Harem tank + Avoiding mutts - 65g stocking advice

[Panosian32]

First time poster – I’ve learned a ton on this site. Hoping you all can help me with stocking advice for an African 65g tank I’d like to set up.

Tank goals

• Colony “ish” set-up: I’d prefer to have 3-4 species and possibly a catfish. I’d like some variety, but I really like the look of the same species hanging out together.
• Breeding: I have young kids, and I think they’d learn a ton from seeing the whole lifecycle. We’re prepared to take some fry and raise in a separate tank, but also not a crisis if some get picked off in the tank.

Based on those goals, I’ve read many other stocking/set-up threads and have learned the following and their implications on our stocking plan:

• Harem set-up: To avoid aggression we should go with a ratio of 1-2 males with 3-4 females per species. Accordingly, we’d like to stick to species where both males and females are attractive in color.
• No mutts: We want to respect the hobby (and maybe sell/give the babies to the LFS), so I’d really like to avoid mutts. This is where I could really use some help, as within the types of Africans, I’m not sure on the rules of which can cross breed together.

Other information that may be helpful:

• Scape: Thinking African Cichlid Sand with lots of rocks and hiding spots. Flexible on this, and committed to doing the set-up that’s best for the fish we go with. I could go either way on live plants and open to suggestions.
• Water: Our water is middle of the road on hardness and pH is in mid to high 7’s.

Starter point for stocking - Maingano Cichlid (aka Psudotropheus cyancorhabdos): We already have 2 juveniles of these in an existing tank, so this is the ‘African’ starting point for us.

Other fish we are interested in - Would love feedback on if they are a fit with the Maingano and our goals.

• Swedish Hongi
• Nanochromis Splendens
• Red Zebra
• Few options from Lake Tanganyika that have caught our eye: Congo Black Calvus, Sunflower, Brichardi
• Synodontis Catfish

Very much appreciate suggestions on the best stocking for us.

 

[deeda]

It would be helpful to post the dimensions of your 65G tank in Length x Width x Height for stocking suggestions.

Right off the bat I would avoid mixing any Lake Tanganyikan cichlids as they won't do well with the more boisterous Malawi cichlids and from my understanding the Nanochromis like a softer water.

Have you tested the GH and KH of your tap water yet?

 

[Panosian32]

Tank dimensions: 39.5" x 18.5" x 26" (inches), so it's actually closer to 80 gallons - a pleasant surprise.

Just did my tap water:
GH: 150-180
KH: 180
PH: 7.8-8.0

Thanks in advance!

 

[DJRansome]

I would not do three or four species in a 39" tank and I would not do maingano in any tank less than 48x18".

Maybe 2 peaceful small species with 1m:4f of each like yellow labs and afra?

Personally I would do a saulosi species tank with 3M and 9F.

A trio of Synodontis lucipinnis would work with them.

 

[fishguy1978]

All Tropheus sp are herbivores where as L. Tang sp are primarily predatory. L. Malawi is a pH 7.7–8.6 with L. Tang around a ph 9. The N. Splendons are a soft acid water fish and not suited to being housed with either Lake sp. Tropheus are also a more boisterous group and would over stress any Nanochromis sp.
I would recommend either a single Tropheus sp tank or a mixed L. Tang setup. I have multies and Alto. Comp Sumbu Dwarfs in a 55g and multies and 2 different syno cats in a 100g. The Sumbu are similar to the Calvus but smaller. I have multiple generations of neolamprologus multifasciatus in each colony. The Brevis or Similis would be good options too, though the Brevis are much more aggressive towards each other.

Spawn Control

I have a 55g that I set up to house a Syn. Angelicus into which I introduced a few multies as dithers. I thought that the syn cat would eat the fry and keep the numbers down. Well, she is not doing her job and the numbers are increasing. Could I add a L. Malawi Dimidiochromis Compressiceps? My...

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My fish room

This is my most recent video of my fish room. I am in the process of improving my fish room. https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCzFMg49B6DUS1whHwG7lkuw

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[Panosian32]

Thanks to both of you. I see the point on the 48" footprint vs. 39". My hope was that with lots of hardscape there would be plenty of surface area, but I get it. Lots to think about.

Great fish room btw, I particularly like the Geophagus. They are on my "one day" list.

 

[Milingu]

The footprint is quite small for many rift lake cichlids and too small for a group of maingano. Given it has to be rift lake cichlids I would go with a pair A. calvus und a pair smaller Julidochromis. The Julidochromis will tolerate their fry for a long time and slowly fill the tank. But this will leave the upper part of the tank empty for most of the time.

If you include new world cichlids you could build a nice biotop with a pair of Amatitlania or Cryptoheros and some wild type livebearers to fill the upper part of the tank.

 

[bobblehead27]

Malawi has the colors, but Tanganyika is where it's at for interesting behavior. I think in the long run it'd keep your kids more engaged.

 

[Panosian32]

Thanks everybody for all the advice. Quick update (based on advice above) I slightly changed things up and switched tanks to a standard 75g with a 48" footprint. Thanks especially to DJRansom who provided further stocking advice via PM on another forum. Kept my juvie oscars in the 80g with the 39" footprint, which means I will have to upsize quicker on that one. But that's not the worst problem to have. ?

Stocked the tank with:

• Maingano x3 (+2 originals I have - waiting for new ones to grow up a bit more first)
• Swedish Hongi (Labidochromis sp.) x6
• Chindongo Saulosi x5
• Thumbi West OB (Labeotropheus trewavasae) x5

All juvies now, so will watch/vent as they grow up with the goal of getting 1-2 males of each type and the rest female. Having lots of fun and learning even more. We'll see how the anumbias do, but they are leaving it alone for now.