Cichlid Species ?

[freshcichlid]

ok i am def. going to get some yellow labs, now i have some choices that i like on other species to mix with these, mbamba's, yellow top afra's, or red top zebra's. now all of these species i liek because they have blue bodies with dark blue stripes and a yellow top going from their head to back.
<----(like my pic to the left)
now which of these can i put in with my labs, and if anyone knows of any other compatible species that meet my needs and are compatible, post a pic and let me know the name.
thanks a lot, this is hard stuff to learn

 

[freddyk]

Labs are the most versatile mbuna - almost anything works with them. Any one of the ones you mentioned will work. Best to go with just one species that looks like that though, similar looking fish is a cause for heightened aggression in a tank. Afra's share a closer diet to the Labs then the others, if you need some sort of deciding factor.

 

[freshcichlid]

which of the species that i listed cannot eat brineshrimp or cichlid pellets or bloodworms, something like that ?
i just want to feed them all one thing, different on different days, but you know. and can any of them eat feader guppies ?

 

[freddyk]

Lab. Mbamba and the Afra both take well to brine shrimp and mysis. I'd avoid the mbamba simply because you already have a Labidochromis species chosen - so again we would get back to the Afra. The Red Top can handle moderate amounts of these invertibrates, but not as much as the others.

Blood worms are a very big NO with any mbuna - it's the one food sure to kill them sooner then later. The odd guppy fry won't harm them, but again it's an unnatural diet for them and better avoided.

Here, I posted this the other week (do you think it's worth pinning?) http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=94260

 

[freshcichlid]

-ok that was a great article. looks like ill get yellow labs and cynotilapia afras, no other lab species,
-what about Pseudotropheus or Mylandia species ? I saw that they eat mainly roughage, is it hard to feed a crustacean and omnivors in the same tank?
-lastly how do you create algae on your gravel, i read that africans like algae on their gravel to graize on, how do you obtain that, just by no pleco and lots of light ?

 

[freshcichlid]

hey i took your advice and looked around for other fish that are not mbamba's that still look like what i want, and the only ones that i can find are pseudotropheus demansoni and a yellow top afra and a labidochromis yellow top mbamba. the pseudrotropeus eats roughage and i dont know how hard that is to feed a crustacean and an omnivore in the same tank ? the mbamba is really nice but you said i cant put two labs together, is that a hard rule or just your opinion? and i guess the afra is ideal but i cant find too many places that have the one i like...

 

[freddyk]

The mixing of labs aren't a hard rule, just not recommended due to aggression and crossbreeding. If this is what you can find then the world won't fall to it's knees if you try it - just step in if you see excessive aggression between the two different labs. If they crossbreed just do the hobby a favour and don't raise them

Feeding pseudotropheus isn't too much of a problem. The Spirulina diet, while not necessary for the labs, is still healthy for them. The labs may end up with a little bit too little meat, and the pseudo's a little too much, but as long as it isn't excessive for either of them, they'll deal.

 

[freshcichlid]

just out of curiosity, why should i not raise the crossbreed ? what happens when the two crossbreed ?

how do you feed the omnivors ? the afra's will need some roughage, so is putting a leaf of lettuce in the tank fine, what food is acceptable,

If the labs need just meat, and the afras want both, how often do you feed the afras the roughage ?

 

[sylvia]

Here's why you shouldn't hybridize fish: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=85810 It's the 13th reply down. I posted that in the hybrids forum so it's slightly off-topic but you'll get the idea. Same principles realy. I hope that answers your question on that subject...

 

[freshcichlid]

yea i got all that, so i guess i kill them ? thats a little mean i think, im not sure if they will but i could feed them as food ?

also what are the tyopes of roughage that afra's like and how do i feed it to them, and how much a week ?

and how do you get algea growing on the gravel so they can graize on it ?

 

[freddyk]

The easiest way to get roughage into the diet is through a flake food called Spirulina. You can also do just what you said - attach leaf lettuce or zucchini with a clip and they can graze at it. Vegetable matter is what they're designed to process you can't really overfeed it, except in terms of cleanliness in the tank. You can theoretically always have veggies in there. As I said, the labs can also eat the Spirulina - they don't need it but it is good for them.

To promote algae growth on the rocks you don't need to do much - most people have trouble keeping it from growing. Increasing amount of lighting, or length of time the lights are on will help, and going with a good bulb meant for planted tanks helps a lot.

When they breed just let them spit the fry in the tank - most will get eaten anyway. If any survivors prove to be crossbreeds there's nothing wrong with having them in your tank, but don't go taking them to the fish store. I've found when it comes to hybridizing people get it or they don't. Some people really don't care about purity in the hobby, or how unpredictable hybrids can be, or how much uglier they tend to be then their natural parents. All I can say is keeping the fish natural is in the best interest of aquarists whether they realize it or not.

 

[freshcichlid]

alright, well that sounds great, i have the feeding down, i dont tend to breed, but if they do i know what to do. and i have a light so there isnt much to do there,ill wait to see what happens.
thanks for the help
ps. what is that fish in your signature ? freddyk

 

[freshcichlid]

hey i was talking to my LFS owner and he said that Demonsoni's will eat a staple diet of brine shrimp and pelletes and a couple times a week some roughage, is this true ? i saw that they are omnivore herbivores, but is that too much meat for them ? I really like these little guys and sinse they only get 3" they are perfect for me ! any suggestions if i should keep them with my yellow labs or not ?

 

[freddyk]

Demsasoni are definetly among the most aggressive mbuna. They actually get along well with non-conspecifics, but are brutal to each other. The 1:3 ratio always recommended does not work with these guys - typically 1:10 is more likely, and very overstocked. You can get these guys but we're suddenly changing the entire attitude of the aquarium.

I would not do a steady diet of brineshrimp for these guys. I would give them a diet of roughage with the pellets in small quantities a few times a week, and save the brine shrimp for the odd treat. It also depends on the type of pellets. A well rounded pellet with roughage included like New Life Spectrum will do the job, but a meaty pellet like HBH African Attack is a bad idea. Read the ingredients and choose wisely.

That's a Nicaraguensis in my profile btw, a New World cave dweller.

 

[freshcichlid]

hmmm..... well i guess they are out of the question. i want about 5-6 of a blue on blue striped fish, but i know i need males and females and all the types that i find the females are all a blaned blue color that isnt the same as the males, i thought that the demonsoni's would be great because the males and females are the same color combination. i saw the Ps. saulosi and the Cyn. Afra Jalo would be great, but the females arent the same !, can i keep 5 males of these species or will i have to keep searching for something else ? if so can you please help me, im getting tired of searching , i cant find one ! haha thanks!