over populate the tank so that some will die and the survivors will be less aggressive?

 

[dalto]

Also, I don’t quite understand what you mean by “overstock the tank in order to tone down the aggression and this means buffing your filtration.” Are you saying that I need to over populate the tank so that some will die and the survivors will be less aggressive?

With certain kinds of African cichlids which are aggressive if you have a small number the dominant fish can kill the subdominant fish. By "overstocking" the aggression is spread around and most/all can survive. You still need to pay attention to your tank mates as they are not all compatible.

Please note, that overstocking does not work with all aggressive cichlids. Try doing that with central american cichlids to your peril

 

[CCXGT]

I looked up the groups you mentioned, Wow, they are all so stunning. What I will do is over the next two weeks I will visit a few pet shops and have a closer look. I think we might have one or two fish specialty stores in town. Then I will get back to you with my choice.



Also, I don’t quite understand what you mean by “overstock the tank in order to tone down the aggression and this means buffing your filtration.” Are you saying that I need to over populate the tank so that some will die and the survivors will be less aggressive?

No, you don't overstock to kill your fish.

What it means is basically putting enough fish in one tank so when aggression breaks out, there are more fish to be chased around, rather than one fish chasing another fish for days and days.

So, more fish = less chance of fatal injuries.

Obviously you'll find nipped fins and perhaps a scale or two sticking out.
But nothing that can't be solved by the fish themselves.


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[Mebbid]

The overstocking primarily fills the tank with soo many fish that they can't set up individual territories. This tones down aggression all on its own. I would say about 20 fish would be a good number for Africans in a 90g.

Next they are harem brooders. This means that one male will control a group of females. Due to this there are really 2 ways to stock them.

First is one male of a bunch of different species. They are primarily aggressive to the same species so different types should largely ignore each other.

Next is 1 male to a group of females. Each type has different aggression led els so you will have to do some research. If starts at 1 male to 4 females for a docile fish like a yellow lab and then moves up to 1 male per 15 females for a demasoni. Just do some research on them.

Mbuna are my favorite

 

[Komodo]

The overstocking primarily fills the tank with soo many fish that they can't set up individual territories. This tones down aggression all on its own. I would say about 20 fish would be a good number for Africans in a 90g.

Next they are harem brooders. This means that one male will control a group of females. Due to this there are really 2 ways to stock them.

First is one male of a bunch of different species. They are primarily aggressive to the same species so different types should largely ignore each other.

Next is 1 male to a group of females. Each type has different aggression led els so you will have to do some research. If starts at 1 male to 4 females for a docile fish like a yellow lab and then moves up to 1 male per 15 females for a demasoni. Just do some research on them.

Mbuna are my favorite

Is it easy to tell the males from the females when purchasing these fish?

 

[Mebbid]

Is it easy to tell the males from the females when purchasing these fish?

Sometimes... some fish are vastly different between males and females. Cynotilapia afra are good examples of this as the males are brightly colored while the females are fairly bland looking. Yellow labs on the other hand are nearly identical and need to be vented to know for sure. It just depends on which one you like.

 

[CCXGT]

Is it easy to tell the males from the females when purchasing these fish?

With many Africans you simply won't be able to tell by eye.
You'll have to wait until they've grown out a bit and vent them to make sure.


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[Komodo]

With many Africans you simply won't be able to tell by eye.
You'll have to wait until they've grown out a bit and vent them to make sure.


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I am so very new at this, how to I vent them?

 

[CCXGT]

I am so very new at this, how to I vent them?

You need to wait until the fish has developed a bit.

You can usually vent at around 1.5".

It's very simple, all you need to do is pick up the fish, hold it upside down and look for 2 holes.

Females will have 1 larger and 1 smaller hole.

Males will have 2 similarly sized holes.

I'll see if I can get a pic of one of my females.


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[Komodo]

You need to wait until the fish has developed a bit.

You can usually vent at around 1.5".

It's very simple, all you need to do is pick up the fish, hold it upside down and look for 2 holes.

Females will have 1 larger and 1 smaller hole.

Males will have 2 similarly sized holes.

I'll see if I can get a pic of one of my females.


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I just saw a YouTube video on venting fish; needless to say I won’t be doing any venting soon. So how do I attempt to do a male to female ratio if it’s so difficult to know the males from the females?

