6 Cichlids and 2 Bristlenoses

[Hairy_Harold]

My gf is interested in getting into african cichlids after I started a native tank. She is interested is solid bright colours, we are thinking 2 Electric Yellows, 2 Electric Blues, 2 Snow White Socolofis (albino) and 2 Peppermint Bristlenose catfish. We were looking at getting 2 red zebras aswell but have been told these grow bigger, will the extra 2 be too many fish?
So far i've read that these fish will get along enough to survive being that they are from the same lake (malawi) and the catfish are armoured enough to not be bothered by the africans. So far i've read that the africans don't seem to grow over 8" or so, is this right?
The fish will be going into a 200L 36"x18"x18" tank will this be enough room for them to grow? Filtration is a Hailea 1000Lph internal filter with some extra filler wool added for a bit of extra filtration.

 

[kribensis12]

Sounds good to me. But instead of doing things by 2's. I would do this:
4 Electric yellows ( or more, they like groups)
4 Electric Blues
4 Snow White Scolofi's
2 Pleco's.

The key with Africans is overstocking to keep agression down. Just make sure your filter is cycled!

Also, make SURE you get the Lab's some green's, like Sprinula .

 

[Hairy_Harold]

The tank is only a 190L (50 gal) are those numbers of fish alright? I'm guessing an external canister would be a must for that number of fish for the added extra biological filtration. Will the fact that when we purchase the fish they should all be young and about the same size?
The tank will be basically full of big rocks for lots of hiddy holes and some valisneria in the back corners and maybe some little plants in pots (to try prevent them being uprooted).
For the food part we will be feeding sinking pellets think they are high protien ones and probably algae discs once a week or so.

Edit: Just adding would red zebra's be alright in this tank aswell?

 

[kribensis12]

Red Zebra's may be okay. Just, the numbers are right for a 50g tank. Mbuna tend to not do well if under stocked. The more you can get the better( within reason). As when there are moe fish, the agression is focused on all of them, instead of just 1 or 2. Just make sure you have good filtration.

 

[Hairy_Harold]

Filtration wil be a Hailea 1000Lph Internal Filter with spraybar and a Jebao 1500Lph canister. Hopefully the current won't be too much of a hassle for the fish (being lake species). Should their currents be opposing each other?

 

[kribensis12]

I would definatley have the current opposing itself, they are strong swimmers though.