African cichlid stocking for a 55g

[Aquarium1]

Im looking for ways to stock my 55g Malawi tank with as much color and variety as possible. It's empty of fish for now. I already have 1 good combination but I'm looking for ad many options as possible so I can choose my favorite.
Here's the one someone already gave me:
3 females, 1 male each
yellow labs
kenyis
bumblebee cichlid.
What are some other good wats to stock it?

 

[Sicklid]

Cookie Cutter - 55-gallons

Here is a decent guide. Easy to follow...

 

[spoonman]

If you are going with yellow kenyi I wouldnt go with the yellow labs. Not good to have two different species of same color. They will fight. I have 115G Malawi tank and here is my stocking (not sure of all the sexes yet since they were very juvenile when bought):

4 yellow labs (yellow)
4 Acei 2m/2f (purple)
4 Cobalt blue zebra (blue)
4 Red Zebra (orange)
1 Orange blotch zebra (orange and black)
1 Albino zebra (white with a blue sheen)
3 Greshakei (1 male:light blue with bars 2 female: brown)

There is a great variety of color and they all are on the low end of the aggresion scale, so they dont fight at all. Some of the ones that you have picked are higher up on the aggresion. Here is a really good site to look up cichlids on: Species Profiles -- Cichlid-Forum . Do a "search by group" and choose lake malawi and you will see all the different options. It also tells you aggresion levels and such. Great info.

 

[Sicklid]

FWIW, I have had Yellow Labs in with my Kenyi for a long time now, and I have minimal aggression and even when there are squabbles, it's between my two Kenyi males... The Kenyi males I have change from a gold with black bars, to an almost whitish lavendar with mood, and my Yellow Lab dominant male is a very very bright yellow... I think the lack of egg spots and the black dorsal fin along with the Labs lack of barring lets the Kenyi males know he isn't a big threat to their females.

I know it's not always feasible, but I attribute this to three things: Overstocking, plenty of territory that I often rearrange, and most importantly (and very possible being that the OP has not added any fish yet) I introduced everyone at the same time, as juveniles of similar size...

The overstocking REALLY helps when adding new fish... I started with Kenyis (before the males turned golden, Yellow labs, and Red Zebras... Since then I have added an Orange Blotch, a blueberry/blue blotch, and a male Greshakei and not even one fight among anyone yet, and I have holding Kenyi females in there... So I think its possible.

The one fish on that list I would steer clear of is the Bumble bees, but I think if you follow my guidelines above, you can have success... Be prepared for anything though. Thats why I love Mbuna!

 

[spoonman]

I would go with Sicklids experience. My input about the kenyis and labs is from my reading. The other thing to consider when setting up the tank is to provide lots of hiding places. Tunnels and caves are great for Mbuna. They need to stake out territories to feel safe and also to cut down the aggresion. Important to consider when scaping the tank. Should have one or two hiding places per fish. I also have pool filter sand substrate since they love to dig.

 

[Sicklid]

MY experience may not be the norm, Spoon, LOL... I am just saying I had success, and I can't say I didn't consider the color thing to be a factor in the beginning, so you are right on track bro... I am just saying somehow, someway, I got it to work... THUS FAR.

 

[spoonman]

It happens all the time. I have lots of fish in my 84G community that arent supposed to be able to get along either. But they do. You just never know till you try. You just have to be ready to make changes if something does go wrong I guess. I think you are right about introducing them at a juvie stage and together. Then I think they just dont know any different. Mine were all about an inch when introduced. And all within about a week of each other.

 

[kaiofcanada]

If you are going with yellow kenyi I wouldnt go with the yellow labs. Not good to have two different species of same color. They will fight. I have 115G Malawi tank and here is my stocking (not sure of all the sexes yet since they were very juvenile when bought):

4 yellow labs (yellow)
4 Acei 2m/2f (purple)
4 Cobalt blue zebra (blue)
4 Red Zebra (orange)
1 Orange blotch zebra (orange and black)
1 Albino zebra (white with a blue sheen)
3 Greshakei (1 male:light blue with bars 2 female: brown)

There is a great variety of color and they all are on the low end of the aggresion scale, so they dont fight at all. Some of the ones that you have picked are higher up on the aggresion. Here is a really good site to look up cichlids on: Species Profiles -- Cichlid-Forum . Do a "search by group" and choose lake malawi and you will see all the different options. It also tells you aggresion levels and such. Great info.

