Stocking Help Please

[mermaid lady]

hi there

i have a fully cycled 55 gall tank i would l.ike to set up for african cichlids, i would like some advice on weather i can keep these together and how many or any suggestions on what to put in it i would like if poss to keep

electric yellow (labidochromis caerueus)
electric blue johanni (meanchromis johannii)
rusty (ladotropheus sprengerae)

any help on how many of each and weather i can keep these togther would be most helpfull

 

[BettaUK]

Hi Mermaid Lady,

The yellow Labs and Rusty's will be fine together, only thing with johanni is that the males can be aggressive and territorial so require a large aquarium with plenty of rockwork or hiding places.


HTH,

MM

 

[mermaid lady]

Hi Mermaid Lady,

The yellow Labs and Rusty's will be fine together, only thing with johanni is that the males can be aggressive and territorial so require a large aquarium with plenty of rockwork or hiding places.


HTH,

MM

thanks for that how many of each would you recomend in a 4 foot tank as this is my first time at trying to keep cichlids

 

[dthoffsett]

I'd leave out the m.johanni, IMO all of the melanochromis species should only be kept in 75gal or more.

As for the other two species:

l.caeruleus - 4, m/f ratio doesn't really matter
i.sprengerae - 1m/3f
And you can do another species of 1m/3f

 

[mermaid lady]

I'd leave out the m.johanni, IMO all of the melanochromis species should only be kept in 75gal or more.

As for the other two species:

l.caeruleus - 4, m/f ratio doesn't really matter
i.sprengerae - 1m/3f
And you can do another species of 1m/3f

thanks alot for that could i replase the johannii with a metriaclima callainos (COLBALT BLUE ZEBRA)and if i can what ratio m to f

 

[BettaUK]

If your aim is to have a nice mixture of colour, I would go for:

Pseudotropheus saulosi x 1.2 (Dark Blue Males / Dark Yellow Females)
Iodotropheus sprengerae x 1.2 (Rusty Orange/Purple)
Metriaclima estherae x 3 (Orange/Red)
Pseudotropheus greshakei "Albino" x 3 (Pink)
Labidochromis Caeruleus x 3 (Yellow)

All of these would be compatable in a 4ft with pleanty of Rocks/Cobbles

I even have fry survive in my Aquarium (Only a few from each batch, but the ones that do survive are strong and healthy as it's survival of the fitest)

 

[mermaid lady]

If your aim is to have a nice mixture of colour, I would go for:

Pseudotropheus saulosi x 1.2 (Dark Blue Males / Dark Yellow Females)
Iodotropheus sprengerae x 1.2 (Rusty Orange/Purple)
Metriaclima estherae x 3 (Orange/Red)
Pseudotropheus greshakei "Albino" x 3 (Pink)
Labidochromis Caeruleus x 3 (Yellow)

All of these would be compatable in a 4ft with pleanty of Rocks/Cobbles

I even have fry survive in my Aquarium (Only a few from each batch, but the ones that do survive are strong and healthy as it's survival of the fitest)

thanks alot for your help cant wait to see them in my tank now

 

[dthoffsett]

Personally I prefer fewer species with more individuals per species, I think you get to see more intereaction with 4 or 5 fish than just 2 or 3 per species. It's also less distracting colorwise to have a few colors rather than a riot of color, but that's just me.

If you went with the m.callainos you could go with a ratio of 1m/3f, they're great fish, I have them in my 75gal, they'll run the tank but aren't as aggressive as any of the melanochromis species.