I bought to highly agressive mbuna's

[k2snowboards88]

I bought two african cichlids from the lps. They told me they would be fine for a semi-agressive tank. Now that i've looked them up on the internet, i learned that one is a kenyi and the other is a Melanochromis auratus. From what i've read on the internet they sound pretty viscious. so my 55 gallon tank now has 4 tiger barbs, 1 red fin shark, 1 peacock eel, and the 2 chiclids. Is this doable, or am i getting myself into tons of trouble. If i am i don't even know what to do with the fish though. i couldn't bring myself to just kill them.

If you have any experience with these fish please help me out. thanks.

 

[Fawke]

I do not have any experience with these fish in particular, lets get that straight to start with.
I know alot of africans (including my kribs at breeding) can be v aggressive.
Having said that, your tank is pretty aggressive already... it's now gonna be one big tank of testosterone, adrenaline and aggression

The cichlids may well be ok (+ other tankmates), il let somebody with experience shout on that one.
All i will say is i have impulse bought before, going by what the lfs/lps told me. Don't do it. In future do your own research as alot of shops are really after a quick $$$

It also pays to research into the fish, for the fishes sake......

Good luck

 

[CFC]

The general rule is that African rift valleyCichlids should never be mixed with anything but other Cichlids from their own lake with the exception of a few hardy species of Synodontis catfish. Non Cichlid fish like tiger barbs and RTBS have no where near the same levels of aggression and will quickly be dismantled by a attacking mbuna. Occasionally people do get away with it and have mixed tanks with very little aggression but this is the exception rather than the rule, 9 time out of 10 it ends in a lot of very dead fish.

 

[k2snowboards88]

Well it sounds like i'm in trouble. Does anyone have an idea for a course of action?

 

[SailfinGirl]

Depending on when you bought the fish., take your reciept and the fish back to the lfs, and get a refund on them. Explain that you bought them with the assurance from the staff that the fish would be ok, and they clearly aren't.

Also, write to the shop explaing your problem and advsing them to train their staff to higher levels.

 

[k2snowboards88]

Today the fish have been far less agressive. and when they are agressive its the red finned shark and the cichlids that are agressive with each other. They'll chase each other around the tank from time to time, but a different one wins each time. Theres no one fish thats getting bullied the whole time. I hope thats a good sign that they will get along down the road.