African Cichlid Stocking Question How Many Tropheus  4/16/08 Good Day, I have a quick question. If I stock a 55 gallon (4 foot long) tank only Tropheus duboisii, what is the minimum number I can have in the tank? Thanks! Eric <To answer your question as posted-(1). If you were to ask what is the maximum number of Tropheus you could stock in your 55 gallon, then that answer would be depends. Tropheus are aggressive territorial herbivores. They require clean warm alkaline water and food with lots of vegetable matter. If you only had two in the tank then one would become dominant and constantly chase the other one around until it was dead or nearly dead. Tropheus breeders would then jam as many fish into a tank as possible. The idea is that the dominant fish would be so busy chasing all the other fish around that he would not be able to focus all his attention on just one fish. Novice Tropheus keepers make an initial mistake by not starting off with enough fish to form a colony. These fish are very expensive so it becomes a serious investment to start out with a big group. I have gotten by with a group of 12 in a 40 gallon. The sex ratio was about 50/50. If you are interested in breeding then look for one male to about 5 to 6 females. It is best to start out with a group of small individuals and let them grow up together to establish a pecking order. I would recommend starting out with 20 small fish. This would give you 10 of each sex. When they mature you can eliminate overly aggressive males a settle for two to three males to the 10 females. This would let each male to set up a territory at each end of the tank. Very cool fish, the spotted babies are always big sellers,-Chuck> Re: African Cichlid Stocking Question Stocking A Tank With Tropheus duboisii II  4/17/08 Chuck, Thanks for writing. That's a lot of good information. I knew about the ratio of 1 male to 5 or 6 females, and hoped this would be the minimum number that I could put in my tank, and get by with.. 6-7 total fish.. Mainly because they are $25 each! 20 of them will add up quickly. And they are awesome looking fish as juveniles and adults, for sure. I'll have to keep looking! Thanks again! Eric <Another trick you could try is adding smaller species of Lake Malawi Mbuna to the tank to add as dither. They will have the same dietary requirements as the Tropheus and can handle the same water requirements. When the Tropheus colony gets set up you can always remove the Mbuna.-Chuck> Re: African Cichlid Stocking Question  4/18/08 Getting By With As Few Tropheus As Possible Not to be a pain, but for clarification, do you mean trying 6-7 Duboisi with a number of smaller Mbuna ? How many Mbuna should I add? And are there any specific types you can recommend? I'm going to continue reading, but I'm not making much headway. Thanks again! Eric <If I had only a few Tropheus to play with I would fill the tank with cheap small Mbuna. The species does not matter. It is important that the Mbuna are smaller than the Tropheus. If the Mbuna are the larger fish then they become dominant ones and pick on the Tropheus. When the Tropheus becomes dominant they will pick on the smaller but faster Mbuna. This spreads the aggression throughout the tank. By the way, I would recommend that you look online for a cheaper Tropheus source and find a breeder near you. Check out aquabid.com-Chuck>

Picking New Malawi Cichlids - 4-11-08
Hi there, I'm wondering if you could help me pick out some new fishies!
For the last few years we've had an African Cichlid tank: 4 foot, around 300L (80 gallons) with lots of rock. The fish I have currently are Ps. saulosi, Ps. acei (Yellow-Tail) and Synodontis catfish. The saulosi have bred (a lot) and the Synodontis have used them as a host. I would like to keep the catfish, but want to switch from lots of little fish to a simple colony of large fish.
I want to have 1 male and maybe 5-6 females. I would like them to be suitable hosts for the catfish and would also like for the females to
be colourful/interesting too (ie not dull and brown/grey).
I like the look of say Frontosa, but not fond of the big-ugly-lump- head thing and I also understand I'll need something from Lake Malawi or Victoria for the catfish. I don't particularly like Yellow Labs as they're a bit too bright if you know what I mean. And I had some C. moori once and they look a little pale and boring, and then there's the lump issue with them too. Something with blue would be nice though. I'm considering venustus...but not sure about the females... Am I too picky? Any suggestions? I've been searching and searching but can't seem to find anything. Just need some species names...happy to do the research on how to care for them!
< If you like the N. venustus then look at them as well as the other species of Nimbochromis like N. livingstonii or N. polystigma. They get about 10 inches with the males turning blue when they area breeding. All the other times they will be some sort of mottled brown.>
Also wanted to ask about the Synodontis and in-breeding...I started with 5 and now have over 15 (that I can see). Should I introduce
some new stock and sell some old ones, or is it not really an issue?
Thanks in advance for your help! Cheers, Monica
< Not really an issue.-Chuck>

