Hello all, please help???

[scubacrazy]

Hi everyone. I have been reading various posts on this forum, and it seems like I am a novice amongst experts, and as I need some advice, I thought I would ask on here.
OK, here is my story. I have been away from fishkeeping for a number of years, due to moving around with my job. But now I am settled, I am looking to get back into fishkeeping. I used to keep and breed discus, amongst others, so I am not a total novice.
I am getting a 4ftx18inx18in tank. Filtration will be 2 x external Eheim Professional 2222 canister filters, Sand substrate, lots of (TUFA ?) Rock, and adequate lighting to see the fish, with no plants. My tap water is pH 7.9 , GH 9 and I have not tested Kh yet.
OK, the 64,000 dollar question; what fish for me? I really like the look of the peacocks, but each article I read on these raises more questions. I am aware of hybridisation, which I will avoid, but want a full, and colorful tank. I dont really want to keep male only fish, as I do not believe this is fair on them!! Also, how many fish in total will this setup support?
Or should I go for a different type? If I go for peacocks, can someone recommend a suitable mix, along with other species which will be compatible? I apologise for the long post, but I am getting more confused by the hour !! Thank you in advance for your help !!

 

[Angry_Platy]

If you want a colourful tank you are on the right track. Yes peacocks will hybridize if 2 diff. species are put in the tank. As for male and female colouration, I have Cyrtocara and yellow labs in my tank and the females are eually as colourful as the males. Other species are not necessarily like that.

So mbuna cichlids being the way to go, you have lots of options available to you. If you want to breed you need a ratio of 3females to every 1 male. Generally though if you have a lot of males there will be more aggression in the tank but being rock dwelling fish, provide them with plenty of rocks and spaces to hide and they will be happy.

Here is what I have, and I am not saying its what you should get but for me it works well and provides lots of colour :

4 yellow labs
2 firebird peacocks
4 cyrtocara moorii
6 electric blues
2 Pseudotropheus acei
4 Iodotropheus sprengerae
3 clown loaches (not a cichlid I know but they fit in well)
1 RTBS
Bnose male, female (adults) and some youngsters

It may pay to visit a cichlid specialist forum and for Malawi/mbuna cichlids I like Malawi Mayhem (I am pretty sure its not a competing forum as it is specialised so I shouldn't get in trouble for linking you to this).

the other issue you may have with the sexing is that mbuna cichlids are very hard to sex at a young age. Most of them don't have much colour as juvies and you may end up with the wrong balance of males and females. Of course if you have a LFS that is prepared to take any unwantd excess males this is fine. Mine weren't so I was kinda stuck with the sex ratios they turned out to be (I have a male dominated tank)....

HTH