Adding fish

[thomas]

I finally got some more fish last Wednesday. I got one trio "Blue Regal" (Aulonocara Stuartgranti?), one trio Red Peacock (Aulonocara Baenschi?), and one more Yellow Lab to round out that trio. Hopefully going to get a trio of Aulonocra Jacobfreibergi "Lemon Jake Mamelela" and at least one Synodontis on Friday. But I also want to get something else. Any suggestions? I would kinda like to get something other than a peacock. I want something that will have a different color than what I've got. I looked at some P. Saulosi. Will these work with peacocks? Or maybe a Malawi hap? Thanks

[sixstripe]

Have you though of Frontosa, I had the in with some fairly aggressive OB peacocks and they did just fine....

[thomas]

By the way, all of these fish are juveniles.

This tank is a 55 gallon. The substrate is black gravel with a large pile of red lava rock that fills about half of the tank.
Ph: 8.2
Ammonia:0.0
Nitrite:0.0
Temp: 80F

[jonah]

Won't all of these Aulonacara hybridize or will you be seperating as they get older? And don't the females all look alike? I haven't had much experience with peacocks. :?

All I know for sure is my mbuna didn't like them. :(

I also don't think you really need the rocks with Aulonacara. One of the peacock pros will be along shortly.

[thomas]

So far all of these peacocks look alike. I have heard tht the red peacock females get more colorful than most other female peacocks. I'm not real sure about the likelihood of hybridization. Seperating them later is definitely a possibility when I can afford another tank.

[jnorris]

I am stocking my tank with Regals and Ngara Flametail. They do interbreed if they are Aulonocara. You have two options don't sell your fish back or reintroduce them or get all males. I choose to no reintroduce them back into the public. Actually they will end up to be mostly feeder fish for yet another tank.

As far as having a Aulonocara tank..... Just don't throw in Psuedotroph or any othe aggressive mbuna. I have 25 or so mixed varieties with my Aulonocara stuartgranti and it seems ok (keep in mind it is a 90 gallon)

Feed them on a regular basis and have plenty of rock (I have 60 -70 Lbs of Lace rock). and you should be ok.

They are really great fish to have!

[jnorris]

Thomas,

goto http://www.goldendc.com/fishindex.htm

and look toward the bottom for the flametail (fully mature 7.5 inches)

[thomas]

jnorris, those are absolutely beautiful fish. Thanks for the input guys. That is not exactly what I wanted to hear, but I appreciate the info. I wouldn't sell any fish back if there was the slightest chance of hybridization. Although, I don't really know I'll do with them. I'm kinda wondering if I'll ever be able to tell them apart to seperate them.

[jnorris]

It will be fine...just don't sell them back

[thomas]

Ok, thanks. :)

[thomas]

Well after thinking long and hard about it (and much turmoil over the decision), I didn't get the lemon jakes. I decided two different peacocks in this tank were probably too many, much less three. So, I got a trio of juvenile protomelas (fenestratus) Taiwan Reef instead. It adds a nicde contrast to the peacocks, but it really breaks my heart about the lemon jakes. Guess I'll just have to wait until I can get another tank.

By the way, one of the peacocks appears to be holding.