6 fish too many or too few? – 04/1/08 Hello, I had a few questions about stocking fish. What is a good time frame for stocking new fish after having a bout with sickness? All seem well now in the tank and I was hoping to be able to stock a few more fish... but I want to see what you guys think about it since I have had some trouble with sickness around a month ago. <Depends on the sickness. If Ick/Whitespot for example, once treated and cured, you can add quarantined livestock safely a few days later. But if the problem is something like Finrot or Fungus, then you need to establish the triggering environmental issues first. Since those diseases are often caused by overstocking, adding yet more fish could be a very bad idea. Much the same goes for things like Hexamita/Hole-in-the-Head. Broadly speaking then, it's a good idea to leave an aquarium for a couple of months after problems so that you can be sure everything has settled down.> Also, I have a 55gal aquarium housing 6 African cichlids. How many would you recommend in a 55? I have what I believe to be, 2 Jewels, 1 Electric Yellow, 2 Aulonocara and 1 Nimbochromis. All the fish are small except for the Electric Yellow and he is about 4 inches. <Well, for a start these fish probably shouldn't be combined, and long term you could have problems. Jewel Cichlids (Hemichromis spp.) are very territorial and need soft/acid water. The other fish are from the African Rift Valley lakes and need hard/basic water. Yellow Labs (Labidochromis caeruleus) are boisterous but not overly aggressive. Aulonocara spp. vary but tend to be fairly easy going in spacious tanks. In theory at least they work well with Yellow Labs. Nimbochromis spp. are big and potentially predatory fish, so you need to choose tankmates for them with great care.> I really like these fish, but I am new to them. I am feeding them a Wardley brand Cichlid flake food and was also wondering if this is a good food choice for them. <If they eat it, fine. But the golden rule is VARIETY! So mix things up a little. Cichlids will typically eat anything if they're hungry. Chopped seafood, frozen bloodworms, tinned peas, brine shrimps, all kinds of things could be used. Plant material, live daphnia and live brine shrimps have a useful laxative effective on cichlids and help to prevent constipation.> Until I had a bout with illness I would give them a treat of freeze dried bloodworms as a treat 2 times a week until I read somewhere that it wasn't such a good idea due to unwanted parasites and it can cause some to bloat, is this correct? <I personally never found any point to freeze-dried bloodworms. They're expensive for what they are. But they should be perfectly safe. The main problem with dried foods is bloat, or more specifically constipation. As I say, use a variety of things to prevent this. Wet frozen foods are my favoured food items. Safe, inexpensive, and available in a huge variety.> Also, I saw at PetSmart, there is a product of lighting for cichlids... is this something I should purchase? The bulbs are a little pricey and the ones I have now are fairly new, didn't know if changing the bulbs was a thing I really NEED to do at this point or will the regular hood bulbs that I am using be fine health wise. <Sounds like a racket to me. No, cichlids don't need special lights. Yes, some colour lights will make the blues or red stand out more. But it's an optimal effect, and nothing to do with the health of the fish. Most cichlids don't care about whether you even have lights on the tank or not!> Thank you for your time and love your website! <Cheers, Neale.> Re: 6 fish to many or too few?  4/3/08 Great to know! I think I will put the 2 Jewels in my daughters 10 gallon tank unless you think that it will be too small for 2 Jewels. Its empty and was just waiting on her to pick something out for it... Oddly enough she has been wanting the fish in our big tank... :) If I give her the 2 Jewels, that will leave the Electric Yellow, 2 Aulonocara and the Nimbochromis in the 55gallon tank. I will just hold off on doing something with the Nimbochromis when he starts fighting with the others, but can you give me some nice suggestions on what cichlids would go well with the yellow and 2 Aulonocara as comfy tank mates and color variety? And again thank you for your time and information! <A 10 gallon tank is indeed too small for Jewel Cichlids -- Jewels can get to 8"/20 cm in captivity, though admittedly 5-6"/12-15 cm is more typical. They're also territorial and quite waspish when spawning, and I'd recommend nothing less than a 30 gallon tank for a breeding pair. A large tank than that would be essential if you planned on keeping them in a community setting with other species. Selecting tankmates for Yellow Labs and Aulonocara has been covered elsewhere on WWM (see African Cichlid behaviour, selection FAQs) but the main thing is you avoid Mbuna. Going with species such as Iodotropheus sprengerae (Rusty Cichlid) and perhaps Pseudotropheus acei (but not with blue fish!) usually works well. Avoid keeping species from the same genera or you'll get crossbreeding. Both these species appreciate being kept in groups, three or more. The Pseudotropheus acei should be one male to two females, but the Iodotropheus sprengerae are not territorial so get as many as you want. Cheers, Neale.>

Peacock cichlid
Stocking A Malawi Peacock Cichlid Tank  03/15/2008
Hello all and thanks for what you do. Wondering if you could suggest stocking level of an all peacock tank in a 90 gallon. Thank you.
<In the wild they only get about 3" TL, but they get much larger in the aquarium. If you go with the blue varieties then you could go with about a dozen. The yellow ones are not as combative and will get pushed around by the more dominant blue varieties.-Chuck>

Cichlid ID  01/14/2008 Hi Crew, I have a person selling some Cichlids and does not know what type they are and me either. Can you help me please? He needs to get rid of all 9 fish ASAP and will give them all up for US$24, what do you think about the price? I want to also add around 10-20 small (around 1 inch) Pseudotropheus saulosi in a few weeks when I get my shipment, do you think its safe to add them after these other unidentified cichlids are added first? My tank is 200 Gallons. Thanks in advance Ghulam <Hello Ghulam. The fish with the orange/brown patches and yellow spots on the anal fin is some sort of Pseudotropheus, likely Pseudotropheus zebra. But do bear in mind standard stock is often hopeless messed up in terms of genetics, and this fish may well be a hybrid. So fine as a pet, but unless you can 100% guarantee it is one particular species, not recommended for a breeding project, and DEFINITELY do not pass on any fry produced by this fish to other hobbyists. There's too many hybrid Pseudotropheus in the hobby already. The big orange fish with the huge mouth is some sort of "Tilapia", possibly Oreochromis mossambicus but equally likely one of the hybrids such as "Golden Tilapia" widely used in the aquaculture business. A nice enough fish, but big, messy, and fairly aggressive. Also potentially huge (20-30 cm) and very, very messy. No-one in their right mind PAYS for a tilapia for a fish tank -- that's a fish you take off someone's hands as a favour! As for your other question: NO, you NEVER, EVER mix two different Pseudotropheus species. Only a lunatic would do that. The problem is you'll end up with masses of hybrid fry that SHOULD NOT be passed on into the hobby. Furthermore, the levels of aggression in the genus are high but variable, and punchy species like Pseudotropheus zebra will often kill males from less aggressive species. When stocking Pseudotropheus, you choose a SINGLE species appropriate for your community, and then choose species from other genera that it WILL NOT hybridise with, such as Labidochromis, Labeotropheus, Cyrtocara, etc. Obviously do not mix Pseudotropheus with fish from closely related (possibly identical) genera such as Maylandia or Metriaclima; taxonomists may argue about the differences here, but Pseudotropheus, Maylandia, and Metriaclima all think they're the same thing and will freely fight/breed with one another. Cheers, Neale.>

Madagascar export  11/13/07
Greetings:
I currently have a license from the US Fish and Wildlife to import fresh water fish and I really want to import native Madagascar cichlids and/or rainbows for personal collection. I know of an excellent aquarist in Madagascar but have no exporter. Do you know of anybody interested on exporting fish from Madagascar?
Regards
Jose Gonzalez
<Will post your note. I would contact Paul Loiselle... is he still with the New York Aquarium? As he has the most extensive experience here... and I'll send this to our own cichlid expert, Chuck Rambo for further input. Cheers, Bob Fenner>

A question regarding African cichlids... sel.
.......again. I have a 75 gal Malawi tank and I have a slight problem with my adult male cichlids coloring up. I have an all male tank and it's not too crowded. If I do go ahead and overstock my tank like the forums suggest, will my cichlids color up again (considering the focus is on several fish rather than each fish individually)?
<Likely so... though there are going to be constant vigilance (on your part) issues of watching out for too overt aggression... and damage...>
I have two HOB filters and one canister xp3 totaling 1,250 gph. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Jay
<Books and Net reading. BobF>

