Dream display tank

[Celeste]

Here’s my dream list of cichlids for a male-only show tank:

Astatotilapia latifasciata (male - aka zebra obliquidens) Lake Kyoga

Haplochromis sp "blue bar" Lake Victoria

Haplochromis sp "all red" Lake Kyoga

Haplochromis sp "red tail sheller" Lake Victoria

Haplochromis sp "ugandan fire" Lake Victoria

Paralabidochromis sp "rock kribensis" Uganda - Lake Victoria

Paralabidochromis sp "rock kribensis" Kenya - Lake Victoria

Pundamilia nyererei Makobe Island Lake Victoria



Is it at all possible to keep some or all of these together in a male-only, 120 gallon display tank?

[StructureGuy]

Celeste

I'm flattered that you are dreaming about my fish but you need to keep three things in mind.

1.) Many (or most?) of the victorian males do not color to their full potential unless they have some of those drab looking females to get them going.
2.) The red tail sheller and the Ugandan rock krib are pretty rare and you would be lucky to find any of them.
3.) Many victorian males that are similar in color might also show quite a bit of aggression toward the other males. A few of these males kept together will likely end up pale fish with tattered fins.

Keep dreaming. I think that all of us obsessed hobbiests have a wish list going.

Kevin

[Celeste]

So are you saying that in a male-only tank they'll have no color or just not their full color? I've seen some really fantastic male-only display tanks at one of my lfs, one with Malawi peacocks and the other with Malawi mbuna. They seemed to me to have full color.

If I do need to go with mixed sex groups, of the fish I listed, which ones would you recommend and how many of each in a tank my size? (I'm a beginner with African cichlids but have many years of experience with salt water tanks and with other species of fresh water).

Thanks!

[StructureGuy]

Even though these are my fish, they have not all been in the same tank and most of them have never been without a female. Then individual fish temperment varies some too. But what the heck, I'll take a shot at a guess.


Originally posted by Celeste
So are you saying that in a male-only tank they'll have no color or just not their full color?
The most dominant cichlid(s?) will show good color (nyererei) and the guys on the bottom rung (red tail sheller) will not (assuming that they even live).


I've seen some really fantastic male-only display tanks at one of my lfs, one with Malawi peacocks and the other with Malawi mbuna. They seemed to me to have full color.
Yes, my almost all male mbuna tank shows good color most of the time. However, my afra and hongi have frequent colorless mood swings. There just seem to be more species of Victorians that are prone to faded colors (than the Malawis) when they are not feeling safe and secure. A long tank with a complicated rock structure helps some.


If I do need to go with mixed sex groups, of the fish I listed, which ones would you recommend and how many of each in a tank my size?
They all have their pros and cons and whatever you like is what you should go with. The latifasciata and rock kribs have good looking females and they are only moderately aggressive. The nyererei is better looking in person than any picture could show but mine is also extremely aggressive, and that will limit your choice of tank mates to other rather aggressive cichlids. The bluebar is very prone to faded colors. The allred male is stunning but the females are ugly and this fish is too passive to live with most of the others.

I would suggest that you choose the aggression level that you want to work with, and make compatable tank mate choices from there. And many Malawis do very well with many Victorians.

Kevin

[merlyn2221]

In my tanks that have any Victorian males together, they butt heads. When I had a "dayglow" it killed the female hippo point. My hippo point definately will only show color when females are around.

[shelby55]

thats one fine wish list mate.:ok:

[samak]

hi if yu want to keep this species in a one tank yu will have to choose, do not mix red back fishes together(all red- nyererei) no mix two varients of a same species(rockribensis kenya-uganda) not mix 2 species of a same genus(hippo point blue barr"P.pundamilia varient/ Nyererei Makobe) yu will have to put more than one female with a male. some are rock restricted fishes(nyererei, hippo point blue barr ,rockkribensis) some are sand dwellers(red tail sheller,) some are plants dwellers(latifasciatus, all red) So yu will have to watch yur community carefully to avoid territorial fights. If yu need more infos yu can go in the aquariology section(species) of http://www.haplochromis.org/
Chris

[tom]

Hi Christophe

I haven't visited your site in quite a while, and I must say it's grown impressively. It appears to be a very good primer and knowledge base, at the very least for people--like me--who know little about the cichlids of Lake Victoria

Keep up the good work!

[samak]

Thanx tom
It's a good thing that it can be usefull for who want to know more things about them
Chris