Planning to setup a Lake Malawi Loose Biotope

Question
QUESTION: Hello,

I have a 60 Gallon tank FILLED with pretty rock work and would love to stock it with some African cichlids. pretty much 50/50 rock and open space.

A couple of the species I wanted to put into the tank is Acei and Yellow Labs. Reading up on them I understand that they are considered Mbuna. I would love to have at least 1 species that likes to play in the sand a little more, preferably with some red. That is where I believe my problem lies.

Are there any Peacock or hap. with red/orange coloring That can hold its own with some of the "less" aggressive Mbunas?

Also I am unsure as to the quantities I should stock my tank because I am told and have read that i should overstock...

one last thing! I would love to have a suitable synodontis to go with the selection. Any suggestions?

Thank you for your time and expertise!

ANSWER: Hi Michael,

I used to raise and reer many Mbuna species, so if this were my tank, I would stick with Mbunas all the way around.

What you put together should be something that lives well together, doesn't compete and although aggressive behavior is somewhat assumed to be an all-around African Cichlid trait, some are actually easier to get along with than others.

Peacocks and haps are both going to be hard on your other Africans.

Keep in mind not to put same-colored different species together.  The males will attack any species with his species own color.

Try not to put the fish-eaters alongside those like you have, because they will be harder on them.

You should probably stick with Red Zebras.  Although considered highly aggressive, as most Africans are, mine did fine with tankmates and they are fun, dig a lot and love living in the rocks.

They also readily breed in captivity.  I got many mutations from mine also, ranging from albinism to blue.

I hope this helps.

Good luck!

Happy holidays.

Renee

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I've been looking at ALOT of cichlid species the past couple of days and ran across "Maylandia Livingstonii" a Malawi shell Dwelling species. I've read that they are pretty fiesty and will guard there shells readily.

I was wondering if I could have them in with the Acei and Yellow Labidochromis?

if not, Do you think instead of the red zebra, would Rusty (Iodotropheus sprengerae) cichlids be okay with them?  

Answer
I loved mine.  They should be fine.

My biggest tip is to buy them very young and rear them all together in the same environment so the pecking order is established early on.

The Iodotropheus sprengerae should be fine also, if bought young.

I think you're on the right track.

Renee