Melanochromis auratus 10/22/07
Sexing Mel. Auratus
Hello, I recently bought 5 Melanochromis Auratus African Cichlids. They are about 2 inches long. I am wondering when the males will start to show their male colors or at least the "dominant" male?
< Usually at around two inches the males start to darken up.>
On one of them I have noticed a small black "speck" that seems to be getting bigger on the lower part of its tail. Also on another I have noticed a little black coloration on the fin on the lower middle part of the fish. Could these be signs of a male growing into maturity?
< Male M. auratus males will usually change color in a couple of weeks when they are the dominant fish in the tank. Certain areas may darken before others. Females usually don't change at all.>
If not when do you think I will start to notice the dominant male colors. Any other suggestions on breeding these fish or determining the sex would be great! Thanks!
< In the wild males are usually fully colored by two inches. They grow slower in the wild and a two inch fish in the wild is actually much older that a captive raised fish the same size. Sexual maturity is usually a matter of age and not size. Raise the water temp. to 80 f and that should accelerate the change.-Chuck>

Less-aggressive blue-colored haps, sel.   7/21/07
Hi crew,
Thanks for the earlier reply on blue-colored Mbunas. Both the recommended species are hard to find in the LFS around my area.
Are there any less-aggressive blue-colored haps to recommend for a tank that currently houses electric yellow labs and peacocks? From my knowledge, the electric blue ahli isn't too aggressive, but is there any way to distinguish it from blue species of peacocks? I find that the color and body shape quite similar, although the peacocks have greater likelihood of coming in more than 1 color. Is it possible or common for electric blue ahlis to come in more than one color, or for peacocks to be pure blue?
Thank you.
<Greetings. I find it hard to imagine you *can't* find Cyrtocara moori -- it is known as the Malawi Blue Dolphin and among the most widely traded Malawian Haplochromines in the trade. If all else fails, ask your retailer to get some in for you. Although big (around 20 cm) it is a gentle giant, provided you only have a single male specimen. The problem for you is that Aulonocara and Labidochromis are both at the low end of Malawian cichlid aggression. If you add significantly more aggressive species to the tank, they stand a very good chance of being killed. It's as simple as that. Pseudotropheus zebra for example will usually dominate any Labidochromis caeruleus in the tank. Pseudotropheus demasoni is *sometimes* kept in communities with more placid cichlids because, while highly aggressive, it is [a] small (~8 cm) and [b] tends to be only aggressive towards fish that are blue. Pseudotropheus demasoni is light blue with dark blue vertical bands, so very pretty. So that's one species you might want to take a gamble with, assuming your tank was sufficiently large (not less than 150 litres). Sciaenochromis ahli is another fish that *tends* to be violent towards other blue fish while largely ignoring other types of fish, but again, this depends on the aquarium. Given the large adult size of this species (~20 cm) and its piscivorous habits, it isn't a fish for every tank. Allow at least 200 litres for this species. Both Sciaenochromis ahli and Aulonocara spp. do have a somewhat similar shape and both come in a wide variety of colours. But as a rule Aulonocara have a smaller, more dainty mouth reflecting their niche as micropredators, whereas Sciaenochromis have much bigger mouths better suited to their niche as piscivores. But any halfway decent aquarium store will keep them apart and properly identified anyway, so this shouldn't really be an issue. Hope this helps, Neale>

Stocking A Rift Lake Cichlid Tank  6/23/07
Hey WWM crew, hope all is well. I was doing some research on here regarding the "appropriate" stocking of African rift lake cichlids... but still have a couple questions. Hope you don't mind answer them. It seems as though the jury is yet to reach a firm consensus on the "best" approach for ARL tanks. Understocking, overstocking, biotope-systems, etc. I've read that ARL cichlids are found in nature at a ratio of approx. 10 - 20 fish per square meter, (cichlidrecipe.com states 12-18 I think.) Is that number more or less accurate, and can it be responsibly applied to a captive setting? This translates roughly to 5 - 7 fish for a 55g, 7 - 10 for a 75g. Sound appropriate, or is still too vague without knowing specific lakes/genera?? Please assume that filtration needs are met, rockwork is adequate and 25% weekly water changes are performed. Chuck seems to be a big fan of overstocking ARL tanks, recommending 100 fish for a 215g, 50 - 75 for a 90g. (I'm assuming that these would be 1" to 2" specimens, specific ones removed later as they mature/pair?) Paul mentioned that he felt that his 90g tank was barely adequate for 5 ARL cichlids. And Bob advocates that it is "almost always better to understock." No surprise there. Thanks again for your time, and sorry to be so general in almost asking for a "fish per gallon rule."
-Tyler
< All of the above assumptions you have mentioned are correct. There is no wrong or right answer here. What you are reading is what works for that particular aquarist. A great deal of success depends on the number of species, sex ratio of each species and age they are all introduced. No two aquarists have the exact same tank set up. So each aquarist has a different version of what works for them. Generally I would recommend that the tank be filtered at a rate of 5 times the volume of the tank per hour. I prefer the hang on power filters over canister filters because they are easier to clean. A 25% weekly water change would be fine if the nitrates are kept under 25 ppm. As far as fish selection goes, there may be as many as 1500 species of cichlids from Lake Malawi alone. This depends if you are a lumper or a splitter. Unfortunately less that 1% of the species available are found at stores. You usually find a dozen species that are colorful and easy to breed. These common fish species usually are very aggressive and very territorial. I would only put these fish together under special circumstances. I have seen 100 gallon tanks with 300 adult Lake Malawi cichlids in them. Not all of them are aggressive and there were probably close to 20-25 different species. The owner did a 50-80% water change every week. The tank was an explosion of color that rivaled many salt water tanks. Look into books on Lake Malawi cichlids from Ad Konings to find out about specific species and then start top put together you tank on paper. Almost all of the species from the lake can be obtained through private importers or through the American Cichlid Association's Trading Post. Once you have a want list together you can write back and we will probably make recommendations to fine tune your set up.-Chuck>

Cichlids... African... sel. mostly  4/8/07
Hi, really like thank you in advance for such great job been done so far.
This is my first e-mail to you in regards to my tank set-up.
I'm planning to have only a few species of cichlids in my 175 gallon bowfront with a 30 gallon sump system. I would only have adults size of 5-7 inches average in this tank. The type that I have chosen will be 8) super red empress, 8) blue dolphin, 8) albino Taiwan reef, 2)Wild Placidochromis phenochilus Tanzania and 10 more different species in similar size.
Pls kindly advise
<... Umm, advise in terms of what? The overall likely compatibility of the listed species? With adequate cover (likely rock caves, overhangs... these all should fit here... and there's enough room/space for some agonistic, spawning behavior w/o too much damage likely. I would place the more easy-going species ahead of the more aggressive... likely in three "batches" with a few weeks between... Bob Fenner>
for I shall be transferring these in a week.
Warm Regards.
John.

