# Idiot's Guide to African Cichlid Compatibility?



## Maine_Fish

Recently, I've added some African Cichlids to my collection...Blue Dolphin Moorii, Yellow Labs, Red Zebras...and a dozen amazing Peacock Cichlids that I found at a local LFS today.

Contrary to what I was told at a local Petco, I know that Africans are not all compatible with each other. However, I confess to getting confused when trying to figure out which ones can be mixed.

Is there somebody here who can break it down simply for me in _Idiot's Guide_ style?

Thanks!


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## Maine_Fish

*Compatibility Chart*

Just a follow-up to my original post...

I stumbled upon this African Cichlid Compatibility Chart: http://www.cichlidrecipe.com/cichlidchart/flashchartd.html

Do you think this pretty much covers it?


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## Superfly724

That chart does a good job, but really it's hard to generalize how the fish will react with each other. For most African tanks, the best way to help with compatibility is to make sure there is an excessive amount of rockwork so there are a whole lot of hiding places, and to make sure the male to female ratio is right. Also, most male fish don't like male fish that look the same as them. But there are exceptions. The Julidochromis Marlieri "Gombe" that I have are known for being one of the more aggressive Julidochromis out there, but they've been really calm for the most part. I've seen Victorian Haps in store tanks that are supposed to be peaceful, but have every other fish in the tank up in the corner. 

Fish are weird. They have their own personalities. But that chart does do a good job.


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## emc7

Compatibly is complicated. 

You want to match roughly in size and aggressiveness so they don't eat each other or intimidate one so much they don't eat.

But you don't want them to look alike Red zebras and yellow labs are known to interbreed, males that look alike are more likely to be targets of aggression. So don't put 2 fish from the same genus, the same color or with similar characteristics (like dark vertical bars).

Better is to have separate habitats, like open water, sand and rocks, but that requires a really big tank to have big enough areas for each sort.

The algae scrapers are more aggressive that the snail eater and the fish eaters. Everyone assume predators are aggressive, but they are mild until they eat you. The Maylandia/metriaclima are always trying to defend a "farm" against other algae eaters as well as other males.


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## OhYesItsMe

Well you guys stole a lot of my words, so that covers a lot. What size tank and filters do you have? You dont want too few or the dominant one(s) kill the weaker ones (iit doesnt look like you have that issue, and you know what happens when you overstock a tank, my tank (when they reach adulthood) will be a little overstocked so i have lots of filtration and ill do necissary whater changes. If you plan on keeping fry dont get similar species as mentioned. Can we see the tank?


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## Maine_Fish

OhYesItsMe said:


> Well you guys stole a lot of my words, so that covers a lot. What size tank and filters do you have? You dont want too few or the dominant one(s) kill the weaker ones (iit doesnt look like you have that issue, and you know what happens when you overstock a tank, my tank (when they reach adulthood) will be a little overstocked so i have lots of filtration and ill do necissary whater changes. If you plan on keeping fry dont get similar species as mentioned. Can we see the tank?


The tank is a deep 120 gallon (48"X24"x24"). For filtration, I'm running 2 Aquaclear 110's, and 2 sponge filters. I perform weekly water changes of 25%.

Right now, I've got 9 Blue Dolphin Moorii, 12 Peacocks, 2 Frontosa, 2 Yellow Labs, and a couple Red Zebras. As far as compatibility goes, I think I'm pretty much OK with the possible exception of the Red Zebras. Anybody agree/disagree? Any suggestions on stocking?

Here's a picture I took this morning:


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## kay-bee

You've got a mix of lake malawi haps, peacocks, mbuna's and lake tanganyika frontosa's. Not a compatible mix in the long-term.

With the size that blue dolphin's get (8"-10") your 48"-long 120gal tank may be fully stocked with them alone.

Compatibility-wise, the blue dolphin's and peacocks are compatible with each other in terms of diet and temperment.

I've kept frontosa's with blue dolphins and for the most part they get along (although the c. moorii may pick on frontosa's smaller than them).

Ideally, due to their territiorial and aggressive habits, mbuna's are best kept with other mbuna's. I read of red zebra's and yellow labs hybridizing all the time but have never actually seen any type of procreation interest between the two species in my tank and I've had both species together for 7 years now. The probable deterrent to this is breeding group size. I've got over a half a dozen of each in my tank and in those numbers hybridization potential should be nullified. 

With your *pair* of each species those numbers may promote hybridization, particularly if one of those species are comprised of 1 gender (2 female yellow labs with 1m/1f red zebra or worse 2f yellow labs and 2m red zebras or vice versa). Mbuna's are best kept in 1 male per several females per species. Some fully matured male mbuna's may not tolerate other males of their species regardless of how many females there are. Some male red zebra's are candidates of this behavior.

Speaking of red zebra's, if any of your red zebra's are males they're highly likely destined to become the alpha fish in the tank regardless of any of the others that surpass them in physical size). 

Mbuna's are primarily herbivorous (more so the red zebra than the yellow lab) which is a dietary conflict between them and all of the other fish in the tank (unless you provide a high quality food that caters to both carnivores and herbivores).

Getting back to the frontosa's, these fish are best kept in frontosa colonies in tanks that are at least 72" in length. While not apparent presently, these are the largest cichlid species that you have in your tank (they can approach/surpass 12"). My full grown frontosa's could swallow my full grown yellow labs. 

Despite the size they can attain, frontosa's are the most timid of the species you have (relatively speaking). Long-term success with frontosa's and mbuna's in the same tank is probably not likely (during the day the mbuna's my harass the front's and at night the frontosa's, which are nocturnal piscovores by nature, may prey on mbuna's smaller than 6". Again, this is long-term, presently you're probably witnessing juvenile peaceful-coexistence among the group.

I'd suggest keeping either the peacocks and re-homing everything else or convert to an all mbuna tank.


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## OhYesItsMe

Im sorry i didnt check your stock, all i read was about you red zebras and yellow labs. I would take out the frontosas and blue dolphins for sure. It WILL work out better with only peacocks or only mbunas (thats what i would do if i were you), so that does unfortunately mean taking out most of the fish, but if you keep them all in there, it wont end well. So what fish do you prefere?


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## Maine_Fish

Well, I'll start working on a plan to move the Frontosas, Red Zebras, and Yellow Labs to another tank. The peacocks are my definite favorite. I'll probably keep them together with the Blue Dolphins for a while (until the tank gets too small for the group), then figure out at that point what I want to do.

I appreciate all the informative and detailed responses. Thanks.


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## lohachata

here is the thing i hate about peacocks...they are one of my favorites...but......
a peacock is a peacock is a peacock..back in the day they were known as Aulonocara Nyasae....all the same species ; just different color variations....so all of the different color variations will interbreed....this will pollute the original strains...


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## emc7

Loha is right about the peacocks. You should keep only one group (kind) or you should keep all males. The Moori grow slowly, like dimmer light, and will likely be harassed by the more hyperactive mbuna. They are beautiful, though. Its worth considering just keeping a tank of these long-term in a fairly open-water decor.

The front will be okay for awhile, but they are extremely slow growing compared to the mbuna, so expect issues in the long term. 

I also agree with the discouragement of mbuna pairs. That usually results in dead females. Groups of 6 or more or are best. .


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