maingano cichlid

[isis]

just set up a tank with 4 maingano cichlids . can anyone help me with info on these fish please. thanks

 

[Cichlidjon]

I have some mainganos myself!! Welcome to AA this is a pretty awesome forum. I know from my limited experience that they can be somewhat aggressive compared to say Rusty's or even Yellow labs. They're pretty hardy but with your setup you should be good to go! Just curious what size is your tank?

 

[Andrew McFadden]

These two links will give you some info about them. Plus. to AA! We hope you enjoy

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/m_cyaneorhabdos.php

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=756

 

[isis]

i have a 10gal tank right now. im trying to get a 55gal or at least a 30gal. the 4 mainganos seem to love the tank their in. i would up load pics but my computer wont let me. do u know at what size they get the bold coloring. thanks for the links

 

[Andrew McFadden]

They should start getting their color at about 2" witch shouldn't take but several months. Since they are one of the smallest you could get a 40 breeder witch would be better than a 29 gallon and leave you with a few more options to go with them. when they start to get their colors their attitudes toward each other will change and in that small of a tank you'll probably only be left with one.

 

[isis]

im getting a 30 gal tank but the only thing is it comes with 5 big black convict cichlids and a peacock cichlid. would they get along with my mainganos?

 

[Rlavassor86]

im getting a 30 gal tank but the only thing is it comes with 5 big black convict cichlids and a peacock cichlid. would they get along with my mainganos?

Mixing s. Americans with Africans is always a big risk and I wouldn't recommend it. Also in a 30 gal you would be overstocked IMO. Convicts will get extremely aggressive when guarding their young and will kill any fish that gets to close and in a 30 gal there's not a whole lot of room to get away.

 

[isis]

hi, thanks. i was thinking the same thing just wanted to make sure . so i think since the guy said he would flush them if i didnt take them with the tank. my husbond and i are on a fish rescue tomorrow are black convicts easy fish to look after?

 

[Andrew McFadden]

hi, thanks. i was thinking the same thing just wanted to make sure . so i think since the guy said he would flush them if i didnt take them with the tank. my husbond and i are on a fish rescue tomorrow are black convicts easy fish to look after?

Yea, if the requirements are right. But that sounds like a lot of convicts for a 30 gallon imo. And to add if you didn't already know what you have are lake Malawi mbuna cichlids from Africa, the peacock is Malawi cichlid aswell but its a peacock other than a mbuna. They really shouldn't be stocked together in a small tank. Then you would have the convicts that aren't african and shouldn't be stocked with them.

 

[Rlavassor86]

hi, thanks. i was thinking the same thing just wanted to make sure . so i think since the guy said he would flush them if i didnt take them with the tank. my husbond and i are on a fish rescue tomorrow are black convicts easy fish to look after?

Yea they are pretty hardy. Just keep up with water changes as cichlids are messy fish. Also if you have males and females they will mate. Convicts are prolific maters so you will have fry often. I have never personally kept them but have friends that do and it seems like every time I go there he's got more fry.

 

[Rlavassor86]

Oh and I would also find a new home for the peacock. Peacocks are from east Africa in lake Malawi so require diff water conditions and also will most likely be killed by the convicts. I also feel that 5 large convicts is to many for a 30 gal. So you may also want to consider rehoming like 2 of them. And on a side note, who would flush perfectly healthy fish just cus they don't want them. Most LFS will take them and dome even pay for them. I hate hearing ppl say they are just gonna kill their fish or let them go in the lake by them.

 

[isis]

yeah the guy that has them now said that they breed all the time. i think i will try to find good homes for them, but i might keep a pair not sure. thanks for the info