Cichlid numbers

[Robder]

Hello!

I've started stocking my aquarium with peacock cichlids having decided against the original plan of getting oscars.

I have a 450L aquarium, so 2 oscars would've been the maximum number really.

I assumed the same was true for cichlids until I heard somewhere that if territorial, African cichlids tend to prefer lots of tank mates as it helps them settle - so could go up to 30+. Is this true? Sounds very odd.

What's the ideal and maximum numbers I could go to do you think?

Cheers!

 

[Wills]

Hi I've been working on a similar plan recently for my 300 litre, so a bit smaller than yours. I've kept Americans for a long time but new to Africans and at the moment all my advice is from reading.

I think I'm going to go down the Mbuna route for my tank but this was the list of Peacocks and Haps I was looking at - doing an all male tank.

Aulonocara Stuartgranti - Ngara Flametail
Aulonocara Rubescens - Ruby Red
Aulonocara Maulana - Bi-Color 500
Aulonocara sp. Stuartgranti "Maleri" Sunshine
Aulonocara Usisya
Aulonocara Turkis

Copadichromis Trewavasae Mloto Likoma
Copadichromis Azureus
Otopharynx Tetrastigma or Otopharynx Lithobates Red Blaze
Protomelas Marginatus
Placidochromis Electra

I think this is the maximum for my tank but you could potentially add a group of Yellow Labs in to increase the numbers. OB's and some of the hybrid species are nice but unpredictable with their aggression and some of the peacocks on this list above are on the more timid side of things but one bit of advice I've got a lot so far is with Peacocks there is nothing really predictable so as long as you have a back up plan (spare tanks, dividers, boxes etc) and the patience to try things go for it.

The other thing is as well I've been told to add them in bigger numbers so 4-6 fish at a time rather than one or two as the new one will get picked on where as if its a few you'll have more chance.

 

[Ichthys]

I don’t know a lot about Rifts but yes it is true and it is very odd. It’s not that they prefer it that way, it’s just to prevent their natural behaviour so that we can keep them. They all claim a hole of their own between the rocks and they’re aggressively territorial about them, as you would be with your home. So we overcrowd them so that there are too many fish in a small space to push away, so it’s pretty pointless to try, so they don’t much.
The more natural way would be just to stock a few in a big tank, like they are in the lake, but that would be a very boring tank to most people.

 

[Wills]

I don’t know a lot about Rifts but yes it is true and it is very odd. It’s not that they prefer it that way, it’s just to prevent their natural behaviour so that we can keep them. They all claim a hole of their own between the rocks and they’re aggressively territorial about them, as you would be with your home. So we overcrowd them so that there are too many fish in a small space to push away, so it’s pretty pointless to try, so they don’t much.
The more natural way would be just to stock a few in a big tank, like they are in the lake, but that would be a very boring tank to most people.

They are very densely packed in in the wild though right? Particularly the Mbuna which is what you are describing with living in the rocks. Population density fluctuates quite a lot in the wild but at times there are thousands within a few meters.

Peacocks and haps are a bit different as they are open water swimmers so don't claim territories in the same way, their aggression is more based on rivals for eating and breeding not so much territories so overstocking the numbers on traditional aquarium numbers is reasonably natural - in the same way we would break stocking levels for a bigger school of characins (for similar reasons really).

Undoubtably some 'owner preferences' are put on Africans as they are a very cosmetic species, especially with all the hybrids but I think so long as we keep fish welfare as our main aim some of the proven techniques to keep them is responsible and humane as a way to keep them. But in my experience so far the rift community has much different standards than some other areas of the hobby which does trouble me a bit as it makes some advice and practises a bit murky to understand. Its what made me go for Mbuna over Peacocks, as that dense population really is natural for them (some species more than others) and clear defined species are very common in the hobby where as peacocks while distinct in science are often sold in tanks labeled mixed peacocks and their lineage will be muddy to say the least...

 

[GaryE]

Mbuna are pretty atypical cichlids, but here is some food for thought.

 

[Robder]

Thanks all! I think I'm sticking with peacocks at the moment, but this may change!

 

[Wills]

Mbuna are pretty atypical cichlids, but here is some food for thought.

Amazing!

Thanks all! I think I'm sticking with peacocks at the moment, but this may change!

Peacocks are amazing its a tough choice for sure! Are you going down the hybrid route or are you going to hunt out specific species?

 

[Robder]

Good question - I've no idea how to identify the ones I've got!



Presumably these are OB peacocks? (male?) - Is this a hybrid?

I thought I might try and track down some blue/blue neon, German red or ruby reds.

No clue which the most vibrant ones are though.