Can Rainbows Be Kept With Africans ?

[Faythee]

I have a 56 gallon currently with 2 young Yellow Labs. I am adding a Calvus and somthing else, but not sure yet. Possibly a Peacock.

I have 3 Madagascar Rainbows currently in the hospital tank. They had the dreaded red worms. They are pretty much healed but will still give it some time to be 100% positive.

Would I be able to add them to this tank ? They pretty much stay at the top 1/3 of the tank and it would be nice because the top is pretty much bare.

I don't think PH will be an issue since they are already kept in hard water. My tapwater is 7.8. I'm just worried if they would get harassed or not.

Thanks

 

[dthoffsett]

I've heard of used rainbows with Lake Tangs, I'd be cautious with mbuna however labs tend to be a bit more placid so I'd give it a try. I'd also suggest adding 3 more labs as they prefer to be in groups.

 

[Faythee]

Okay....guess I could try. I was thinking of some more Labs with just the Calvus. Would they gang up on the Calvus if I do that ?

The Labs are rather shy so far, I hardly even see them. They have dug hidey holes all around the ornaments. They are still tiny , about 2"

 

[dthoffsett]

The labs shouldn't gang up on the calvus. IMO labs are very shy when kept in small numbers, mine really started coming out once I had 6 in the tank and dithers seem to help.

 

[Cichlid_Crazy]

Deffo no Mbunas with Rainbows.....read some of my threads of 'experimentation' and you'll see why

 

[dthoffsett]

Deffo no Mbunas with Rainbows.....read some of my threads of 'experimentation' and you'll see why

Not all mbuna react that way cichlid_crazy, and labs are well known to get along with non-mbuna. You have to remember that you do have quite a few aggressive species in your tank.

 

[Cichlid_Crazy]

Yeh true that

 

[Faythee]

haha ! Thanks as this helps finalize my decision. More Labs !

I picked them as this is my first African tank. My other 2 tanks are Severums (lets just say when mating season came along all hell broke loose) which is why I now have them separate. Really don't want to go through that again.

 

[Cichlid_Crazy]

labs are very chilled...my friend has been keeping them with New worlds for years without problems (Severums,Convicts,Blue Acaras,Firemouths,Angels...+ Kribs in the same tank along with Danios,Gouramis,Swordtails,Plec, Serpae tetras and Corys)...they are probably the weakest...least aggressive fish in there and dont seem interested in anything...also thye are huge! like 5-6")

I did it myself before i moved on to Mbuna...I had mine with 3x Severum (Red Spoted,Gold and Rotkeil...Geophagus Brasiliensis,Blue Acara and a Green Terror)...again the most chilled out cichlid in the tank.