Help with Cichlid tank  3/16/2007
Hello-
<Hi there>
I need help figuring out what is happening with my Red zebra (even though he is orange:-)).  
<Okay>
First I have just set up a 29 gallon tank with Malawi cichlids.
<Dangerously small volume... with time, growth, behavior here...>
  I have 2 Kenyi, 3 exasperatus, 3 red zebras, 3 Acei, 1krib and 1 cat fish from lake Malawi he has spots on his body and striped on his tail).  When I put my 3 Kenyi (all small1 inch to 1.5 inch) into the tank one seemed to come down with something- he passed quickly. the other two seemed to have cotton mouth- one on the mouth itself and one on his one fin.  I treated with the antibiotic that turns the water red can't remember the name)
<Likely Tetracycline... regular water changes...>
with M. green.
Everyone seems great and I did my first water change today to start taking out the meds.  My Red zebras have always had a black belly area (the pet store guy said it was normal) but tonight I noticed one has a protrusion( it looks like it is part of his internal area).  The one side is slightly "swollen" and the other has a distinctive "lump". He seems at this point to be eating and active.  I am thinking it is constipation, I was feeding some small cichlid pellets that float and have switched to Spirulina flakes and tropical fish food with occasional brine shrimp (frozen).  Any help you can give would be great.  Thank you so much!
Christie
<What is your water quality? Do you use salt additions? If so, of what sort? Bob Fenner>

Re: Help with <African> Cichlid tank – 03/18/07
My water is great-- Nitrates 0-5, Nitrites 0, Amm. 0, Ph 7.6-8.  You are correct with the Tetracycline treatment.
<Easy guess>
  I have used salt additions ( aquarium salt) 1 tbls to 10 gallons of water.  I also (last night before this was noticed) added some natural rock with a hard salt present on it... I could not even scrape it off with a knife with out breaking part of the rock off.
<Likely not salts, but carbonates... lime...>
It is used to provide caves.  I boiled the rocks for about 2hours.
Also last night one of my aceis was swimming erratically but other wise seemed fine.  This morning they both seem fine and the bump seems to be gone.  I am thinking I may be feeding the wrong food...
I would also like to touch on the comment of the volume being too small... I was told by numerous people that this would work in my tank - is this not correct?
<Not IMO... I only keep African Cichlids nowadays... (just travel too much...). I encourage all to start with nothing smaller than 55 gallon tanks if possible, keep only one species per... two males max. and females as they develop from a batch of younger individuals...>
I do plan on upgrading to a 55 gallon tank with in the next year.
<Good... do know though that many of the Cichlids hailing from the same "Lakes" will cross- inter-breed>
But bought these fish based on the tank I have now (I feel that is the best bet).  I do have rock work, caves and numerous fake plants.  Any thought are greatly appreciated.
<Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwlvstkind2.htm
The tray on cichlids, parts on Africans... Bob Fenner>

Lake Malawi Cichlid Biotope  2/19/07
First off, thanks for taking the time to read my e-mail.  I apologize for the length... :-)I am planning a 215-Gallon (or 210-Gallon, depending which manufacturer you believe, hehe) tank (72"x24"x29") and I am CONSIDERING doing a Lake Malawi biotope.  First of all, I should mention that my past 10+ years has been marine reef experience, but I'm trying to consider a more cost-effective, yet still INTERESTING alternative. Anyway, to date, no matter what I start out with, it becomes a reef again in a matter of hours during the planning process. ;-)  I'm hoping that you fine folks might be able to open my eyes to some successful communities that will captivate me. To date, the plans that have more or less "made the cut" are either a SPECIES tank for P. saulosi, or a MIXED tank of P. demasoni and L. caeruleus.  Your thoughts on either of these?  How many dominant male saulosi are likely to be in a species tank that size?  Then will the rest be orange females and steel blue (no stripes) males?  Or just the orange females?  Also, I've heard it said that demasoni and caeruleus impact one another's' breeding and therefore, while "compatible" are not TECHNICALLY compatible... Your thoughts? Also willing and excited to consider any other mixes.  I want activity, colour, and DEFINITELY NO CROSS-BREEDING.  I don't want to contribute to the growing numbers of "Malawi Mutts" in the trade. Thanks and my apologies once again for the long e-mail
<Go with the Ps. saulosi. They are not very aggressive and you can have equal numbers of males and females. Orange females and  blue males with black fins and bars are actually very attractive  and pretty close to what they look like in Tawani Reef in Lake Malawi. To pull it off you need good stock. Don't settle for inferior fish. The Ps. demasoni are very aggressive and the L. caeruleus will get pushed around and not thrive.-Chuck>

Re: How many Kenyi? African Cichlids Not On Hold    2/2/07
Thank you so much for reply and ref of book, will certainly look into it.  One more thing, I heard today they (Africa) was closing off all sales of African cichlids and Florida as well because of breeding issues, would you know if this is true and if so, how long do I have to get my other fish?
<News to me. Send me a reference and I will look into it.>
I don't like rushing into picking fish and like to have time to take back to store if something should go wrong.
< Pretty unlikely. Too much money involved from the industry. Could be local fish store BS for not getting anymore fish that they can't keep alive. I could be wrong.-Chuck.>

