Tang/Malawi Setup

[CharlesMTF]

Ok... as I get closer to starting my other 55 up, I'm trying to break down which residents I'd like to have in here. I posted previously regarding making this a species tank, with T. duboise. But, I'm exploring other possibilities.

So... here's the list of residents I'd like to add to the tank:
-Cyphotilapia frontosa
-Cyrtocara moorii (blue dolphin)
-Altolamprologus calvus
-Labidochromis caeruleus (yellow lab)
-Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos (johannis)
-Chalinochromis brichardi
-Neolamprologus pulcher
-Cyprichromis leptosoma “Utinta”
-Pseudotropheus demasoni
-Pseudotropheus saulosi
-Cynotilapia afra “Jalo Reef”

Ok... don't beat me up too much... I posted several different species, as these are the ones I like, but I need to know which I can possibly keep together.

I can play with the different species, but I definitely want:
-frontosa
-blue dolphin
-calvus
-yellow lab

Also... please keep in mind, the frontosa and blue dolphins will only remain in this tank for about a year tops. At that time, I'll have another 150, which I'll be moving the dolphin(s) and frontosa(s) to. Everything else, unless also large, will remain in this 55.

Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated!

[aharris]

The Front is out. Even one will outgrow a 55g. The dolphin would be pushing it too, but I think you could get one or two in a 55g. You might be able to get away with keeping on in a 55g for a year, but realize it will be able to eat any tankmate that fits in its mouth if it's so inclined. Cyprichromis are also its natural prey. Stocking cyps with fronts is like feeding them really expensive sardines!

The clavus would be fine. You just need to make sure he's not out-competed for food by more aggressive tankmates. I have compressiceps with Aulonocara and they're a good mix so far.

I'd keep the mbuna out of the mix unless you just went with mbuna (johanni, demasoni, afra, saulosi, cyaneorhrabdos).

The labs can live with mbuna, and you might be able to keep them with the calvus.

Overall, I like the idea of a dolphin, calvus, lab mix the best. When they get into a bigger tank, you can always fill out the community with some other haps.

[CharlesMTF]

Ah, didn't realize Cyprichromis was the front's natural prey. Ok, so they're out. I can maybe fit them in after I move the front out. The Front would only be in there until I get my 150, which is approx a year's time. Should he grow faster than expected, I might be able to move the purchase of the 150 up by a few months.

Ok, so out of these:
-M. cyaneorhabdos
-P. demansi
-P. saulosi
-C. afro

you're saying these would be alright with the top-4 picks I mentioned? And, if so, are any of these here majorly active... meaning, like when feeding time comes they go absolutely nuts like the tropheus and won't let anything else eat?

[aharris]

No, the mbuna will have dietary issues with the front and the calvus, and they may be too active for those fish.

mbuna (afra, cyaneorhabdos, demasoni, saulosi) = vegetarian that may die if fed too much protein (Malawi bloat)

Front & calvuc = carnivore

Now, the dolphins and labs might go all right with the mbuna bunch.

When I say outcompete, I mean that compressiceps and calvus tend to wait for the food, so if another fish is inclined to shove in front for a morsel, they will miss out. Active eaters/pigs may slowly starve a calvus to death right under your nose.

[merlyn2221]

Originally posted by CharlesMTF
I can play with the different species, but I definitely want:
-frontosa
-blue dolphin
-calvus
-yellow lab

Also... please keep in mind, the frontosa and blue dolphins will only remain in this tank for about a year tops. At that time, I'll have another 150, which I'll be moving the dolphin(s) and frontosa(s) to. Everything else, unless also large, will remain in this 55.

Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciated!

Depending on the size of these large fish (i.e. fronts, blue dolpins) when you get them, they could spend up to a year in a 55g, but the sooner they were in the 150g, the better. If you get them really small, all under 5" you should be ok. Then you could also add the others including the Cyprichromis leptosoma and the brichardi. They should be ok that way.

IME I have 2 Calvus and 1 Alto. comp in my 120 with herbivores and omnivores. They do just fine, but you absolutely MUST be aware of what aharris said. They are slow to the party, so you have to make sure they are eating at least twice a day. I throw in the food where they are first, so they get the hint, then they will finally swim out of their hiding spots and eat. Mine are not shy, but this is because they are accustomed to my daily feeding rituals and know I will give them "extras" if needed. As a matter of fact, my white Calvus doesn't even bother to hide anymore, he just swims right out in the open with the others. At feeding time, he now comes to the top like the rest, but I believe he has learned this behavior over time. My "Compie" also comes to the top to feed, yet my congo inkfin does not. He hangs back and gets what the others blow out of their gills (which in this tank is huge amounts) as well as what passes by him. This behavior mimics somewhat of what he would do in the wild to feed.

[aharris]

Yeah, behavior wise the Altocomps will be fine. It's just in the eating department that you have to watch out.

Although, I wouldn't mix any of the mbuna in with the fronts. Would you Merlyn?

[Boilermaker]

I would do the four species you mentioned, buy them as juvenilles let them grow up together in the 55 then add them to the 150 with say a couple other species.

[merlyn2221]

Originally posted by aharris
Although, I wouldn't mix any of the mbuna in with the fronts. Would you Merlyn?

NO WAY! Not in a million years...those killers, um I mean mbuna would beat the crap out of the poor, slow (and I don't mean that referring to their intelligence, because they are actually quite smart) Fronts up on a regular basis. Fronts are peaceful and gentle. Mbuna are rowdy and pushy.

I do have 3 Labeo. trewavasaes in with my Fronts, but they are so busy messing with each other, that they don't even know there are any other fish in the tank. :rolleyes:

[Mbuniac]

Just to show my ignorance (once again), I thought Electric Yellow/Yellow labs were mbuna.

[merlyn2221]

They are, but not aggressive ones like Red Zebras and such. So are trewavasaes for that matter, too, but also not too aggressive.

I think that is really what was meant. If I put my Red Zebras in the tank with my peaceful Fronts, the Fronts would be tortured all the time!