125g Haps Set-Up

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BillyBlanco

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 12, 2010
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Fontana, CA
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So I'm setting up a 125g haps all male show tank in the next couple of months and right now im growing out a few of the fish in a 55g.

currently i have:
1 nimbochromis livingstoni
1 nimbochromis venustus
1 nimbochromis (tyrannochromis) fuscotaeniatus
1 dimidiochromis compressiceps
1 OB Peacock

Im considering getting a sciaenochromis fryeri, nimbochromis polystigma, Placidochromis mliomo, and possibly an albino compressiceps. what is your opinion on this mixture of fish? how will it work? how many fish should be in the tank? what other fish would you suggest if i need more than this to calm aggression? i was also interested in sp. 44 but i think it may be too small and possibly too mean to be housed with the other fish. i live in southern california and im having a hard time finding other species of large predatory haps, any suggestions?

on a side note the tank will be filtered by a rena xp4 (or fluval equivalent) and an aquaclear 110. any preference on rena vs fluval canisters? also the tank will have a aquaclear 70 powerhead with filter attachment full of biomax.
 
Fish wise, its hard for me to say as I dont know what your local stockists are like.

Filter wise though, the Renas are great (I have 3 xp4, 2 xp2) but I have had a problem with the xp4's spraying tiny bubbles into the tank. I eventually found this to be caused by the return pipe being more than 24inch above the filter head, which as most larger tanks are atleast 30inch above the filter, can be a problem.
I dont know if you can get them in American, but there is an importer here that gets a chinese external filter imported to England.
Its a sunsun 2000litre out put with UV and filter media included.
If you can get them, they are amazing for the price.
 
Are you buying the Rena XP4 and AquaClear 110 brand new? If so, get a FX5 instead (probably will be the same price).

As far as your stock, I could see a cross-breeding problems. You might want to get MORE of each species (maybe 2-4?).

One of my personal favs (see my avatar) is cyrtocara moorii (blue dolphin). They usually go for a moderate price (around $10 for 2-3 inches).

Good luck and keep us updated!
 
BillyBlanco;4622799; said:
i was also interested in sp. 44 but i think it may be too small and possibly too mean to be housed with the other fish.
Click to expand...

If by sp. 44 you mean Haplochromis sp.44 "Red Tail" I think your right I used to have one and it was very aggressive toward my of peacocks and haps and eventually it might be a snack for the fusco.

BillyBlanco;4622799; said:
i live in southern california and im having a hard time finding other species of large predatory haps, any suggestions?
Click to expand...
you could always buy online at Dave Rare Fish or Aquabid.
 
i dont think id have very much problem with cross breeding in an all male tank... at least id hope not... lmfao

i might look into a moorii, ive just never liked their foreheads.

and no i already have the ac110, but i see where you are coming from i would get the fx5

yeah that is the sp.44 i was referring to... do you think it would be okay in a mbuna tank? with say kenyii, bumblebee's, red zebra? would that be a more suitable tank for one?
 
Sp. 44 shoudl be fine in the mbuna tank. He will get eaten eventually in the predator hap 125 though.

If you already have livingtoni, do not get polystigma. They will be too conspecific. You could also try Exochromis anagynis or Champsochromis caeruleus. If the mbuna are not too big right now, I's say move your peacock now.... or be ready to. He will be lunch eventually as most of the fish you have will get big pretty quickly.

C. moori is a nice addition size-wise, but are not as aggressive as the rest of the lot. If you want to introduce one, do it now when they are smaller and add one that is a bit larger than the rest.

I would only keep one male D. compressiceps in the tank. Even with one being albino, they will still see each other as rivals and will fight down the road. You could try to add a female albino, but adding any female haps to the tank (even one that looks as different as the comps do) may introduce a whole new set of problems.

Another option would be a couple of large Protomelas.... spilonotus is my favortie of the 8" plus varieties. How about a male C. borleyi? While these fish are not predators, they get large enough to not end up as food.

I second checking out Dave Schumacher. Good guy with lots of great uncommon Malawi fish.
 
Exochochromis anagenis is a really cool fish and if i could find one locally i would get it for sure... the site i found one for sale on wants to sell me a juvi unsexed for $20 plus $55 shipping... so i will have to pass on that offer. i live in southern cali and ive read that there is a cichlid asociation about an hr from my house so i might have to see if i can find one in an auction.

Champsochromis caeruleus, i cant find anywhere and i doubt it would be cheap to get if i did find it. sadly stores around here dont have many haps... they all have huge selections of mbuna tho =(. even if i did find it... it doesnt get a bit large for a 125?

C. moori ill pass on for second thought. i dont like its face... reminds me of a human.

for a Protomelas sp. the common ones ive seen in stores are red empress and taiwan reef... red empress i think i could add with little consequence... do you guys think the taiwan reef would be okay too? ive heard other fish tend to leave them alone due to theyre colors? or something? idk... the one concern i have with these too fish is that they eat mostly veg. where as large pred. haps would eat mostly eat... would they get bloat of i fed the pred haps the way i would like too?
 
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