thinking about setting up a new 55g african cichlid tank and i want some exotic looking fish.
any ideas?
any ideas?
need ideas.
- Thread starter markwright
- Start date
When you say 'exotic looking', what do you mean? Bright colors? Long finnage? Please elaborate.
Are you looking for an all-male setup with Aulonocara species? Or more of a singular male with several female arrangement - more like a natural behavior and breeding setup?
Cynotilapia afra really aren't that aggressive/territorial in comparison to many other Malawians.
well both but i want something that is gonna stick out and i would prefer a male and female setup.
Here's some suggestions 
,
>Yellow Tail Acei
>White Tail Acei
>Yellow Labs
>Orange Zebra
>Snow Zebra
>Orange Blossom
>Cobalt Blue
>Albino Peacock
>Sunshine Peacock
>Electric Blue
>Protomelas Taeniolatus
>Lemon Jake Peacock
>Aulonocara "Otter Point"
>Aulonocara "Dragons Blood"
>Aulonocara "Ruby Red"
>Aulonocara "Flame Tail"
>Aulonocara Hansbaenschi "Red Shoulder"
>Blue Johanni
>Copadichromis Azureus
>Cynotilapia....lots of good species in this genus like the "White Top Hara"
I would do some googling, you'll find a bunch you like. Just research research research...some can be more aggressive than others. Like the bumbleebee, auratus, and malawi hawks...they are the more aggressive africans
You could also browse the africans on this website...and if you see any you like that aren't available at your LFS/LPS...then you could order from them
http://www.livefishdirect.com/
,>Yellow Tail Acei
>White Tail Acei
>Yellow Labs
>Orange Zebra
>Snow Zebra
>Orange Blossom
>Cobalt Blue
>Albino Peacock
>Sunshine Peacock
>Electric Blue
>Protomelas Taeniolatus
>Lemon Jake Peacock
>Aulonocara "Otter Point"
>Aulonocara "Dragons Blood"
>Aulonocara "Ruby Red"
>Aulonocara "Flame Tail"
>Aulonocara Hansbaenschi "Red Shoulder"
>Blue Johanni
>Copadichromis Azureus
>Cynotilapia....lots of good species in this genus like the "White Top Hara"
I would do some googling, you'll find a bunch you like. Just research research research...some can be more aggressive than others. Like the bumbleebee, auratus, and malawi hawks...they are the more aggressive africans
You could also browse the africans on this website...and if you see any you like that aren't available at your LFS/LPS...then you could order from them
http://www.livefishdirect.com/
A typical mix is Ps. demasoni with Lab. caeruleus, but I would do Ps. saulosi and have less territorial issues. Toss in Iod. sprengerae and a Lab. species (like caeruleus, perlmutt, or chisumulae) and you will have a tank with a lot of color variation and behavioral diversity. A 55g is too small for Copadichromis or Protomelas long-term, these are genus' that thrive on lots of space, which a 55g doesn't offer.
To save yourself any potential headaches, I wouldn't mix Aulonocara with the mbuna. It can be done and work, but it can also end with some dead peacocks.
To save yourself any potential headaches, I wouldn't mix Aulonocara with the mbuna. It can be done and work, but it can also end with some dead peacocks.
Here is a good website to look at that gives some good information on different species of cichlids (http://cichlid-forum.com/profiles/index.php). You can choose the lake or region you want to look at and then the type of cichlids.
One thing to pay attention to is as you choose your fish try to stick with fish that have similar aggression levels. You will have a much higher chance of success. If you put yellow labs (labidochromis caeruleus - one of the least aggressive mbuna) with kenyis (metriaclima lombardoi - one of the more aggressive mbuna) it may work for a while, but as the fish mature you will likely start losing your yellow labs.
Good Luck!!!
One thing to pay attention to is as you choose your fish try to stick with fish that have similar aggression levels. You will have a much higher chance of success. If you put yellow labs (labidochromis caeruleus - one of the least aggressive mbuna) with kenyis (metriaclima lombardoi - one of the more aggressive mbuna) it may work for a while, but as the fish mature you will likely start losing your yellow labs.
Good Luck!!!