i want more cichlids

Question
i want to get more tank mates 4 my cobalt bule zebra cichlid. i just recntly moved him from my frist ever tank and it was a ten gallon and now he is in a 38 gallon tank he has had other tanks mates but he killed them when he got bigger(in the 10 gallon). the only fish that i have been able to keep with him is  pelco. i got my cichlid when he was only around 1.5in and now he is about 4in. and well my Q is that a fish store guy said that only way any other cichlids will servive with the one i have is if i get 7 more at once and there is no way i can afford to get 7 fish at once plus all the rock and other stuff to make more tarritory 4 all thos fish at once. so would i be able to get a smaller number at once and will it be safe or is the fish guy right when he says to get 7 at once? any tips or any help is vary usefull seeing i am fairly new to this hobby.(sry 4 bad spelling not the best at it)

Answer
Hi Steve,

Boy, the fish store guy wants to sell you some fish, eh?  Another money-making opportunity.

You do not need to introduce 7 fish at a time.  

Rather than that, let's try this alternative method.

Buy 2 or more fish the same day.  Two will keep him busy.  Buy fish who are as large as him.  Do not buy small fish and stick with Malawi Cichlids, like him, so that he is interested in them as mates, rather than defending the tank.  You can even get more Cobalts and he might even mate.  Mine bred like rabbits.

Introducing the new fish is easy.  Take them to a hospital tank first, for 2 weeks, and then introduce them to the main tank.

The day you do, remove all the decorations and rock, and then put them back in, differently than they started.  Rearrange it so he's not comfortable in his "territory" and then introduce a couple new fish at a time.  It's very important that these are the same size as him.

Smaller fish will suffer, but African Cichlids are suckers for their own type.  So if you go for the same kind of fish he is, he will be a bit territorial, but might even find a friend.

Mine did. :)

Good luck and happy fish-keeping.

Renee