You jerk. This is my dream setup!!!! Sooooooo much spoon envy!

 

[Sicklid]

And if I remember correctly, you did a little re-arranging of the "furniture" in the tank not long after wards when you got that holey rock piece... so that probably helped too, since whatever territory anyone may have "staked out" was now gone, lol.

That's why I say, information is your greatest weapon in doing what people say can't be done.

Also, I know my fish are not fully mature, so I can't say that one day when my male Kenyi hits a fat-boy 5 or 6 inches long, he won't become a killer.

Here is a photo I came across showing exactly what you thought would happen, so it is totally reasonable that Kenyi males would be pissed off that another yellow fish is present:

http://www.aquariumfish.net/images_01/mbuna_dispute_2.jpg

The photo is described as a Kenyi fighting with a Tropheops instead of a Lab though.

 

[spoonman]

You are right Sicklid. I have re-arranged that tank many times. One time was to add more rock, the next to change to pool filter sand and the last time to re-arrange rock and add more. I think changing the tank every now and again helps too. The fish are forced to restake out different spots. I think that is especially important when introducing new fish, so that all have to look at the same time and all are on a level playing field and the new fish doesnt come into an established territorial area.

 

[spoonman]

You jerk. This is my dream setup!!!! Sooooooo much spoon envy!

Doesnt mean you cant have it too....

 

[Aquarium1]

So sicklid, what are a few stocking lists you would use for my 55?

 

[Aquarium1]

How about 4 acei, 4 yellow labs, and 4 red zebras?

 

[spoonman]

I think that would be great!!!

 

[kaiofcanada]

How about 4 acei, 4 yellow labs, and 4 red zebras?

OMG that is what I told you last night lol! I was inspired by Dizzcat and Spoon. But I am glad you have come to your own comclusions . I am so excited to see everything! I don't get to have a big tank until I move from my current place Which will be at the end of spring. I will live vicariously through you.

 

[Sicklid]

I would go for that!

 

[spoonman]

In all fairness, I got my ideas from DizzCat and Sicklid when I was putting my tank together. Then have been a world of help to me. I am mearly passing on the knowledge from my great sensei.....(bows)

 

[Aquarium1]

OMG that is what I told you last night lol! I was inspired by Dizzcat and Spoon. But I am glad you have come to your own comclusions . I am so excited to see everything! I don't get to have a big tank until I move from my current place Which will be at the end of spring. I will live vicariously through you.

Lol I hope you like my tank. I also saw that dizzcat has her rocks on the side. I wish I had seen tht earlier as it would be too difficult to totally rearrange my tank. Also, sorry I didn't take the hint from your pm. I was sleepy lol.

 

[Aquarium1]

What genders should I get or does it matter?

 

[Sicklid]

Here is what I suggest... I would get as many as you can of each species, and be prepared to get rid of the troublemakers and fish that don't make nice with everybody else if a "peaceful" tank is your goal... It's a good way to sex them too, when you can observe who is doing what to who in the tank... But be warned, by removing one fish, a new Dominant male might be ready to step up and be even worse than the one you sent packing.

This way, if you buy five of each instead of four, you have a greater shot at obtaining the "magic" ratio of one male/three females... Of course, I over bought and I am keeping all the fish... the extras become dithers and targets for the dominant males aggression, so you don't necessarily HAVE to get rid of or cull any weak fish, you see.

In a fifty five with plenty of rockwork, you can easily have five of each as juveniles, with standard filtration. If you don't overfeed, and keep up with maintenance you will have no problems. I overfilter and do 50% weekly water changes, so I have some healthy mbuna, if I do say so myself! But I am trying to grow them out, so I feed quite a bit. I got them all as tiny 1.5" juvies.

Also, Yellow labs and Acei are relatively peaceful and non-territorial as it is, and I have had no trouble from my Red Zebras even though they are the largest fish in my tank. The Red Z's actually step in and BREAK UP fights, believe it or not!