Texas Cichlid Turned Completely BLACK!!

[Cal Amari]

Just because they are the same size doesn't mean they will live together, you may get by for awhile, but eventually that 1 texas you still have will need to go. And choosing to go with an african cichlid tank is a good idea, but it comes with it's own learning process. I'm not too familiar with africans, but they don't all get along either. There's a whole sub forum on african cichlids on here that you can learn a lot from. There are members on here very knowledgable about african cichlids, and maybe the topic belongs in a thread of its own.

But I believe you can mix most peacocks together, some haps can be with peacocks, but not all. Mbunas I believe are trickier and keepers usually choose a species or 2 to have colonies of, not a mixed tank with 1 each of several types like you mentioned wanting to collect. But some are peaceful enough to mix with peacocks, like yellow labs. I have very little experience or knowledge on africans though.

My advice is ask on here first, then buy the fish. I've been there myself and read countless other threads on here where you see a fish you just have to get only to buy it, get home, and then ask about it and learn it is completely unsuitable for the fish you already have. You can save yourself several return trips to the store, and getting half credit on returns if that, and stress or death to many fish if you ask first, get a plan, then go to the store with a plan. They might not have everything you want on hand, and maybe you can order some, or just wait it out until some are available. But if you have an idea of what will work then maybe you'll find something similar in the same family or category etc.

 

[danotaylor]

Lots of great experiences & information from both duanes and Hybridfish7 , some of which does appear in conflict to the other, but since both appear to be factually true based on real life experiences, hobbyists must assess the merits, risk and benefits in relation to available aquarium footprint and volume and make an informed choice as to what to attempt

 

[heavenboy77]

With cichlids, just because you have a male and female, don't mean they are gonna like each other and start breeding. They have a complicated process to decide if each other is worthy before they will start breeding.

Here case in point. I got my male three females, eventually he tried to kill all three. Two were rehomed. The third looked like it was going to work, nope I took a nap and woke up to a dead female. View attachment 1561599View attachment 1561600View attachment 1561601

But that is the weird part the one male that joined in attacking her already mated with her before I brought the other pair home and put them in the tank he was already paired with her once I introduced the new male and female it was like night and day he turned on her instantly literally after just having babies with her like 4 days before I adder the new pair o

 

[heavenboy77]

Firstly I want to thank everyone for not pointing fingers not judging me for this being my first tank and accepting me and teaching me how to have a successful tank I now only have 1 texas cichlid in my african cichlid tank of monbonas cichlids and he is around the same size as them all. And in the photos below you see the faded blue one with the faded black stripes going all around him that is my tank boss. And when I say he is the best tank boss ever I couldn't have asked for a better hierchy he does not attack anyone in the tank all he does is chase them as if he is playing tag with them and he gets all the others to join In on the fun and he even accepted the texas cichlid into his family as well. I'm going to get more africsn cichlids but I won't get anyone that is bigger then him because I want him to remain the tank boss... even when I had the texas cichlids in my tank the plecos were scared to death and all hid behind the intank filtration system. Now they are all out in the open and my tank boss protects everyone and plays with everyone... and all I can do is thank you guys for teaching me how to have a successful thriving tank

 

[heavenboy77]

Just because they are the same size doesn't mean they will live together, you may get by for awhile, but eventually that 1 texas you still have will need to go. And choosing to go with an african cichlid tank is a good idea, but it comes with it's own learning process. I'm not too familiar with africans, but they don't all get along either. There's a whole sub forum on african cichlids on here that you can learn a lot from. There are members on here very knowledgable about african cichlids, and maybe the topic belongs in a thread of its own.

But I believe you can mix most peacocks together, some haps can be with peacocks, but not all. Mbunas I believe are trickier and keepers usually choose a species or 2 to have colonies of, not a mixed tank with 1 each of several types like you mentioned wanting to collect. But some are peaceful enough to mix with peacocks, like yellow labs. I have very little experience or knowledge on africans though.

My advice is ask on here first, then buy the fish. I've been there myself and read countless other threads on here where you see a fish you just have to get only to buy it, get home, and then ask about it and learn it is completely unsuitable for the fish you already have. You can save yourself several return trips to the store, and getting half credit on returns if that, and stress or death to many fish if you ask first, get a plan, then go to the store with a plan. They might not have everything you want on hand, and maybe you can order some, or just wait it out until some are available. But if you have an idea of what will work then maybe you'll find something similar in the same family or category etc.