Malawi Cichlid Tank Stocking  1/29/07
Your website is great. I love it.  Let me tell you what I have then ask my question.  
Tank situation is:
55 gal, 48 in long. Over 400 gals of water per hour being circulated and filtered.  Temp is at a constant 78 degrees with a heater at both ends of tank.  Over 100 hiding spots with plants and caves etc. pH is 7.8, Nitrites are 0, and Ammonia is 0.  I clean algae every other 3 days from glass and 1x every two weeks off plants and rocks.  I keep the light on a lot only shutting it off at night. I do reg weekly water changes of 25 percent (from the gravel) adding fresh salt only to the new water.  I feed them Omega One shrimp flakes twice a day, veggies mostly green beans and zucchini everyday. I know I should be giving them pellets but they don't seem to eat it and it just goes to the bottom and turns to mold.  I also give them frozen shrimp brine once a week as a treat.  I have gone through a lot of fish trying to get the right combination.  This combination seems to work for now.  My Auratus and Kenyi were constantly nipping before I added the new sexes.  They're very peaceful now.  I have seen a lot of talk about the Zebra's being very aggressive. I have not experienced that at all.  It's actually the opposite. Is there something wrong?  I have had most of these fish since Sept of 2006, slowly adding a new fish or taking away a fish until all seemed fine.  I think I have it now but worry about the near future with the Johanni and Kenyi.
Fish in tank:
1 (m) 1 (f) Kenyi (Pseudotropheus Lombardoi)
1 (?) Electric Yellow Lab (Labidochromis Caeruleus) because of behavior tend to believe its a male.
1(m) 1(f) red zebras (Pseudotropheus Estherae)
1(m) 1(f) Auratus (Melanochromis Auratus)
1(m) Johanni (Melanochromis Johanni)
1(?) Snow White Albino (Pseudotropheus Socolofi Albino)
I know half these fish are only an inch away from being full grown.  I know I need a female for my Johanni maybe two.  He is full grown and the most dominate fish of the tank for now.  My male Kenyi is just now turning Gold and is in 2nd command for the time being.  I just recently got what I hope is a female, pretty sure.  How many more females do I need for him and the Johanni?
< When you have a single female in the tank, the male will continuously chase her in an attempt to get her to spawn. Having many females relieves some of the stress on a single fish. I would recommend at least three.>
Can my tank support these fish?
< Check the nitrates. As long as they are under 25 ppm per week in between water changes then you can add more fish.>
I don't want to over stock my tank.  As it is once a month I am changing stuff around in the tank to prevent territory boundaries.  In this case the Johanni doesn't seem to care how often I change things around, he still has complete control over the obvious hiding spots.
< Many Melanochromis are notorious for being aggressive. An exception is M. parrallelus.>
Everyone keeps saying you can never have a peaceful cichlid tank.  I don't believe that.  I think it just take some hard work getting the right combination.  I want to stick with the Lake Malawi fish.  I have 9 fish all together with the belief they wont get over 5 inches long, how many can I add to help the sexes of these two fish keeping the size of my tank and water conditions in mind?
< I would continue to add females. You are very smart for picking species in which the female is also very colorful. Add at least three females per male.>
I haven't had any eggs yet but do have another 29 gal tank cycled if the time should ever come.  Right now it is holding my 4 dwarf puffers but they have a smaller tank I can put them in when the time comes. Thank You R. Pagan AZ
<I would like to recommend a book titled "Enjoying Cichlids" by Ad Konings. Also this July the American Cichlid Association is having their national convention in Sacramento, Calif. Check out the association at Cichlid.org.-Chuck>

African Cichlid Recommendations   1/23/07
To the crew at wet web: first of all your site is very resourceful and has helped answer many of  my questions. I am new to African cichlids, as I'm used to south American cichlids such as Oscars, Dempseys, and convicts. I have very hard alkaline water from my tap about 8.3. I have been  using a R/O unit to create softer water for my O's and Dempseys.  Well I have an empty 55 gallon sitting in my room and decided since my water was ideal for Africans I would try so I would have to mess with my R/O for another tank. So I was looking at a few different Africans. I really like the color of the frontosa and the peacocks. I know  a 55 would eventually be too small for the front but I am flexible with tanks. The peacocks, if I am right obtain a length of about 6 inches or so. Here is the question, would you recommend a juvenile front tank? How many peacocks would be suitable for a 55 gal? thank you for your time...Carl
< The frontosa from Lake Tanganyika will get big within a year. Look at Neolamprologus tretocephalus instead. Don't get as big but have the same coloration. Peacocks come generally in blues and yellows. The yellow ones don't do well in mixed tanks. You could put about 6 blue type peacocks in a 55.-Chuck>

Af. Cichlid Beh., Sel.   12/28/06
Hello Bob, me again..........Jason.  Hope the holidays were good for  you!
<Thus far...>
I have a question regarding the sex of a blue dolphin African cichlid.  I've read through the forums and all over the internet and the  literature says it's very hard to distinguish between male and female.
<Mmm, Cyrtocara moorii is best sexed... by allowing a mix of individuals to "sort themselves out" in a large setting>
I  have a blue dolphin that is rather aggressive against my other peacocks and  Mbuna, he/she chases constantly.
<Not atypical beh.>
  The anal fins are more rounded (but not  incredibly short) and the color is a nice sky blue.
<Could/can describe either sex when small, perhaps in poor condition...>
He/she is only  under 3.5" therefore there is no apparent hump on the head.  Between the  aggression and the light, yet vivid sky blue color, do you think this is a  male?
<Possibly... but not able to tell decidedly here>
  I am trying to create an "all male" African tank to avoid breeding  and dull coloring.
<Mmm... where's that Chuck Rambo?! This can be an unrealistic goal... that is, your fishes will not show their "best" color, behavior w/o the presence of females... and may still be overly agonistic>
  I think I might run into some trouble if this is the  ONLY female in the tank.
Thanks again
Happy New Year!!!
<Again... I would keep a close eye on all your stock... for signs of too-overt aggression here... and remove the most damaging individual/s as these problems evidence themselves. Bob Fenner>

Tanganyika community tank   11/8/06
Dear WWM crew, I love your site and appreciate the down to earth approach of your question answering.  I was wondering about suitable stocking levels for a 55 gallon aquarium.  I have 2 Julidochromis marlieri (originally purchased 3 but one was picked off), 1 tropheus duboisi, and 2 Neolamprologus brevis.  I know I should get more Marlieri's to get a group and stunt aggression, but was
wondering if maybe some more Dubois's would be too aggressive, or possibly some Neolamprologus brichardi?
<Mmm... well, in a system of this volume and shape, I myself would keep just three species... and "good" mixes of genders of these>
I have heard that overstocking/understocking is best,
<Mmm... re the over-stocking option... not a pan-goodness approach... too often results in troubles... aggression effects, losses if/when something additionally mal-influences social dynamics, the overall physiology of a/the system>
but would like to know the minimum recommended group for each species.
<Here... given what is offered re the system, current species make-up... a trio of the three species. Can/might still be troubles given a reproductive event... or two>
I would also appreciate any suggestions on other desirable species to stock.
<Perhaps some other non-cichlid indigenous fish groups... Mochokid catfishes?>
I want to do a tang. tank but am not bound to this idea.  
Would Neolamp. lelupi's, Labidochromis' be ok?
<Again...>
Also I am interested in becoming an aquarist and would like to know what I can do to possibly help myself along the way before I finish college.
<In what ways?>
I would also appreciate any recommended reading for fish keeping.
Sincerely,
Matt Tompkins
<See the names Ad Konings, Paul Loiselle... and in turn seek out these venerable writers in-print works, their further reference, citation. Bob Fenner>

Medication That Will Stain Silicon - 10/11/06
Thanks Chuck.  Will the malachite Green permanently discolor my decor or just the sealant in the corners?
<Different brands of ich cures have different strengths of malachite green. I have seen aquariums that have been stained with Malachite Green so when you use this medication it is always possible it will stain objects.>
I have plastic and fabric type fake  plants in the tank along with plastic rocks and caves.  One last question  Chuck........I really enjoy my yellow lab's personality and it seems a lot more  active than other types of cichlids, which species is most like the  yellow lab as far as being active and personality goes?  I would like to  fill my tank with other species of cichlids that mimic the yellow lab. Thanks again
< Your Yellow Labidochromis swims among rocks looking for little invertebrates to feed on. Other cichlids to consider as take mates would be Melanochromis johanni, Ps. saulosi, Cyno. afra, Cypt. moori, or almost any open water utaka type.-Chuck>

