New 55 gallon setup

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ksfishguy

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Jul 26, 2006
Messages
340
Location
Hutchinson, Kansas
My nine year old son love's the electric yellow cichlids. Can I get some suggestions for how many a 55 gallon can hold, plus some possible tankmates from Lake Malawi?
Thanks!
 
Yellow labs are great! And in a 55g I suggest a group of 6. Most other tankmates you will find for them are a bit more aggressive, so I'd have more of the labs.

In my Malawi tank, I have yellow labs along with Pseudotropheus socolofi albinos (aka Snow white socolofis), Cynotilapia afra cobue, and some Eureka peacocks (A. jacobfreibergi).

Other possibilities are Rusty Cichlids, maybe Red Zebras, though sometimes these guys can be really aggressive (depends on the individual fish I guess), and other peacocks, since they share a similar diet. I'd stay away from the more aggressive Mbuna, just because Yellow labs are not that aggressive.
 
Other excellent Mbuna tank mates are the Cobalts (pure baby blue, not the striped) and Aceis. They are both peaceful for Mbuna and add a beautiful contrast in color. The yellow of the labs, purple of the Aceis, and baby blue of the Cobalts.
 
Acei's get to roughly 4 - 5 inches in size. Live Aquaria overestimates at 7 inches. For accurate Malawi info, check out www.malawimayhem.com

I'd get 6 Labs, 4 Acei, and 4 Cobalts. That's if you want to go with all three. They prefer to be in groupings. You'll notice that they "school" in a sense. When I say Cobalts, I mean the Maylandia callainos. They are gorgeous fish and breed easily if you want them to.

If you do decide to go with African Mbuna, you may want to consider changing the lighting that you have to Actinic or 50/50 bulbs. If you have a single bulb strip, a 50/50 would look great. It brings out the coloration of African Mbuna.
 
With the right filtration, you should be good for about 18-22 fish. It all depends on what species you chose and how you go about filtering the tank. My 55g Mbuna tank houses a total of 22 fish.
 
Definitely make sure you have tons of filtration. I had a single Rena XP3 cannister on my 55g Malawi, but it wasn't enough. I've since added an Aquaclear 70 HOB. I had it laying around, but if I would have bought one, it would have been the 110...just for the extra filtration. Mbuna are messy fish! And that is an understatement....;)
 
lol 22 is rediculus. even with amazing filtration. u need to realize the size once they are grown. 18 fish at 5 inches doesnt leave alot fo swimming room. if u dont mind trading back the fish u have watched grow up then ya go for it but i think 12 is a safe number. i have 6 labs a cobalt and 3 peacocks in my tank and they all get along nicely but i feel even that is a little crowded. i am running and xp3 and a penguin 350b. good luck with the tank and i hope u find some beautiful specimens. my labs are currently breeding like crazy and i just saved my first batch of fry :)
 
A lot depends on the size of the fish at maturtity as well as their behavior. Many Mbuna owners overstock purposely to cut down on aggression, hence the need for additional filtration.
 
I wouldn't stock 22. Even with overstocking, I would not recommend that high. Only stock what can live peacefully in the tank when they are adults. Plus, the Labs, Cobalts, and Aceis are peaceful fish. There really isn't that much aggression as opposed to maybe a Kenyi or Auratus. I think we only have 22 fish in our 150 gal tank. IMO it is best to understock in regards to Mbuna. That's just from personal experience with MY fish. Each tank is different. Each fish has their own personality, especially with Mbuna. You'll learn how to read your Africans and know when it is too much.
 
When my Malawis get bigger and more colorful, I will be choosing the ones I want to keep. I plan on keeping 18-20 in my 55g. I know that I will eventually (in the next 2-3 years) upgrade the tank to a 125g though. By that time they will of course be full grown adults, but I hope to get that 125g in 2 years...keeping my fingers crossed.

Ksfishguy, depending on what Malawians you choose, I would shoot for around 16-18 total. If you know you will eventually upgrade, you could go up to 20 I think...of course it depends on which fish you choose. Make sure you have lots of hiding places and lots of filtration.
 
Purchase them locally if at all possible. Mail order as a last result due to the stress and high cost.
 
I think my local fish store will order whatever I want at no extra charge for shipping, they will just add it to their order. Another option is Petsmart, but it is 50 miles away.
 
If you can't find them locally check out Aquabid.com. Many sellers will include shipping in the price of the fish, so no extra costs...and will sometimes throw in extras depending on the seller. I have had good experiences ordering fish online...all my Malawians, except the Socolofis came from AB sellers (though I know them from another forum).
 
I decided, along with my son, to go with South American cichlids. They are readily available in my area and are perfect for my water conditions. They are also less expensive and I do not want to pay for shipping. My LFS offered to order anything I wanted, but they were just too expensive for my taste.

Thanks for all your advice. This website has been absolutely crucial in helping me setup to successful aquariums! Thanks to everyone who make this site possible!!!
 
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