Can I keep mbuna's with my red devil?

Apr 4, 2010
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I have a 9 inch female red devil in a 125 by her self. She killed plenty of other cichlids. My friend told me that I can keep little africans with her because she is too big to catch them.
Could it work? I only housed her with 1 dovii, 1 festae and 2 jaguars, they all got murdered by her. Those are big cichlids, so they are slow. I really want to give it a try by getting some africans but I am a little worried.
 

HokieFish

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 15, 2011
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Norf Cackalacky
If you RD is that agressive, be ready for more dead fish. She will corner them eventually and kill them, or stress them out to the point that she makes them sick.
Personally I wouldn't do it because i don't like mixing african and american cichlids. Each type of fish likes different water conditions, and it seems out of place to me, but to each their own.
 

SH300

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 18, 2011
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Adelaide
Give them hiding spots i had a neet with a breeding pair of red devils in a 4x2x2 and it worked very well, not only did the neet survive it kept the devils on their toes. Not sure if the Africans can be compared to the neet but i would of thought their aggression is similar.
 

joe jaskot

Dovii
MFK Member
Sep 16, 2011
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It could work if your water conditions are suitable to both the red devil and the afican cichlids. I know someone who keeps lamprologus multifasciatus and julidochromis transcriptus in with their arowanas. The key would be to provide a high enough pH for the africans and enough rockwork for them to hide in.
 

clekchau

Gambusia
MFK Member
Jul 26, 2006
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if you cram fish in a tank african style sure, i had a 200 with a ton of africans and a green terror, red devil and they lived fine for years. most people on this forum would shudder at the thought but it was a really cool tank in my eyes.
 

jiant2520

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Jan 5, 2011
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I personally don't like mixing the two, but as far as water conditions it will not matter. In the pet store they are all (African & CA/SA) kept in the same water types. I have both, in seperate tanks, but the water conditions are the same for each... I do nothing different. Unless they are wild caught the water will not matter IMO. As for your RD's aggression?? She will probably kill them eventually. I once had a Demansoni in a 125g with some large SA/CA, but that was only because I could not catch him... they are really fast. Good luck.
 

HybridGS

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 3, 2010
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I did it with 3" Yellow Labs, and the labs tore my 9" Devils fins to bits, the Devil never killed one.

Did it with an Oscar also and the Oscar swallowed some but they ripped his fins to bits to.

I currently have breeding trio of labs and tons of babys in with Aureus, Severum, Cutteri, Red hump Eartheater, Honduran Red Point and a pink convict and everything is fine.
 
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