Need help with recently purchased African Cichlids

[d3adlydesignz]

Recently I setup a African Cichlid tank and not knowing much about them I think I may have made a mistake. I went to my local pet store and purchased 6 Ciclids. I asked the sales person if they will all be ok mixing with each other since I did know that some African Cichlids can't mix with others. He said yeah there won't be any issues. I also asked where they actually came from and he couldn't really give me a answer. So after a bit of work looking online here is what I came up with.

1 Nimbochromis Venustus
1 Auratus Mbuna
1 Labidochromis caeruleus
2 Pseudotropheus
1 Melanochromis johannii

If I'm thinking and reading correctly there are 2 of the Highly aggressive cichlids in my tank. And trying to not change a mistake into a nightmare 6 months down the line. I would like to know what ones I can keep and then once I get the ones I can keep. What new Cichlids can I place in the tank with them.

Please see photos

Also please help me confirm or deny the species I have. The pet store I purchased from just had them labeled as assorted African cichlids.

 

[duanes]

Pics 3 and 5 look like Melanochromis species to me, but I don't see any Nimbochromis at all.

 

[d3adlydesignz]

Possibly get rid of 3 & 5 and I will be ok? Or what would you suggest? Also its a 75g tank if that would make a difference.

 

[james99]

First looks like a kenyi, also very aggressive. Second is a red zebra or hybrid of. Third you have melanchromis. Number 4 looks like a typical yellow lab/zebra mix. Five is a man made drangonblood peacock. And last is a melanochromis auratus.

The kenyi and melanochromis are usually very aggressive. The hybrids could go either way aggression wise.

If you can find quality stock, you have a good size tank to start with.

 

[d3adlydesignz]

First looks like a kenyi, also very aggressive. Second is a red zebra or hybrid of. Third you have melanchromis. Number 4 looks like a typical yellow lab/zebra mix. Five is a man made drangonblood peacock. And last is a melanochromis auratus.

The kenyi and melanochromis are usually very aggressive. The hybrids could go either way aggression wise.

If you can find quality stock, you have a good size tank to start with.

You happen to have any suggestions on what fish to get or even a good site I can visit that will tell me what I can mix with what I have? I started my first tank with south american cichlids and didn't have many problems. But African cichlids I didn't realize there were so many different kind and do's and dont's with mixing them.

 

[DJRansome]

I don't think you can keep all of what you have in a 75G. The auratus or the kenyi or the johannii maybe. I'd get rid of the peacock.

Whichever species you choose, you would want more of the same. Think in terms of 1m:7f. For three aggressive species like auratus, kenyi and johannii I would want a 72" tank. But any one species should work in the 75G with some less aggressive tank mates. Johannii and white labs for example.

 

[flukekiller]

I would make sure you stick to Mbuna's. Most of them you could stick together and they are on the smaller side like 4-5 inches as opposed to haps or peacocks which can get in the 10+ inch range.

Here's a good site for reference. When I started my mbuna tank I must have that thing 100 times..

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/results.php

Personally I like rusty's.. brown with a purplish tint and not aggressive at all.. when I had my 75 set up in had over 25 Mbuna's and atleast half of them were rusty's.

 

[poppalina]

This is a different direction to go but, with a 75 gallon an all male peacock tank would make a nice display.

 

[tlindsey]

I suggest you youtube KG tropical I have learned a lot from watching his vids.

 

[d3adlydesignz]

Thanks for all the great advice I will take all of this into consideration. This weekend I'm going to go to a local African cichlid farm and hoping he can just sell me a group of fish that are compatible.