75 gallon african.

[wrs]

I might be getting a 75 gallon tank for my birthday as there is a brand new one on sale at the lfs. I originally was thinking new worlds, but after learning that I could only have like 3 fish or so, and going through the cookie cutter and seeing alot of nice africans I might have changed my mind.

I was wondering if it was at all poissible to keep Metriaclima callainos, N. Brichardi, and some of the more colorful Lake Victorian Cichlids. Some other fish, which I am not sure where they are from, but I think they might be Victorians, some I know are not, Pundamilia nyererei, Placidochromis phenochilus, Astatotilapia nubilus, Metriaclima callainos, Pundamilia nyererei (Ruti Is.) (which my mom would like because its pink), Paralabidochromis sp. "Rock Kribensis" (Mwanza Gulf), etc.

I am not sure if I would even be able to find any of those species, but they are quite nice!

Also, I might need to get a shark. I am not sure if my dad will get one for the 55 or not, a rainbow shark, of course.
What kind could go with the Africans?

 

[freddyk]

If you remove the callaino's, the only mbuna on the list, and the Brichardi, the only Tanganyikan on the list, then you end up with a nice hap tank. As lake lake victoria makes it's downhill slide to complete cichlid extinction, it gets tough to find the Victorians. If you do find them, they typically get along fine with many Malawi haps. Haps need less rock, more open water, and don't appreciate the overcrowding the way mbuna do. I don't know how the shark would do, but bottom feeders would go well in this setup.

If you really want an mbuna species in there too, go with Lab. Caruleus. They're not aggressive enough to bother the haps, and they share a similar diet.

 

[wrs]

I am not a fan of the Lab. Caruleus. To yellow for me.

Do you know if any chain stores sells any of those fish? I have seen an assorted Victorian cichlid area in petsmart, but that it is. My lfs only deals with Mbunas.

 

[G_Sharky]

You wouldn't have a lot of choices if you wanna go for victorian tank cause there isn't just enough in the market....A good choice would be having all lake species in your tank....just make sure you do your reserch on the fish you want before buying it.....dont buy fish at petsmart.....

 

[wrs]

my petsmart is great. all the petsores around me are.

I did go to the lfs and saw some haps today. Like hap. Oblique, or something like that. and another kind that i do not remeber. They were all very dull and grey.

 

[G_Sharky]

Hap obliqueqens I think...they are suposed to be whitish with black stripping on them with a little bit of red on their face and belly....there's a lot more hap species that is prettier and have more color than that....A good book for african species is the malawi book volume 2 by ED connigs if you could get your hands on this book it has pretty much everything on it.....

 

[freddyk]

Keep in mind many (most?) hap females are very dull greys, and males are to, until they begin to mature. If it's color you want then you'll need to go with an all male tank, and if you want to be sure they are male, you'll need to get them big enough to be colored up.

 

[wrs]

i am going to call the lfs and see what they have. I called and they said alot, but didnt have time to tell me, they were really busy yesturday. Which is odd because of a large snow storm.

I do really want to have a shell dweller. But there arent may other Tangs at the store. they have a few mini julies, but they cost to much for 1 inchers.

The haps were cheap, omnly like 3.45.

sometimes they have mini peacocks as well that are like 1.45.

Id have to call before I made a descision.

I dont care if it is all colorfull, none of my other fish are. i do want some fry possibly though.

I did look at Hap obliqueqens pics on the net. they are quite nice looking.