African cichlids planning

[Something Fishy Here]

OK guys, some of you have been on my journey to stock my 90g tank with me for a few months, and I greatly appreciate the patience and experince you've shared with me. I am going African Rift Lake cichlids now. I have a Venustus, yellow lab, red peacock, and Demasoni so far. I realize I should have checked here before even combining these 4 to see what you guys reccomend, but they're tiny and no trouble so far. I know the Venustus will get bigger and could be boisterous, but am prepared to grow it out and see how this one acts and rehome it if needed. As I've mentioned in other posts, I'm more interested in the 6 to 8 inch fish than the 4 inch guys. So before I buy any more I think might work I'm asking for guidance. I like the start sapphire, placidochromis, though haven't seen them at the LFS yet. They had a white lip mdoka that looked pretty cool, but not sure if that mixes with what I've got. Also I really like the bumblebee cichlid, but again wanted to hear what you guys think first. Pictures are worth a thousand words esp with fish, please share and I appreciate all your help.

 

[The Morning]

The bumblebee cichlid or Pseudotropheus crabro are known to be extremely aggressive. I owned one long time ago and ended up trading it back to the store. Didn’t play nice. Venustus while larger have always been fairly docile in my tank. I generally purchase them as females because I like their coloration better. My star sapphire is also pretty docile.
Interested to see how a single demasoni does. The ones I have had are vicious little buggers.

 

[Hybridfish7]

Get more demasoni and yellow labs, add more rocks

 

[DJRansome]

Choose your must have fish and we can suggest tank mates.

I would not buy any of these until you have your 72" tank...8 inch fish are not ideal for a 48" tank and the ones you are considering are 8 inches or larger. You rehome them before they grow to full size, as soon as they are spawning (could be 3 inches) they need the 72" tank.

I would also not mix mbuna like the bumblebee and demasoni with haps , especially timid haps like some of those you are mentioning. You may not have trouble for a year, but as they mature they are likely to cause trouble.

 

[Something Fishy Here]

Yeah i knew the demasoni was probably a mistake because it was an impulse buy and i know better. And there's no 6 foot tank in the future, at least for 10 years and if there was it would probably have a Carpintus not Africans. But back to the point, i like the venustus, have it and yellow lab and red peacock. Demasoni may have to go. I'm even OK with 6 inch fish, but don't want 10 peacocks that look the same just different colors.

 

[DJRansome]

Then it would make sense to rehome the venustus and the demasoni now. Are you going all-male? If yes be sure to have one/more extra tanks and a rehoming plan.

There are a variety of haps that stay at around six inches that would work for your tank sans mbuna...Placidochromis electra, Protomelas marginatus, several of the Copadichromis including azureus, Otopharynx tetrastigma, etc. I would avoid the more rambunctious haps since these are timid.

There are also haps that are unlikely to work in an all-male tank such as lethrinops.

I like 12 males in a 48 inch tank.

 

[Something Fishy Here]

Well they come from the lfs and they're small, I'm guessing unsexed since they don't specify. I only have the 1 tank, no fish room, no hospital or qt. Rehoming means taking them back to the fish store on my day off every 2 weeksand hope i get half credit for them instead of just donating them. I would love to have more time for this hobby and more tanks and more fish but i got a wife and 3 kids, we both work full time, sports, extra curricular, car payment, mortgage, daycare, etc. It is what it is. This is my refuge, my me time. So i still want happy healthy fish, but really don't have the time or space for trial and error on aggression. Africans are my plan b or maybe even c because of my water. I'm asking for help because i want to pick some nice fish, grow them out and enjoy them without frequent trips back and forth to the lfs.

 

[DJRansome]

In your situation I would do a species tank of yellow labs or saulosi or acei.

 

[The Morning]

The problem with Africans is they are hit or miss. For anyone to tell you that a certain combination will work would not be fair. Africans can do wonderfully for a year and then one day you can check your tank and one fish has lost his mind and shredded every other fish. I speak from experience of having AC tanks for over 20 years. My current tank I have been rehoming fish and trying to find a balance for years. Any tank that I do going forwards I would do a species or two specific and leave it at that.

 

[DJRansome]

The Morning's comment is very true about all-male tanks.