My new 125 gallon aquarium

[Steve_C]

couldn't I just do like 1-3 haps and then like 20 peacocks?

The biggest problem with them is not going to be the number of haps but the size and attitude as compared to the peacocks. Your average peacock is going to be 5" and pretty laid back and mellow. Your average hap is going to be around 8"-10" with some like the Dimidiochromis compressiceps or venustus which you mentioned getting to 12" and being a bit aggressive.

Not saying it "can't work" but just letting you know there will be a good chance of some issues with the haps stressing the peacocks.

 

[Wobbegong_Highwater]

Hmm, I do have a 40 gallon breeder which I was planning to do some cichlids but I could use it at a hospital or grow out tank for any peacocks that get bullied. I have also hear of people putting the aggressive dominant cichlid in a clear box so that it looses its dominance. I can also get all the peacocks first so they will grow more and get an edge. If I go with peacocks or haps I want to get some solid stocking plans as for what to do. I also want to discuss the CA cichlids so I have another option. the only cichlids I have kept are dwarf cichlids and a 5 star general cichlid.

 

[Steve_C]

I have also hear of people putting the aggressive dominant cichlid in a clear box so that it looses its dominance.

Yeah, that never works lol. You won't ever break a cichlid of his dominance. You can take him out for a month and with in minutes of being returned hell go right back to being a jerk Just how they are.

Can't help ya on the SA's much, I'm more of a Malawi and Tang guy but I'm sure someone else will chime in with that. Make sure to post up some pics when you get it set up

 

[james99]

The whole time out thing has never worked for me either. I've always had mix of haps and peacocks and found that there isn't much difference in aggression. This is with a wide mix of peacocks, smaller haps, and larger predatory haps.

 

[Wobbegong_Highwater]

I thought it was about letting another fish take their place.

 

[Steve_C]

What happens is another fish may take it's place while that fish is gone, but soon as that fish is reintroduced then it reclaims its spot at the top of the order. I've tried it many times with various Mbuna & haps that were trouble makers and it never works. Most recently was last year with a male 5.5" Williamsi North blue lips male. He was a beautiful fish and while not "rare" it's a species you don't see every day at shops so I really wanted him to work in my 240g tank. That species is not known to be real aggressive but he was a devil for some reason and chased and bite everyone. I tried "time outs" at least a dozen times with him, sometimes as long as 10 days. With in minutes of going back in the tank he was right back at it again Ended up having to trade him in to the LFS.

 

[Wobbegong_Highwater]

So for a mostly peacock tank with some mbuna could I do some:
German red peacocks
Yellow peacock with the blue head
Mostly blue peacocks
Other peacock cichlids that don't look like the other ones, like strawberry or something.
yellow lab cichlids
rusty cichlids

 

[Steve_C]

Yeah the list looks pretty good. Mbuna are usually pretty aggressive when compared to peacocks but the ones you have on the list (Y.Labs and Rusties) are probably the most peaceful ones in the mbuna species. Some Nkhata Bay (white labs) would be another that would go nice with that list and add a really nice white contrasting color to the tank. The yellow peacock with blue head is a Aulonocara (aka sunshine peacock) they are a pretty mellow fish, same with the german red they are usually easy going for the most part. For the blue peacocks just stay away from something like Lawanda, they can be pretty aggressive for a peacock sometimes.

 

[james99]

Pseudotropheus Acei is another peaceful mbuna species. I've always had at least one with my haps and peacocks.

 

[Wobbegong_Highwater]

What about a good hap stock with some mbunas. I know haps are predatory so I would have to get mbunas that get big.
The haps I like are
Blue dolphin
Venustus
eye biter
Electric blue
the starry one
Red empress
Maybe labeotropheus or metricalima? Also where do you get your african cichlids from, my LFS has some peacocks and mbunas but not too much else, any recommendations?