Compatibility: Auratus+Kenyi+Giraffe+Kadango

[Sidrock]

Hi MFKers

I have juveline (about 2 inch) M. Lombardoi (Kenyi, 1 M 5F) and 4 Melanochromis Auratus in a 50 gallon tank.

I am considering adding a couple of Giraffe (Nimbochromis Venustus) and maybe a couple of C. Borleyi (Kadango)

The tank has lots of hiding places already (a cave arrangement with small slabs of rock) for the less dominant fish to hide.

I know both Kenyi and Auratus are pretty aggressive, but from what I have read almost all of the aggression is "conspecific" (i.e. towards other fish which are (or seem to be) of the same species).

What do you guys think?

Cheers,
Sid

PS: I have very recently got a 180 gal for my Silver Aro. I got the stand made with 3 levels: one for the exisiting 180 gal, one for the other smaller tanks (like this 50 gal). And I am planning to have another 180 gal tank only for Africans Cichlids in the next few months.)

 

[Sidrock]

Also, if anybody has an Malawi Cichlid Compatibility chart which i can refer to, that will be awesome.

(The ones I found on the Internet cover several different types of fish and only have one line for "African Cichlids". I was looking for a more detailed chart.)

Thanks,
Sid

 

[Husky Jerk]

IME, the auratus will kill everything, peacocks and haps don't stand a chance. Once put one in with a 12 inch large mouth as a feeder and as punishment, and it proceeded to terrorize the bass continously despite eating being fed shiners much larger than the auratus. Evil fish once they turn dark.
I think there is an article in the library on cichlid-forum.com that lists aggresion levels for mbuna types.

 

[fox3]

I have them all together and mature ... but not in a 50.

We also have a bumble bee and some zebra in there along with rostratus, c. moorrii and others including johhanni.

They were all in different tanks last year but the ones you mentioned were in the same 65G tank for 1-1/2 years and get along if kept in the same water with each other from juvies. The auratus gets just plain mean and is lightening fast, I mean ludicrus quick and needs to have it own tank space to be co-habital. Else it will destroy the others tail fins.

We moved them all to a 210 gallon and it was all out war for a day or three. The johannii has to go if we can ever catch it but the others get along ok but fight with their own kind.

 

[Sidrock]

Thank you for the info Husky and Fox3.

The Auratus are less than 2 inches right now. The Kenyi are about 2 inches.

The Giraffe and C. Borleyi I am looking to buy are a little over 2.5 inches. So, frankly, I was a bit worried that the Auratus may be too small to be kept with Giraffe cichilds and C. Borleyi which might be about 50% larger than them.

I think I like the Auratus the least among all the Malawi cichlid mentioned here. So if they cause a problem, I will just move them to a different tank (I have a spare 2 footer).

I think they should all be OK till they stop being juveniles and the males start showing their colors. Right?

Regards,
Sid

 

[fox3]

I think they should all be OK till they stop being juveniles and the males start showing their colors. Right?

Regards,
Sid

In our experience yes, they will learn to tolerate each other as long as they are introduced while still young and given a tank with room for them to stretch out their legs.

The giraffe and borleyi are going to out pace the kenyi and auratus inch for inch each month and at the end of one year they will be greater than 7 - 8", prolly twice the size of the others and a lot slower. Actually our c.borleyi do more damage to each other than any other fish in our tank and they both colored up very dark red as though both are the dominant males with no female in with them.

 

[Husky Jerk]

The venustus and borleyi would not last very long, i think. The constant activity will stress them. If you want to try it, I would wait for the 180 and establish the haps in there before introducing the mbuna. Oh and lose the auratus. Only african I've ever kept that I will absolutely never own again. Here is that link i mentioned http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/haps_vs_mbuna.php. Choose some mellower mbuna and your chances for success improve alot. HTH. Good luck.

 

[bcpits]

keep in mind that even if 2 of these out grow the other, size doesn't matter lol
Nasty's are nasty's