Malawi tank

Bertie07

Peacock Bass
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Aug 27, 2017
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i am getting a 125 and want it to be a Malawi tank, I want to do a Mbuna and ,peacock and hap tank. I thought about having three groups of Mbuna with some peacocks. Would this work and can you suggest some stocking ideas, if not what would you do with the tank. This is also my first African cichlid tank
 

james99

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Most mbuna are too aggressive for haps and peacocks. Labs and acei normally work. I've thrown random other mbuna in my hap and peacock tanks over the years and they normally ended up terrorizing anyone that came close to their area, which in some cases was a large section of tank. Maybe something like labs, acei, and a hap and peacock or your choice, with 1m/4-5f each?
 
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Bertie07

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Could I do three groups of 10 Mbuna
2m-8f of melanochromis chipokae
2m-8f of Labidochromis caeruleus
3m-7f of pseudotropheus demasoni
With some catfish like petricola or a syno angelicus
 

james99

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That could work, I would only do 1 male or 3+. With 2 the dominant male can concentrate his aggression on the other male, having 3 or more spreads it out. Have a backup plan to remove fish that are getting beat on or are overly aggressive. Demasoni are notorious for beating on each other. Any fish hiding in the corners of the tank or behind the filter are being picked on and shoulder be removed, this will prevent the stressed fish from becoming I'll and infecting the other.

If you want a group of syno go with petricola or multis, these will actually school, angelicus do best as singles.
 

james99

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Also, have you considered red zebras? You'll have alot of yellow with the labs and melanochromis.
 

Bertie07

Peacock Bass
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What about if I had 8 groups of 1m-3f so I can get more variation in the tank and not worry about males getting beaten up
 
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