Re: Malawi Tank Recommendations 10/11/06
Hey Chuck, I did some research on the fish you recommended to me.   They look very much like the Zebra species, are they as nasty and aggressive as  the Zebra?
<Most of the Mbuna or rock dwelling Lake Malawi cichlids are aggressive. This is because the guard a territory or rock on which their food, algae, grows. If they don't defend it then it gets eaten by the other fish. The fish I have recommended are not as aggressive as these zebra types and don't get as big.>
The Africans I have in my tank right now seem to be more  passive.  Will these that you recommended do well with mine (yellow lab,  peacock, Dimidichromis compressiceps, and a couple of clown  loaches)?
< The compressiceps will get big but generally won't bother fish he can't eat. The clown loaches actually prefer soft acidic water but I guess are doing OK in your tank.-Chuck>
Thanks, Jeff

Re: Ice Blue Zebra Cichlid With A Yellow Lab   10/11/06
Thanks for all of your help Chuck, your leading me in the right  direction. One last thing, what about the "ice blue zebra", is he less  aggressive than the other in the family and can I mix him with what I have now  (yellow lab, peacocks)? Thanks
< The Ice Blue Zebra is one of the most aggressive cichlids there is from Lake Malawi. As a smaller fish he would be OK. But he grows up to 5 inches plus and has a mouth full of teeth that can inflict a lot of damage very quickly.-Chuck>

African Cichlid Tank crowded time bomb - 09/14/06
Dear Marina and volunteer crew,
<Hi there... Marina's long since absent>
First off, I would like to compliment you on all the valuable information available on your website. Last night was my first visit and I learned a lot from a hour reading and a little searching. I have a few questions and if you can help, that's great, if not, I learned even more putting this together. Some background:
I, my wife and daughter are first time aquarists.
We have 58 us gal. Hagen aquarium
Commenced set up July 25, 2006
Cycled the tank with limited seed stock (no fatalities but lots of learning)
Tank settled down after about three weeks and we started buying Malawi cichlids We have 19 fish
<Mmm, going to be trouble/crowded in time...>
to date and are struggling a bit with species and male or female We have attached some photos and kept each one under 70kb
<Not here unfortunately>
We run two canister filters (Fluval 305 and EHEIM 2215) One power head with filter for cleanup after feeding Water change 40% per week now that tank is settling in (gravel is vacuumed during the water change) Lights are Aqua Glow / 12 to 14 hours per day Ammonia is zero Nitrite is zero Nitrate is less than 5 PH is 7.8 to 8.0 Temperature is 78 to 80F Buffer is good Small amount of green algae starting to form
Our questions are as follows:
Can we reasonably sustain this amount of fish in the aquarium?
<Not indefinitely... even w/o a description of species... "African Cichlids" can be crowded when small (not sexually mature), and with very regular maintenance, feeding and possible removal of "alpha types" kept for a while... but... eventually mayhem, reduction in population here>
Our  goal is
a community tank, did we choose a good mix for the community?
<Once again... you don't state species... and there is a huge range of easy-going-ness to not...>
Any advice on potential problems based on our fish stock? Do we have any natural mating pairs? Our OB zebra seems very energetic when lights go off and she swims back and forth  
and up and down through the bubble stream of the air stone for almost an hour each night then settles down. All other fish take their places and settle down as soon as lights go off. I know we have two jewels and these are River origin but so far are handling the chemistry, any comments?
<... need more data>
We feed two times a day, morning and evening. The food type is Nutrafin Max, spectrum grow and spectrum Thera + A, is this adequate?
<Yes>
We are just trying to do the best we can for our fish and appreciate any advice.
I am constantly amazed at how the time passes, our family has a new 48' wide live color screen. We get so much enjoyment out of watching our community grow and every cichlid seems to have a distinct personality. One thing we
are finding out is that aggressiveness is part of who these fish are, we are learning to accept that.
<Need to keep a sharp eye... and remove real troublemakers... Likely the Zebra first here...>
Thanks in advance for your advice and comments.
Finding Nemo.......
Sorry, one correction. Water change is 20% per week not 40%. Its late
Miles
<Do consider another tank... at least for "time outs" and the odd fish that will need to be removed enroute to being shipped out permanently. Cheers, Bob Fenner>

Ways to avoid breeding?  8/25/06
Hello, and thanks for a very helpful site!
< Howdy! Bob and the crew do a wonderful job! >
I have set up a 20 gallon tank, which is cycling now (no fish yet).
< Good idea. >
  I'm considering stocking it with some small varieties of cichlids.  This is not a hard and fast choice, but I am considering them because my tap water is hard (about 120ppm total) and with a high pH (about 8.4).
< It is wonderful to see you have researched your water source before purchasing the wrong types of fish. >
My concern is primarily this - I keep reading about their breeding habits, and while it sounds fascinating, I simply do not have the real estate at my disposal to accommodate the resulting fry.
< Quite understandable. >
  Is there a configuration I can keep that will be less likely to breed (like all females)?
< The idea is sound, but unfortunately, they are not easy to determine sex at a young age. >
If I did find myself with lots of offspring, what could I
feasibly do with them?
< Most fish stores will gladly accept locally grown fish as trade for food and supplies. >
And are there any other varieties of fish I could keep in my present water conditions where this would be less of an issue?
< Possibly some brackish water fish? >
I want whatever fish I end up with to be happy and comfortable in their home, but I don't feel like I can support an endless baby factory either!  Any advice would be greatly appreciated - thanks!
< Consider some cichlids from Lake Tanganyika. Most of them stay fairly small, and if you chose members from different genera, they would not be as likely to breed. Good luck, and best wishes, RichardB >
-Tara