Is this what you’re talking about?

"I just saw a YouTube video on venting fish; needless to say I won’t be doing any venting soon. So how do I attempt to do a male to female ratio if it’s so difficult to know the males from the females?

"]I just saw a YouTube video on venting fish; needless to say I won’t be doing any venting soon. So how do I attempt to do a male to female ratio if it’s so difficult to know the males from the females?

 

[CCXGT]

I just saw a YouTube video on venting fish; needless to say I won’t be doing any venting soon. So how do I attempt to do a male to female ratio if it’s so difficult to know the males from the females?

Is this what you’re talking about?

"I just saw a YouTube video on venting fish; needless to say I won’t be doing any venting soon. So how do I attempt to do a male to female ratio if it’s so difficult to know the males from the females?

"]I just saw a YouTube video on venting fish; needless to say I won’t be doing any venting soon. So how do I attempt to do a male to female ratio if it’s so difficult to know the males from the females?

That's one of my Cobalt girls.
1 small, 1 large.

It's really easy to do.


Now, the male female ratio.

You'll want to TRY to keep more females than males but that's easier said than done.

Your LFS will probably have no clue either and you'll just have to make your best guesses.

This is why so many people like to keep Male only tanks, and why males are so much more expensive.


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[Komodo]

So you've got AFRICAN Cichlids, these are Old World. These are the aggressive ones.

And AMERICAN Cichlids, these are New World. Things like Oscars, Jack Dempsey's ect..

I'm assuming that you're talking about Africans since I think you mentioned the aggression.

Well a 90G is a great place to start with Africans, you'll be able to keep most of them comfortably.

The thing with Africans is you need to overstock the tank in order to tone down the aggression and this means buffing your filtration.

Malawi Africans split into 3 main groups: Mbuna, Peacocks and Haps.

Mbuna are considered the most aggressive, they grow to around 5" and are herbivorous, they are generally pretty cheap and also very hardy.
They also have some of the more attractive colours to them, both males and females get rather good looking.

Peacocks and Haps are generally more friendly, they grow much larger, in the 7+" region, they are carnivorous and CAN be very expensive.
A lot of people keep a male only Peacock and Hap tank simply because they look amazing, but the males are the expensive ones.


So, first things first, what type strikes your fancy?


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I went to several pet shops and one aquarium specialty shop and concluded that I will go with Lake Malawi Cichlids.

I was told that adding twenty baby Malawi cichlids of different colors should be added over a three week period.

These will go into a new tank 120 gallons. I understand that you and others suggest adding them all at once, maybe twenty fish does not equal overstocking, I don't think I can afford at this time more than twenty. There is something I don't understand. The shopkeeper doesn't know why you say all at once. Can you explain to me the reasoning behind the two suggestions?

 

[CCXGT]

I never added all of mine at the same time.

I'm not the type of guy that spends £200 on fish in one go.


I think what people MEANT was to never add Africans on their own.

In other words, never just go and pick up 1 fish, it becomes an easy target to the others.
Generally, adding Africans in groups of 3+ is fine.

When adding new fish to an existing tank just make sure you feed your existing stock and make the room as dark as possible.


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[Mebbid]

I never added all of mine at the same time.

I'm not the type of guy that spends £200 on fish in one go.


I think what people MEANT was to never add Africans on their own.

In other words, never just go and pick up 1 fish, it becomes an easy target to the others.
Generally, adding Africans in groups of 3+ is fine.

When adding new fish to an existing tank just make sure you feed your existing stock and make the room as dark as possible.


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Nope, its definitely adding them all at once. Its an Aggression management technique. there won't be any newcomers to get picked on.

 

[dalto]

Adding them all at once is advantageous for a couple of reasons.
- If you have too few fish for the size of the tank the aggression will not get spread out enough and you can lose fish.
- Adding fish incrementally can sometimes cause the established balance and hierarchy to be disrupted. Often it will just be re-established within a day or two but sometimes it can cause some serious aggression.

With very small fish(1-1.5") the situation is a little different as they won't be that aggressive. IMO, it is still better to let them grow out together.

I guess, other than not being able to afford to buy them all at once, the only reason I can think to buy them incrementally is if your tank was not cycled.

 

[CCXGT]

It's not ideal for most people to go out and buy every single fish in one go.

I'm just saying that it's fine adding more along the way.


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