Down the Tropheus hole

[fishguy1978]

So, my new tropheus range from 1in to 3in. If I wait for the smallest to get 1.5in then I will have nearly sexually mature juveniles which will be more difficult to integrate with the old colony.
Currently, the 220g has no rocks. It has been recommended by members on MFK that I leave it that way when I combine the two groups.
I am leaning toward adding several large solitary rocks and then some small piles of rocks. I am also thinking that if I move the mature colony after lights out it might be less stressful.
This feels like nailing jello to a wall!!

 

[danotaylor]

I always like to add fish at lights out as it stops them getting targeted, which can happen even if the new additions are the bigger more mature fish. If it were me, I would add the fish from the older colony to the 220g, wait a few days, then add the rocks.
I will say it again, you really don't want to set up many territories. "Several" solitary rocks & "some" small piles sounds like 6+ territories in your 6' tank length. I could be wrong, but that's how it sounds. The potential there is 6 males constantly harassing the others to defend their territory. If your goal is an integrated colony that you want to breed, a territory at each end and a wide open space is the best way to achieve that, along with removing extra males as they mature.
I kept and bred many variants of trophs over the years, and was very active on trophs.com for nearly a decade before it closed down. The method I am suggesting has been tried & true by a bunch of folks in the trophs game over a prolonged period of time. At the end of the day though, it's your tank & group so you can try what you are envisioning, and if it doesn't work out just change it up.