Fish Flashing and Stringy Feces in Some Tanks at LFS - Is this Common for LFS's or Should I Buy Elsewhere?   8/2/06
Hi Crew,
<Cindy>
I have been fish keeping African Cichlids a little over 3 years now.  I've grown from one 50 g. tank to a total of 6 tanks.  I get my livestock from a local high end independent retailer.  As my hobby has grown, I find myself spending more and more time at my LFS buying supplies.  I'm there once or twice a week.  I enjoy looking at the fish and visiting with the fish guys while I'm there.  Every time I've been there, over the past 6 months, I've noticed problems in a few of their fish tanks.  I'll see several tanks that have fish flashing, maybe a tank with fish rocking, and I always see a few fish here and there with stringy feces more than triple their size that
won't seem to detach.  Is this common of all fish stores?
<Way too common, yes... There are myriad, continuous health issues in retail and wholesale settings in the aquatic livestock business... too much "mixed" life that goes un-rested, un-quarantine, untreated and mis-treated...>
Am I just becoming more aware, or should I be looking for another store for future livestock?
<I strongly encourage you to "shop around", to take on all aspects of providing preventative measures wherever you purchase new livestock>
I see this store occasionally take back large fish that have outgrown someone's tank and immediately after temperature acclimation, release them into tanks with breeder livestock.  I realize they only have a limited number of backroom quarantine tanks, but I would expect fish coming from someone's unknown tank conditions to be quarantined before introduction to other livestock purchased from distributors.
<This source of trouble pales in comparison with the weekly coming and going of shipped wild and distant-cultured stocks... there are seasonal and permanent pandemics that one can identify in our interest...>
I heard it can even be dangerous for a LFS to mix livestock from multiple distributors.
<Yes>
  The fish from one distributor have been exposed to and built immunity to certain bacteria while the fish from the other distributor have been exposed to different bacteria.
<One way of viewing, stating this... it's more "their" systems that have expressed immunity if you will... akin to "A boy in a bubble"... Realize that almost to a one, more than 100% of all the stock goes through any given wholesaler/jobber/distributor's systems weekly...>
  When you combine the fish, and the bacteria they carry, you risk illness as they cross contaminate each other with bacteria
they have no built in resistance to.
<Nor much chance/opportunity to develop/acquire such>
What should someone look for when selecting a good LFS to purchase their livestock?
Cindy
<The bazillion dollar question. Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwdis3setsfactors.htm
and the linked files above... Much to state here, and thank you for this prompting. Bob Fenner>

How Many Cichlids  6/20/06
How many of each should I add in my 60 gallon tank? bumble bee cichlids,
< Ps. crabro-Get big and turn dark, almost black, no more than three.
Powder blue cichlids,-Probably the cobalt blue. Pretty fish that stays blue and is moderately aggressive. Probably six.
Mel. auratus,-Males turn dark while females remain looking like the young. Get eight then leave one male and remove the rest. Should give you one male to five females.
Electric yellow labs. Pretty fish and peaceful too. get at least six.
These numbers are for a tank that has plenty of filtration and weekly routine 25% water changes. If you are not prepared to do this work then you should cut down on the number of fish.-Chuck>

Adding Cichlids to a 60 gallon Tank  6/20/06
bumble bee cichlids, powder blue cichlids, auratus, and electric yellow labs. From all of these fish, which group should I add in there first, then second, etc.....
< Get all small ones and add them all at the same time and let them grow up together.-Chuck>

Stocking A Lake Malawi Cichlid Tank   3/18/06
I have a 90 gallon tank. What is the average number of African rift lake cichlids I can keep in there without overstocking? I have heard that it is better to keep these cichlids a bit on the crowded side because it keeps them from being overly territorial. Is this true? Thanks for your help.
< The key to a stocking rate depends on how often you do water changes, how much water you change, the efficiency of you filtration and total water movement. These fish are aggressive and territorial. I would recommend that you get all the fish at once while little and let them grow up together. The filter should pump at least 500 gph. Try and get that look different from each other. If the nitrates exceed 20 ppm between water changes then you need to reduce the number of fish or do more frequent or larger water changes. Females will less aggressive than males. I would say 20 to 25 adults (4") in a 90 gallon tank with lots of rock work and 30% weekly water changes would be OK.-Chuck>

Starting A Lake Malawi Cichlid Tank   2/26/06
Hello, I've been researching Lake Malawi Cichlids, and I have a few questions that remain unanswered.  It's my understanding that a crowded tank works  best.  
Once the tank is cycled, what is the best method for initial  stocking?  Clearly you can't put them all in at once.  Further, I have  seen it written that
when introducing a new species to an established tank that  you should re-arrange the tank--but as I slowly stock a tank, I don't exactly  want to be doing
this every other week--any advice on stocking a new cichlid  tank?  I'm tired of buying books only to not find this info! Thanks, Katie
< Buy small immature fish under two inches to stock your tank. Make sure they are all pretty close to the same size. Over that size they begin to get very territorial because they are old enough to breed, then you need to do the rock thing. Cool down the water temp to the mid 70's to slow down their metabolism. For long term stability try and buy fish that do not resemble each other. Check out a book called "Enjoying Cichlids" by Ad Konings at CichlidPress.com-Chuck>

