what to do?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
jaws19

jaws19

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Jul 14, 2006
1,219
6
68
Clarkston MI
ok i have a 55 gallon thats currently empty and im looking to try African cichlids im 100% new to Africans and i have a species list that you can tell me what to do from.

heres a list of the lake Tanganyika cichlids i like

Chalinochromis brichardi "masked"
Julidochromis ornatus
Julidochromis regani Kipili
Julidochromis regani Zambia
Julidochromis transcriptus Bemba
Julidochromis transcriptus Gombi

Cyphotilapia frontosa Kigoma 7 stripe

Tropheus moorii Lufubu Purple Rainbow
Tropheus moorii Chipimbi "red stripe"

i have a Synodontis petricola that im think of breeding so i know they would work

Altolamprologus compressiceps gold head


here are the Malawi cichlids

Copadichromis sp. midnight mloto Mara Point
Protomelas "fire hap"
Otopharnyx lithobates Zimbawe Rock
Sciaenochromis "red electric blue"

Labeotropheus trewavasae red top/orange
Melanochromis "electric blue johnanni"
Melanochromis vermivorus Mumbo Island
Melanochromis auratus albino
Metriaclima zebra chilumba Luwino Reef
Pseudotropheus flavus
Pseudotropheus elongatus Likoma Island
Pseudotropheus zebra Red OB
 
Your Tanganyika selection looks nice although there are a few problems that I see. First off the brichardi: if you get more than one and you get two to pair off, it will be a huge problem for the rest of the tank. The Frontosa: Flat out a 55 is not going to house them for long. You shouldnt have many problems with the julies, although if you get some to pair off they can be terrors too. If you go with Tropheus in the 55, I would stick to just Trophs in the tank, and also stick to a single species. I dont know that I would put more than 12 tropheus in a 55. The Altolamps can be amazing fish but they might discorage you with thier slow growth rate, but they really are amazing fish.


Trewavasae are some of my favorite fish, they are so personable, you may have a problem finding them other than the marmalade flavor..or at least that is the problem I have. Melanochromis are flat out nasty, I wont even put them in my tanks, but that is me, many people are in love with the baddies from malawi. All of your Pseudotropheus are a very good choice, just make sure you get all males so you dont cross breed. Metriaclima are really cool fish you will love their behavior. I dont have any experience with lithobates but I hear that they can be on the harder side, but take that with a grain of salt because I have never kept them. Your other haps that you have listed I would not mix with mbuna for the plain fact that mbuna are normally faster and more aggressive.


IF it were my tank I would stick with Tanganyika, and it would go a little something like this.


Comps all the way get a 1.1 pair of the Goldhead Comps
Get about 5 or 6 of the julies of your chosing wait for a pair to form and sell the rest, keeping a 1.1 ratio (only because when julies pair, they pair for life)
Maybe if you can get a pair of calvus, of one flavor or the other ie. black, inkfin, yellow, or white.

I think that would make a great tank... IMO
 
what about Copadichromis sp. midnight mloto Mara Point or Melanochromis "electric blue johnanni" ive kept both in the past and i loved them! but i dont know anything about africans... im going to have a rift lake set up.
 
I would say dolphins are going to get to big in the long run, Venustus get really big too.

Melanochromis johnanni, like I said, is going to have one heck of a temper, Everything can be regulated with tank layout though. It all really depends on what you are going to be doing with your tank. Try this.

Mbuna
Labeotropheus trewavasae red top/orange
Melanochromis "electric blue johnanni"
Melanochromis vermivorus Mumbo Island
Melanochromis auratus albino
Metriaclima zebra chilumba Luwino Reef
Pseudotropheus flavus
Pseudotropheus elongatus Likoma Island
Pseudotropheus zebra Red OB

All of these fish would be kept in a tank that is HEAVY on rocks.

Haps
Copadichromis sp. midnight mloto Mara Point
Protomelas "fire hap"
Otopharnyx lithobates Zimbawe Rock
Sciaenochromis "red electric blue"

These would be kept in a tank that has rocks but not nearly as many.

The Tropheus are going to need a tank that is very similar to the Mbuna tank.
The Julies and brichardi will need a tank with flat rocks and lots of caves.
The Frontosa will need a deep tank with fair amounts of open water.
The Comps will need pretty much the same as the Frontosa.


I dont believe in mixing the lakes, so if you are going to go one lake or the other I would stick with that lake. Theoretically all of the fish that you have listed from their respective lakes can be kept together. It is all dependant on the tank layout (hiding spots and such) that will determine the success of your tank.
 
heres my list so far ive cut some out

Chalinochromis brichardi "masked" 1-2
Julidochromis ornatus 1-2
Julidochromis regani Kipili 1-2
Julidochromis regani Zambia 1-2
Julidochromis transcriptus Bemba 1-2
Julidochromis transcriptus Gombi 1-2

i have a Synodontis petricola that im thinking of breeding so i know they would work

Altolamprologus compressiceps gold head


here are the Malawi cichlids

Copadichromis sp. midnight mloto Mara Point

Labeotropheus trewavasae red top/orange
Melanochromis "electric blue johnanni" aggressive
Melanochromis vermivorus Mumbo Island aggresive
Melanochromis auratus albino aggressive
Metriaclima zebra chilumba Luwino Reef
Pseudotropheus flavus
Pseudotropheus elongatus Likoma Island
Pseudotropheus zebra Red OB
 
well it still undecided i love Chalinochromis and Julidochromis and breeding im almost positive ill try out, but i also love electric blue johnanni and midnight mloto Mara Point
 
Well they will all pretty much mix, breeding is not going to be a matter of trying it out, believe me the fish will try it for you :D


Honestly Malawi is more than likely going to be easier. I would pick the fish that you want, make sure the tank has plenty of hiding spots because I dont think you are going to have a compatability problem.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom