First try at a malawii tank

[Tango374]

I recently set up my first real attempt at a Lake Malawi tank and I'm completely hooked. I started with a couple hap's and that's all I wanted but then I just got out of control. Next thing I know, I have 3 times the amount of fish then I had originally planned on housing in my 55gal. One thing that I have noticed is it seems that the more fish I put in the tank...the more activity goes on with fish that are usually hiding most of the day. I'm no expert on what I'm keeping so please let me know what you experts think.
I am stocking:
Two 2''-3'' Cyrtocara moorii
Two 3'' Nimbochromis venustus
Two 4'' female Sciaenochromis fryeri
One 6.5" male Sciaenochromis fryeri
One under 2'' unsexed Sciaenochromis fryeri
and One 4'' Royal Pleco (Panaque Nigrolineatus)
As I said before, I'm keeping them in a 55 gallon tank filtered by a AquaClear 110 power filter. A titanium heater that was given to me brand new from a buddy, (I have no idea what brand it is, so that scares me, but it does a good job of keeping my tank in between 77 and 80 degrees). Only running one strip light right now which is a 48'' Zoo Med 50\50 Reef Sun bulb. Works great but I need to add more light. With some help from some buffers, my PH is always right at 8.0 and my water always tests well within the hard range.
I can't express enough how much I enjoy keeping this tank!
The only thing that worries me are the Nimbo Venustus. They are aggressive but not too bad yet. I've had them a few months and are growing pretty fast. I realize that these are the fish that grow the largest of what I have and will need the most space. They most definitely will become little monsters in this tank. I'm worried for the moorii. I have been thinking about trading them for some peacocks but want to wait to see the opinion of the people on this forum. But as I said before...they're not showing any real signs of serious aggression yet.
Does anybody have any opinions on another bulb that would run well with the bulb I'm running right now to get the most out of the fishes color? Or anything else about what I've posted...particularly about my choice of stock. Thank you.

 

[rottbo]

nice looking setup and nice fish perfect balance no more fish needed

 

[Ash]

Thats a cool looking set up

 

[Honda12]

You have a good setup going there.

 

[cockroach]

looks good man just set one up for the second time and loving it

 

[jimk]

Nice looking tank. I would keep the moori and maybe not add the peacocks. The adult nimbochromis will have the metallic blue head and the yellow body anyway and you have the metallic blue with the fryeri. The nimbo should be alright with your others but may attack each other. Same with your unsexed fryeri if it is a male.

 

[Scotty]

great looking tank and fish. The moorii should be alright with the others. I would look at creating two piles of rocks rather than a reef. Why, because I found that with a reef a single more dominant male, mbuna, tended to try and control the entire reef. When I changed to a pile at either end, with open swim are between, he found himself a spot and things became a lot quiter in the tank.
Your fish sizes are great in that they will gow together and should not pose too much af a threat to each other. Instead of peacocks why don't you look at a couple of mbuna! They are a lot more hardy and with enough rocks for hiding places should do well. I have a venestus and two livingstonii in with my mbuna. They were introduced small and are growing with the mbuna. I must say that they do seem to grow a lot quicker than the mbuna. Keep us updated as to the progress.

 

[t.oliphant]

Very nice only other thing i would have done is put rocks all the way to the top.

 

[Scotty]

Very nice only other thing i would have done is put rocks all the way to the top.

The piles I talk of need to go 80% of the way to the top of the water. Wat this does is it gets the fish to swim in the entire tank. Don't you find your fish staying close to the rocks?

 

[rickson]

very nice setup for a first try.
your choice of fish is very good for a first try not like the others super aggresive mbunas