$25 is a typical pet store price. Doesn't sound like anything out of the norm. You could always look at just buying a froup of juvies and growing them out.
what about the species Aulonocara baenschi or Yellow Peacock Cichlid in a 75g tank with one fryeri and two or three of those guys and maybe, possibly one or two birchirs
these arent ahli.... its a fryeri, but i have them and they r awesome.... mine get along well with my mbunas..i get mine for about 20 bucks at petsmart
This is Blue Boy. He did very well in a mixed less aggressive cichlid tank. Benga peacock, Red empress, Rubin Red peacock, yellow labs and such.
I kept my PH at 8.0 temperature at 76, and had structure with open swimming area's. Hope this helps some.
He is now in a 58 gal tall species only tank, with 4 females.