Have I done a "no, no"

Snoozie · Mar 5, 2006

Okay,

It's the age old question can you mix african with american and not have too many casualties.

Currently (in terms of Cichlids) I have two Blue Cobalts, 2 Electic Yellows and 2 Kribs in my tank. Recently I picked up a nice little Rainbow for a bargain price and he is now in the tank too.

So my question is...Is it a bad idea to have the Rainbow in with the other Cichlids? He seems to be doing okay but I don't want to cause too much trouble in the community.

Cheers

Jason_S · Mar 5, 2006

how big is the tank? lots of people keep africans with central/south americans with no problems at all while others can't keep them together for anything. it just depends on how the individual fish get along together. I'd keep a close eye on them and see how they get along.

rickson · Mar 6, 2006

in my tank i have a mix community of central/south americans with Malawi Haplochromines and the fish are doing great, but i dont recomend mixing americans with mbuna they are to mean and the americans cant defend against their attacks from the side or from the under side.

Ash · Mar 6, 2006

I mix mine w/out any problems, but mbuna are pretty mean I dont suggest it either, other then that its just a testing it out, put some sa/ca in and see what happens...

gomezladdams · Mar 6, 2006

I dont mix with sa cichlids but one of my mpanga red females is taking some r+r with a group of silver dollars and seems ok in there

Snoozie · Mar 6, 2006

Forgive my ignorance but what's the difference between malawi and mbuna - I have my little Rainbow in with 2 x Electric Yellows (Lake Malawi), 2 x Kribensis (West Africa) and 2 x Cobalt Blue Cichlids (Lake Malawi Mbuna?).... ? I've housed them all in a 38g tank along with some bristlenose, tetras, 2 x Rainbow Sharks and 1 x Bala Shark. Sharks will go into their own big tank once a little bigger.

See my Cobalts are from Lake Malawi but are also described in info on the net as being Mbuna (scientific name is Maylandia callainos). So I'm a little confused as to the difference....

I am only new to Cichlids so please bear with me....

Cheers

Taz2478 · Mar 8, 2006

Malwai is the lake and Mbuna is the type of fish. the yellow and Cobalts are both from malawai and are mbuna. Some cobalts are not mbuna but still come from malawai lake.

fireinthewater · Mar 17, 2006

i would keep a close eye on the tank those labs could get very mean to the rainbow and you won't see it coming until the rainbow is already hurt

Scotty · Mar 20, 2006

I have a Red-finned shark and Golden algae eater in with my mbuna. Give just as good as they get from the mbuna. Have been in since I started the tank and the mbuna have grown a lot more than the shark. The algae does his own thing in the tank. It and the shark have had a little thing between then ever since they were bought. :naughty: