My plan fo African and American cichlid tank

[Ruturaj]

Disclaimer: I keep high GH and KH in tank (GH around 10 and KH above 4) no matter what I stock in it.

Current stocking
40 gallon: 2 blood parrot around 4 inches, rest are all 2 inch, 2 x yellow labs, yellow lab x kenyi hybrid, kenyi female, yellow tail acei, dragon blood peacock, ob peacock, red empress peacock, bn pleco

75 gallon: 8" flowerhorn, 4 x 3" kenyi (2 males, 2 females), 4" bn pleco

Future plan: grow out every African cichlid from 40 and when they cross 3-4" move them to 75 with flowerhorn and kenyi cichlids

Back up plan: move parrots to 75 with all African cichlids and flowerhorn to be alone in 40 gallon

2nd back up plan: giveaway problematic fish except flowerhorn

Just sharing the plan, I know it's a long shot but still taking it. I would really like to add some more red colored peacock in future if possible.

 

[A201]

Be a good idea to move the Africans to the bigger tank & construct an elevated rock reef.
The FH will not be compatible with the rift Cichlids.
The Africans might completely ignore the Blood Parrot's or eventually pick them apart.
Keeping Mbuna & Peacocks together is a hit or miss proposition. I've successfully done it in a much bigger tank. It's been my experience that the Peacocks tend to be less active in the presence of Mbuna. Each Peacock will find a territorial spot above the rocks, away from a dominant Mbuna or rival Peacock & pretty much remain stationary.
Kind of boring.
Haps & Peacocks together make a nice display, but IMO Mbuna should be kept only in a Mbuna community.

 

[DJRansome]

Agree. For kenyi I would feel the need to house them safely in a species tank, minimum 75G with 1m:19f. For this reason, I don't keep kenyi.

I think if you want mbuna and peacocks you can increase your odds of success by sticking with yellow labs or acei.

 

[Ruturaj]

Thanks, I will re-home those kenyis then. Are females equally aggressive or I can keep one or two?

Every other African cichlids is less than 2 inch, so for now I will keep them in 40 and move them to 75 in future. I have seen flowerhorn being kept in with peacocks in fb group, that's why I wanted to try. I think he can get used to other fish by looking at those kenyi, they are a inch away from his mouth and he doesn't want to chase them anymore.

My gf really loves yellow labs so they are here to stay.

Seems like plan now is

75 gallon peacocks + yellow labs + yellow tail acai + blood parrots + bn pleco

40 gallon flowerhorn

If blood parrot starts getting bullied I will just get them a new tank or pass them on. I know mixing american and African gets mixed advices, some just totally oppose it, while some do it (some fail some don't).

 

[Ruturaj]

For 75 gallon stocking, if I go with just peacocks, yellow labs and acei, how many of each can I get?

 

[DJRansome]

Mixed gender on the peacocks or all male?

1m:4f each on the labs and acei...depending on your peacock answer. I see you have hybrid peacocks so far...they are good with labs and acei. NOTE the red empress is not a peacock (it is a hap) and too large for a 48" tank.

I would not keep a single kenyi in a 48" tank with peacocks.

 

[Ruturaj]

Mixed gender on the peacocks or all male?

1m:4f each on the labs and acei...depending on your peacock answer. I see you have hybrid peacocks so far...they are good with labs and acei. NOTE the red empress is not a peacock (it is a hap) and too large for a 48" tank.

I would not keep a single kenyi in a 48" tank with peacocks.

Thanks, I was thinking all males tank. One of each color, red/blue, blue, yellow, dragon blood, ob then some yellow labs and acei.

Ohh boy, seems like that red empress will be an issue. I would still like to grow him out though.

I will post was fish box for kenyi soon. I have a white fish that was supposed to be yellow lab and kennyi hybrid. Should I see if it's more like yellow lab when it comes to temper? I really like color on him/her.

 

[DJRansome]

So 10 mbuna as described (lose the hybrid) and three-four peacocks. The dragon blood counts as the red. You have an OB. Yellow Stuartgranti Maleri and blue Stuartgranti such as cobue.

The fish should be rehomed when they are two inches for some and three inches for fish like the empress. That is when they start spawning and act like adults. The longer tank is not a size thing...it is an aggression thing,.

 

[Ruturaj]

So 10 mbuna as described (lose the hybrid) and three-four peacocks. The dragon blood counts as the red. You have an OB. Yellow Stuartgranti Maleri and blue Stuartgranti such as cobue.

The fish should be rehomed when they are two inches for some and three inches for fish like the empress. That is when they start spawning and act like adults. The longer tank is not a size thing...it is an aggression thing,.

That hybrid is half inch bigger than yellow lab male and yellow lab male is pushing him around. I think he is fairly docile. I will just keep a close eye on him and get rid of him if he shows agressive behavior.

It's hard finding peacocks here. I will try ordering yellow ones.

I picked up this random guy, store told me it's a peacock but they are not sure of type. I would try finding one of those yellow peacocks now.

 

[DJRansome]

Don't keep any fry from this tank.