FishProfiles.com Message Forums

Would it make a difference that these fish are raised together? In every fish store I've gone to, I've seen this mix or similar. The fish are all shapes and sizes and there isn't any fighting. It seems to always work out there.

I like that species of fish, but I wouldn't like a species only, I'd rather a little more variation. Plus it's very hard getting more than one of them becasue each tank only had 1 or 2.

Depending on the species.......
*if i could add to jason's

I see 2 opinions:

1) All Male show tank, 1-2 males of several species.

2) Mix tank, 2-3 species depending on which species, with 1m, 3-4f ratio.

Both have there ups and downs but both work.
I say pick 1 fav fish and build on that
If the Fav happens to be a Melanochromis species go with a species tank of only that species (Their Nasty fish).

Last edited by mr_cichlid at 14-Mar-2005 13:09

First get the tank & see the water capacity. Give it a good scrub & then you can see what you can do.
Elec.Yellow are very beautiful Malawi fish & yes, you can mix African Cichlids from the same lakes.



http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/s8xi5heh/my_photos

http://www.deathbydyeing.org/



http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com

Hey dj, I sure hope that you can get the tank...
First we really need to know what size it is...some of the ones you listed are quite agressive, and to think about putting them into a 30 gallon tank would just not work at all. I, myself have a 55 gallon with African Cichlids.
I have Yellow Labs, Acei, Kenyii, Rusties, Cobalt Zebra (Blue). The Kenyii are highly aggressive and I wouldn't put them in anything less than a 55 and would really suggest a 75 for them. If you find out the tank is a 55 get 1 or 2...making sure that they are FEMALE! Males are even more aggressive than the females, and are likely to kill anything else in the tank. Add a couple or 3 of the Cobalt blues, they are still midly aggressive, but beautiful to have, and do get quite large. The Rusties I truly do love, but are not always the spectacular color that the pictures show, but tend to be a burnt orange with the bluish/purplish undertones, but are quite peaceful...but hilariously they have tiny teeth i forgot to mention that in the profile not that they are all that big, I have been bitten by all of them, and still have all 9 of my digits

Let's see that leaves me with my Acei, who truly have a great personality, and are hilarious. It is the one I call Bubba that is pictured over there <---and are one of the more peaceful.

Then there is the Electric Yellow (Lab--whatever he is being called near you:%)) These are very bright, and wonderful to look at...and tend to be peaceful...

The main thing is to make sure that you have plenty of hiding holes that go through, so that they can get out of any and all potential trouble they may encounter. I found that the original 50 lbs I had just wasn't enough for me and now I'm up to about 100 lbs, and am quite satisfied...

All in all I love them, and they are easy enough to care for...Heidi

PS if someone can remind me how to upload a video I now have one of that tank, it's less than 2 minutes...hml



heidi attached this image:


"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle