African Cichlid help

[Southjerseycichlidz]

I have a 125 gallon african Cichlid tank fish are
Sunshine peacock dolphin ob peacocks on zebra 2 veneustus a few kenyis like 10 aratus
Red top zebras cobalts acis electric blue Hap
On zebra and some other odds and ends
I have pulled out 4 dead fish this week and they are all badly beaten up any idea who would do it ? Was told to bring the temp down so they wouldn't breed but hasn't seemed to help also have tons of slate and hiding spots any suggestions would be appreciated

 

[deeda]

My bets would be the auratus, venustus or kenyi (assuming it's really Metriaclima lombardoi).

Any females in the tank will contribute to aggression issues.

Are all these fish adults or juveniles?

 

[Southjerseycichlidz]

My bets would be the auratus, venustus or kenyi (assuming it's really Metriaclima lombardoi).

Any females in the tank will contribute to aggression issues.

Are all these fish adults or juveniles?

Mix of adults some juv.

 

[MG John]

I suggest you stick with one genus from one Lake. If you are going to keep peacock cichlids you may also be able to mix in a few haplochromis with them

 

[duanes]

I agree that the auratus is often the problem, they are very aggressive, or it could be the zebras, because they can also be problematic.
In general, African peacocks are not aggressive enough to live with either of the above.
Although conventional wisdom tells you to crowd Africans, it is usually vague about which ones can be crowded, with which ones, and which ones not.
And LFS workers are not usually educated or informed enough to get specific.
A crowd of only peacocks will work with peacocks, or
a crowd of mbunas may work together with other mbunas
but not mbunas or auratus with mild mannered peacocks.

And NImbochromis are a bit of a wild card, they are sometimes benign, but sometimes not, and they can get large enough to do damage, if at all on the alpha side.

 

[RD.]

It could be just about anything in a mix like that, including the OB peacocks. (which are an Aulonocara x mbuna hybrid) I would expect more sick/dead fish over time, unless you change things up drastically.