Africans in American Tank? Electric Yellows in ph below 7??

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
G

Guppyy

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 29, 2009
12
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0
Australia
Hi all, just joined the forums!

I know electric yellows need a ph of at least around 7.5, but a breeder told me they are pretty hardy and are able to be kept in a ph of around +/- 7'ish. My ph in my 6ft communal tank (housing angels, tetras, rasboras, gourami, kribs) is around 6.6.

I found this thread about mixing africans and americans:
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=72 - many people say it is fine, however i think most of these people were mixing americans in african tanks (ph >7.5). Will it work for the opposite? (africans in american tank, ph <7)?

Are there any other problems that may be associated with this mix? I hear electric yellows are pretty peaceful and dont grow too big - shouldnt be a hastle for my angels/rummys/harlequins/congos/dwarf gouramis/kribs?

Has anyone ever tried this/something similar before? How did it turn out?
What do you recommend?

Thanks
 
Most of the Africans that are sold in stores across the country are bred in pools down in Florida,very few of them are shipped from the lakes anymore.They can stand lower ph levels but I dont knnow about a level of 6 and some of the fish in your community probably would not do too well with rift lake cichlids.
 
I just realized that you are in Australia so I am not sure where your dealers get their fish from.
 
a rule I always go by is that a steady PH is most important. the fish will acclimate to it, the more you try to artificially raise/lower it is more stressfull on the fish in the end. Stick with your tap PH or just add crushed coral to the media or substrate to keep it higher. Limestone also raises it nicely. Try to choose a method that keeps the levels consistent that's all.

gl
 
I wouldn't worry about the ph as much as the sgression level. The lab will terrorize your stock list. They are a peaceful fish compared to other mbuna, but they are still very assertive.
 
I keep my electric yellows in a brackish tank with puffers at about a PH of 8.2. They love it but they are tank terrorists even towards the puffers which could kill the yellow in one bite. They teamed up and ate my pleco yesterday....only one floating chunk left. he was the same size as all of them
 
Thanks guys
Didnt realise they are so agro...might reconsider now...
But generally, they should be ok in that sort of ph?
 
i think they will be fine in regards to ph level and agro level. i kept one for over 3 years in a community tank with some SA cichlids and even 2 blue gouramis and they were always poretty peaceful, but of course every fish is different
 
from my experience, all mbuna are very territorial and will defend and dominate their territory. this could easily kill off your stock
 
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