125 Stocking

[Dobsie]

1 Nimbochromis Livingstonii - juvie 1.5 inches
10 Frontosa Mpimbwe - 2 inches will weed out to 5. 1m4f
7 Calvus - 2 inches
3 Synodontis Petricola - 1.5

Good stocking, overstocked or could I possibly add more?

Filtration is fx5, 20 gallon sump, Koralia 1000gph powerhead.

 

[Mague]

I think you are good. What i would do is not add any more yet. I would wait to see if there is an agressive fish in the tank or any fish that dies remove it and add a new fish that I like. I would add some Tropheus and leleupis to the collection! Check out my Frontosa, Tropheus and Leleupi. Post some pictures of your tank and fishes!!

 

[Dobsie]

I think you are good. What i would do is not add any more yet. I would wait to see if there is an agressive fish in the tank or any fish that dies remove it and add a new fish that I like. I would add some Tropheus and leleupis to the collection! Check out my Frontosa, Tropheus and Leleupi. Post some pictures of your tank and fishes!!

The only thing that is currently in the tank is the livingstonii. The frontosas are being shipped on monday and should arrive on wednesday. The calvus are in a small tank growing. Basically I was just wondering if my final stocking would be ok? The 125 has been setup almost 3 weeks. I am going to keep it bare bottom for the next 5 months. I'm getting a house built and will get it setup the way I like when I move it over there. What kind of tropheus is that? I have never kept any tangs except recently. Thanks for the help.

 

[Dobsie]

And if there are any haps I can add I do like those. Even if they aren't from lake Tanganyika like the fronts or calvus. I'm kind of mixing lakes.

 

[kingyella]

you would have a nice tang tank if you get rid of that 1 Livingstonii. He would probably end up growing faster and larger than your fronts and start causing problems. Maybe add a group of cyps once you weed out and decrease your frontosa numbers. I would also add 3 more petricolas, i love that little catfish. I have 30 growing out and it looks cool to see them swimming all over togather.

 

[Mague]

Its Tropheus Black Kiriza. You can add an Electric Blue Ahli or a Venustus. Venustus is like a livingstoni but personaly i like venustus better. You can add a Rostratus too. There are a lot of African cichlids out there! But Kinyella is right. You have to be carefull with the Frontosa. They get big but are slow growing. And the Calvus is very very veeeeeeeerrryyyyyy!!!!! SLOW!!!!!!! You will see all your cichlids growing and your calvus will still be the same size. Frontosas are preety passive cichlids just like the calvus. I would recomend wait untill the Frontosas get like 4 or 5 inches. Then get the other cichlids like Tropheus and haps. I would also add some Aulonocaras too. Here the first picture are 2 male Venustus, the second one is an Electric blue ahli and the third one is a male Rostratus.

 

[mike dunagan]

First, Fronts and trophs long term not a great idea. The trophs will stress them and fronts are already easily spooked fish. The haps that you have listed for the most part will grow much slower, and well can end up food for the haps listed. Once your fronts are large enough a group will be more than enough in a 125. Cyps are not a great tank mate as, this is what they eat in the wild.

 

[Dobsie]

First, Fronts and trophs long term not a great idea. The trophs will stress them and fronts are already easily spooked fish. The haps that you have listed for the most part will grow much slower, and well can end up food for the haps listed. Once your fronts are large enough a group will be more than enough in a 125. Cyps are not a great tank mate as, this is what they eat in the wild.

Are you saying the Livingstonii would be able to eat the Calvus? I thought Livingstonii wouldn't be able to eat anything over two to three inches. That's why I got the Livingstonii smaller then the rest to try and help out with stuff like that.

 

[Mague]

Livingstonii will eat anything that fits in his mouth. If he is smaller or similar size as the Calvus he will eat it. Same goes the other way. The Calvus will eat any fish that fits in his mouth. I think you will have no problem unless your livingstonii outgrows them very fast. You have to observe them every day. Study their behavior if you see one fish thats too agressive or wants the tank for himself I suggest you take him out. And I have Tropheus muxed with Frontosas, Haps, Aulonocaras and Zebras with no problem. Of course I have had my casualties like anyone that starts in this hobby and you have to be prepare for the casualties cause you will loose some fishes. My Frontosas defend themsefes very well against tropheus, and zebras. You have to try and mix and experiment. Dont be scare because people tell you that you cant mix this fish with that (of course there are some exeptions, there are fishes that you cant even try to mix!). Remember that lots of cichlids that fish store sell are tank raised so their behavior is a lot diferent from those that are wild caught. Frontosas are easy spooked fish but mine is not spooked maybe because he has been tank raised his entire life and is used too look at lots of fish surronding him. Maybe its just luck!

 

[mike dunagan]

Your fronts that are pictured above are small still. Once they hit 10 inches you will understand what a spooked front will do. I have had them push glass tops up with 5 pavers holding them on.

The livingstonii will quickly out grow the calvus and are pretty aggressive when the biggest in the tank.

When thinking of your tank long term, you will want no more than 7 fronts in that size tank, and perhaps a few comps or calvus for tankmates. I would get larger comps then fronts. The fronts do grow slow, but they will quickly out grow the comps.

This information comes from my experience with all of these fish in multiple tank setups. This advice also comes from the countless discussions and threads where people have had the same questions.