Yep peacocks and munbonas go together I did my research on that right now my tank if full of munbonas but I'm going to get some peacocks as well I love the way my tank is now... and I think that 1 africna cichlid in my tank will be fine they all get along if in the future I have to get rid of him then I will but for now he is living his best life with his friends he was the one who showed everyone around and showed everyone the food and not to be scared of me and ish so for now he is living his best life

 

[Hybridfish7]

There are a number of soocial species in Central America, and many will be social as imature and sub-adults.
You will notice in the post a few above this one, that none of the indiivuals are more than than sub-abults and
there are certain loner species that are not listed.
Many of the most northerly cichlids (Herichthys carpintitus complex, The H labridens complex. Mayheros beani complex, and Ampholophus islanus are some of those, this also includes island cichlids such as Nandopsis, that are loners and seldom play well with others.
So trying to house them with other species of cichlids, ecpecially in a tiny tank of under 6 ft (for even 1 pair) is frought with problems.
Research into how they live in nature, and at what stage they become territorial is needed, if trying to keep them successfully.

While the Cribroheros I posted are no where near full grown they are still able to breed at that size. There was a roughly 16" male dovii in that stream that I did not catch. The foot long female that was following him around is the one I caught and posted here. Rapps also mentioned there were Tomocichla on eggs in his stream. The Amatitlania were spawning, etc. The friedrichsthalii, Neetroplus, and Hypsophrys are also adults. I don't expect the largest individuals there to be present year round but to say they're incapable of coexisting or that adults do not coexist is untrue.

 

[Sinister-Kisses]

Actually, mbuna and peacocks are a bad mix. Stick with only mbuna. And even then, it can be problematic. Mbuna can be extremely aggressive and a 55gal tank is small. Sexing mbuna is extremely difficult for most species so aiming for an all male tank is going to be hard, especially for someone not familiar and experienced with mbuna. You REALLY need to research species in advance and build a plan with assistance from knowledgeable mbuna hobbyists before you move forward. Grabbing random species from fish store tanks without knowing what you have and what you're mixing is going to end up as another disaster.

 

[Hybridfish7]

Actually, mbuna and peacocks are a bad mix. Stick with only mbuna. And even then, it can be problematic. Mbuna can be extremely aggressive and a 55gal tank is small. Sexing mbuna is extremely difficult for most species so aiming for an all male tank is going to be hard, especially for someone not familiar and experienced with mbuna. You REALLY need to research species in advance and build a plan with assistance from knowledgeable mbuna hobbyists before you move forward. Grabbing random species from fish store tanks without knowing what you have and what you're mixing is going to end up as another disaster.

Saulosi would be good for a 55 I'd say but that's going to be the only fish you put in there.

 

[heavenboy77]

Actually, mbuna and peacocks are a bad mix. Stick with only mbuna. And even then, it can be problematic. Mbuna can be extremely aggressive and a 55gal tank is small. Sexing mbuna is extremely difficult for most species so aiming for an all male tank is going to be hard, especially for someone not familiar and experienced with mbuna. You REALLY need to research species in advance and build a plan with assistance from knowledgeable mbuna hobbyists before you move forward. Grabbing random species from fish store tanks without knowing what you have and what you're mixing is going to end up as another disaster.

With all due respect my tank is doing extremely well and I went against everything most of you said truthfully. Everything is A OK and im loving my tank not a single problem at all. So I'm going to keep going the way I am going I listened to most of the stuff yall told me but I am happy with my outcome with my tank right now.. because if I followed 100% of what all of you told me I would end up with a tank with 0 fish in it just to make it perfect. Half of yall will say one thing and half of yall will say something else right now my tank is perfect and I love it

 

[duanes]

One thing I find interesting, is the lakes of Africa, and large lakes of Nicaragua, Costa Rica(Arenal) and even lakes like Peten iItza n Mexico are similar in that (maybe!) because if their vast areas) contain large cichlid species flocks.
In the great lakes of Nicaragua, Amphilophus have separated into flocks of piscarores, molluscavores, and generaric omnivores, all the while allowing space within the lakes for a number of other genera.
Lake Peten Itza sports a number of genera, as does Arenal.

Wheres as in many northern riverine environments, we are lucky to find 2 species in large riverine areas (often with separate habitat prefferences with a singe river)
Near Mazatlan on the northern Pacific coast of Mexico, Mayheros beanii are represented.
On the a slightly more southern coast of Mexico near Rio Balsas, Amphilophus istlana dominates.
And Central and eastern Mexico, the Herichthys species dominate.
H carpintus in Lago Chairel, H minckleyi in Cuatro Ciegega, and H tamaspopensis in the Rio Panuco drainage.
And in some of those area the Herchthys labridens group share habitat, but few others.
It may be the climate, or that different tributaties isolate and create species to evolve slightly different adaptations.
I find these separations and difference fascinating.


For example, Herichthys carpintus Lago Chairel left, Herichthys tamasopoensis right.

Herichthys (Nosferatu) pantostictus left, from the Panuco basin left.
Herichthys (Nosferatu) bartoni, more locailzed in the San Luis Potosi region, right

And the same species of Chuco intermedia below, (although quite different) and from from separate river systems in Mexico only a few miles apart.