Formalin stain? Stocking African cichlids, Dips... a peripatetic aquarist 8/9/05
Bob or Other Professional - Please help!
WILL FORMALIN STAIN WHATEVER PLASTIC IT COMES INTO CONTACT WITH?  
<Not generally>
The store says 'Yes," and your web site says 'NO."  Would it be better to use rock salt?
<For?>
A local store says they keep the nets soaking in a mixture of rock
salt and water.  That after it evaporates or does something, it's ok to put
them or whatever you are sterilizing in the dip.  If so, how much rock salt to how much water?
<A very saturated solution... like a couple of cups per gallon>
How long soaking w/out damaging net and or containers or other ornaments or equipment?
<Not likely to damage them>
How long to rinse so it's safe for the fish to come into contact w/ it again?
<A minute or so>
The Pleco really helps to clean the tank.  w/out him the algae turned into
fungus on the plastic plants attached to ornaments.  There's only Plecos and Chinese Algae eaters, right?
<... what? For algae eating? No... many more animals, species>
I switched from the algae eaters b/c I heard that at adult age they suck the slime off of the others in the tank, and one
fish was missing.  The upside down catfish doesn't help to clean too much. WHAT SIZE Pleco would U recommend?
<I don't suggest placing Loricariids with Great Lakes African Cichlids... they're incompatible behaviorally and do better in very different water make-up>
I have One zebra (1.5 inches long) , two
yellow labs ( 1 fem 3 inches long & 1male 3.5 inches long),) 1 upside down
catfish SIX INCHES LONG & I believe a Peacock (3 1/2 -four inches.)
When I find the right size yellow labs, how many more can I add to the tank?
<Please... write just one question per email... and provide your system information... what size system is this?>
Only one or two if it will be three-four inches?  Is there anything wrong w/
buying a fish from a small store?
<... has nothing to do with size>
They have a 2 wk guarantee.  Someone told me that they wouldn't recommend I buy from there but they have one female
lab the size I need.  No one else has one now.  I guess as long as the place
appears to be clean and the tank they take her from appears to be alright,
it's ok even though the store is small.  On the other hand, if it's a dirty
place and they don't look like they are talking care of the fish, then I'll
skip it.  Am I correct w/ my assessment of the situation?
<IMO, yes>
This fish stuff is difficult to keep up w/ once something goes a little
wrong.  IMP:  ******Since I lost the Pleco, the peacock had ich and was
treated w/ RID ICH.  ****WHAT TYPE of med is best to cure and prevent ich from returning?
<This is posted on WWM>
It cleared up after seven days, and I continued treatment for another three days like the company recommends but the ich returned on
the tenth day!  Then I said freak this.  I replaced the filter and he seemed
to get better but he was never dipped in anything and the rest of the tank
has been suctioned (cleaned) but nothing else was done.  Also, I bought two
new smaller yellow labs, and kept them on one side of a divider for a couple
of days.  After ten hrs in my tank, there was a little white bump that
appeared on one fish, but NOT like ich.  It appeared to be like a whitehead.
The next night, I brought them back to the store and am wondering If I
should  dip the divider in the cleaning solution (whatever I end up using.)
just to be sure before I place in any other new fish--I'm just trying to
protect any new fish from what I just described.
<I see... a dip might be a very good idea>
Thought it would be a good idea to dip the equipment such as nets, ornaments w/ plastic plants, plastic
containers, etc. in something to sterilize them just in case they are
contaminated w/ something.  What do you think?
<Also a good idea>
Thank you!  You're the best!
I'm just worried about the fungus growing back.  I cannot keep cutting down
the plastic plants b/c there will be nothing left!
<? Cutting them? Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/clnornart.htm>
      YOUR RESPONSE:  Skip the Pleco, add filtration*******(don't know what
else there is to do*****  more maintenance to your regimen ******MORE WATER
CHANGES?? Okay*****
<And more algae scrubbing, yes>
I would not use a net dip here... for sterilization or for cleaning your ornaments... too toxic, too much
trouble... there are articles and FAQs files posted on WWM re set-up, maintenance of freshwater systems,
go, read there Okay, I'll read there.
<Good>
  WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY
No, I am Not a commercial retailer just someone at home w/ a 29 gallon tank.
<Ahh, then if you only have the one tank there is little use for dealing with toxic dip chemicals...>
There are NOT a lot of fish going in and out.  I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU MEANT
BY NOT USING A NET DIP.  Do you mean NOT TO DIP THE NET IN ANYTHING?  Just
rinse under hot water?  I did read a few different ideas about sterilizing
which is where I got this idea to use formalin to begin with.  Are you
suggesting I DON'T STERILIZE ANYTHING?  Just rinse in hot water and don't
worry about it?
<Yes>
I think I read that as long as they items thoroughly dry
that nothing can stay on them.  Is that true?
<For the most part, yes>
I just thought it would be a
good idea to sterilize but if you recommend Not to, then please let me know.
ONE MORE THING, PLEASE ..........I have some Cichlid Salt.  When am I
supposed to use this, and how much?
<When you do water changes... likely about a teaspoon per gallon... the instructions should relate this>
Is there a test to determine when this
is needed or I just put a little in the tank after water changes are done?
Thank You!!
<You can measure indirectly with a hydrometer... but if you just approximate the replacement rate during water changes you'll be fine. Bob Fenner>

Basic cichlid setup 8/5/05
I've been surfing around this forum, and I have been impressed with the
thoughtful insights you are providing.  However, I haven't found the answer
I am looking for.
I have an empty 29 gal. that I am cycling right now.  I'm looking to begin
stocking it in 2 weeks after I return from a vacation.  Due to the hardness
of the water where I live, I am strongly considering African cichlids.  In
the past, I have had a 20 gal, that had two socolofi and one honngi (sp?)
along with a Synodontis cat.  (Gave them away because of a move.)  For my
29, what would be some of your suggestions for a good set up?   Questions
that follow with that basic request:
<I would look to the many smaller species of African Cichlids and set upon a species only set-up for this small tank. Perhaps some Lamprologines, Steatocranus... Bob Fenner>

Lake Malawi set up 8/4/05
Hey
I am about to set up an African rift lake tank and the tank I have is 4ft and it holds 60 gallon. I would like to no how many fully grown lake Malawi cichlids I could hold in it?
this would be greatly appreciated
>> If you are adding rock dwellers (Mbuna) you can calculate with 12-14 fish. If you are thinking of Haplochromines or Peacock cichlids I would consider 8-10 a  good number. If your filtration system is very good you could add 3-4 more fish. Good Luck, Oliver

Mbuna Recommendations for a 29 Gallon Tank
Hello, I have a 29 gallon tank and I'm planning to breed Mbuna in it. Somebody told me that I could have up to 12 fish so I think I'll put in 10. What are some good fish to put in there? I'm looking for nice bright colors.  Thanks, Mitchel
< Ps. saulosi would work well. The males are blue and black while the females are bright yellow. Labidochromis caeruleus from Chisimulae is another good one. The males are a bright light metallic blue with black stripes and the females are a bright white. Melanochromis parralelus males are black with horizontal stripes while the females are white with black stripes.-Chuck>

New African Cichlid Tank
Hey, I am trying to set up a new African cichlid tank. The tank I have is 29 gallons. So far all I have is one Peacock. I was wondering what could I mix with it. Fish I have been thinking about are a jewel, electric yellow, zebra, maybe a jack Dempsey. If you could give me some examples of fish that would go together and fit in that tank for a while before I get a 55 gallon later; that would be really nice .-Tyler
< If you peacock cichlid is the main fish you want to keep then you should only add cichlids from Lake Malawi. Of your choices the electric yellow Labidochromis would be fine. The zebra gets big and very territorial. Look for more peaceful Malawi cichlids like Ps. lanistacola, Ps elegans, Ps. saulosi and Ps. acei. Try and keep all the fish around the same size.-Chuck>

Finding Krib Cichlids
I need help finding a pair of Kribs. I am looking for a mated pair that I can buy for a reasonable price, I looked over the internet but could not find any good sites. I appreciated your quick response last time. Thanks! Christine
< Captive bred Kribensis from Asia are actually very common here on the west coast. I would call around the stores in your area first. They can usually get them if they try. If that doesn't work then there is always the internet but shipping is very expensive. Look at aquabid.com. It is like eBay for fish. I know mainlycichlids.com can get them at a reasonable price, once again shipping is a real costly issue.-Chuck> 

Looking for Buffalo Head Cichlids
I am looking for African blockheads to purchase, Steatocranus casuarius. I cannot seem to find anyone who has any or can point me in the right direction. Can you help me? Pat
< These fish usually only come in once or twice a year. The good news is that they are around now. First I would call around your local stores and make sure that they can't get them. If that doesn't work then you can go on the internet. Look at aquabid.com. It is like eBay for fish. You might get a good price but shipping will be expensive. Check out mainlycichlids.com. They are in the San Fran bay area and they had some last week.-Chuck>