8x2x2 stocking options

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malfunction

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So, a while ago I shut down my main tank as work commitments meant I only had time to look after one tank. Now things have calmed down, Iā€™m thinking of restarting it. Iā€™m thinking of an all-male hap & peacock tank as Iā€™ve never had that set up before and I want to try something new and colourful. Does anyone have any good stocking suggestions for a colourful set up?

Thanks
 
is your tank 8ft x 2ft x 2ft?
nice sized tank fi it is :)

Besides having Sciaenochromis ahli and various Aulonocara species, have you thought about Ophthalmotilapia furcifer or ventralis? The males make incredible display fish and your tank would be big enough for them. You could also add a group of Cyprichormis or Paracyprichromis to the tank. Cyrtocara moorii and Labidochromis caeruleus would work too. And if you wanted catfish then Synodontis multipunctatus.
 
is your tank 8ft x 2ft x 2ft?
nice sized tank fi it is :)

Yep, itā€™s a beast!


Thanks - those are some interesting options. C moorii and S ahli look cool, so Iā€™m thinking of including them with an assortment of auloncara and possibly Ciprichromis. Iā€™ll have to read up in them though as I know nothing about Ciprichromis!
 
Cyprichromis and Paracyprichromis are small schooling fishes that grow to about 4 inches long, and live in groups of thousands in Lake Tanganyika. Big predatory fishes like Cyphotilapia frontosa prey on them.

Male Paracyprichomis nigripinnis and Cyprichromis leptosoma are more colourful than females that are normally bland silver or grey. They are mouth brooders and the females carry a small group of eggs until they hatch. The parents do not eat their young but other fish do. If you keep these fish get 10 or more if you can so they can hang out in a group. You can have 3 or 4 males and a group of females and they look quite nice :)
 
Cyprichromis and Paracyprichromis are small schooling fishes that grow to about 4 inches long, and live in groups of thousands in Lake Tanganyika. Big predatory fishes like Cyphotilapia frontosa prey on them.

Male Paracyprichomis nigripinnis and Cyprichromis leptosoma are more colourful than females that are normally bland silver or grey. They are mouth brooders and the females carry a small group of eggs until they hatch. The parents do not eat their young but other fish do. If you keep these fish get 10 or more if you can so they can hang out in a group. You can have 3 or 4 males and a group of females and they look quite nice :)

Ok, thanks for the info. Iā€™ll add them to my shortlist as Iā€™m still thinking about what else Iā€™d like to add to the tank
 
Nimbochromis venustus or livingstonii
Copadichromis borleyi but they are similar to Aulonocaras
 
Nimbochromis venustus or livingstonii
Copadichromis borleyi but they are similar to Aulonocaras

These are some useful suggestions. So far, my shortlist is looking like this:

Nimbochromis venustus

Nimbochromis livingstoni

Cyrtocara moorii

Dragonsblood peacock

German red peacock

Aulonocara mamelela

Protomelas taeniolatus

Otopharynx lithobates

Copadichromis borleyi

Aulonocara jacobfreibergi

Apache peacock

Aulonocara walteri

Cyprichromis leptosoma

Paracyprichomis nigripinnis


With the exception of Cyprichromis & Paracyprichomis, I was thinking of having 1 of each type - or maybe a small group if some of the others arenā€™t too aggressive towards their own species. Although Iā€™m a little concerned that Cyprichromis & Paracyprichomis will get eaten by some of the larger ones.
 
Only keep 1 species of N. venustus or livingstonii, don't have both species in the same tank.
These 2 species are about the only ones who would eat the Cyprichromis and Paracyprichromis, so if you want either of these 2 smaller species, then do not get the venustus or livingstonii.

Also only keep 1 species of Cyprichroms/ Paracyprichromis per tank. The females resemble each other and they can hybridise.

All the peacock (Aulonocara sp) will hybridise so you are best with males only. Plus there will be less agro with males only. If there are no girls around the boys won't fight over them, and will be less argumentative over territories.

If you get small fish (1-2 inch) and grow them up with the Cyprichromis/ Paracyprichromis, they should all get along well together. If you have big adult fish and add a group of small Cyprichromis to the tank, they might get eaten.
 

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