Suggestions in adding Cichlids

[ElSergio]

Hello All, first post here, hi nice to meet you.

So I am looking for some suggestions. I want to start off with I am aware that what I want, and what I should do are not always in synch, and that my primary concern is happy healthy fish.

What I currently have is a 55 Gal. I moved it accross multiple states, and the gravel and filter dried out completely in the move, so I treated it like a brand new tank and did a full fishless cycle.

About 2 weeks ago I added 2 yellow labs, 2 earth eaters, and a blood parrot. all are juvenile, with the 2 labs and earth eaters approx 2 in, and the Blood parrot is about 3 in.

Everything seems to be going well so far, but I would like to add some more now, since max fish is better, and slightly over crowding I hear is the way to go with these guys.

So on to my question, how much is slightly over crowding with these guys, and should I stick with more labs and earth eaters, or should I branch out. I want to keep to the less aggressive cichlids as much as possible because the blood parrot is the attraction for this tank.

Currently I just have a standard biowheel filter rated at 55 gal, so I will be setting up my canister filter (also rated for 55gal) here in the next couple of days.

Let the comments, suggestions, and criticisms begin!

 

[The boring name]

Ok so parrot and the labs will not work out not sure of earth eaters but choose between the parrot or the labs. The labs are in the African cichlid group there are three lakes of Africans they are the malwalis they should only be mixed with fish from the same lake. These guys love rocks and caves a 55 should be good for a good bit of them just make sure to put canister on ASAP so bassicly get rid of parrot add more African mbunas

 

[The boring name]

Welcome to AA to

 

[ElSergio]

Thanks for your response, and welcome.

After keeping fish as long as I have, I should no better than to trust a big corp fish store. She seemed pretty knowledgable about all the things I already knew about (I always ask questions I know before ones I don't.)

I've since come to realize that the parrot and earth eaters are CA cichs, and the labs African. and even that parrots are not best kept with other cichlids, AND that they are genetically modified which makes me sick because I try to stay away from modified fish on principal.

It was suggested if I keep the parrot to replace the other cichlids with larger peacefull barbs, danio, and substrate fish.

If I decide to keep the labs, any suggestions on other low aggro AF cichlids that would look good?

If I decide to keep the earth eaters, (which I know nothing about and you can only trust site profiles so much) suggestions on a CA cichlid tank mates.

Thanks again.

 

[The boring name]

No problem for the african mbunas are what u should stick with. I love the kenyi eletric blue red zebra yellow tell aceis and so forth but if you stick with earth eaters I couldn't tell u a thing

 

[Big Tex]

No problem for the african mbunas are what u should stick with. I love the kenyi eletric blue red zebra yellow tell aceis and so forth but if you stick with earth eaters I couldn't tell u a thing

You just named half the fish in my tank, and for the OP mbunas are definitely the way to go, they're pretty hardy fish and are available on a bunch of colors and patterns, plus they all get along very well when raised together in the same tank IME the coolest thing might be seeing em color up together aw man it's an exciting few months!

 

[The boring name]

Haha yea I just got a baby rusty that's just starting to get small amount of color can't wait to see him color all the way up