# fronts and aulonocara



## mel_cp6 (Feb 3, 2009)

still looking for tankmates for the fronts.
due to the size of my largest gibb, i have to really consider the 
size of their tankmate and the aggresion level.

i've been reading about aulonocara and they seem to be very peaceful.
had anyone tried putting these 2 species together?
i really like the fronts with some bright yellow cichlids.

this is what i have in mind.


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## joesfish (Mar 29, 2004)

Although I do not like to mix malawians and tangs together, if you are to put any malawians in with fronts I would chose male aulonocara peacocks or haps. I would never put females with the males. I would like to stress that it is much better to have other tang species with your Frontosa. Why not put some Goldhead comps, Calvus, tri-color jumbo cyps or leleupi might work but could be costly if you fronts decide to eat them. depending on the size of your tank and fish you could have a colorful setup with 8-10 cyps or leleupi. I dont think it would be good to have alot of male aulonocara in a front tank. I have keep aulonocara with fronts a long time ago and more then 2 aulonocara would add a lot of stress to the fronts. I am not saying that it's impossible to keep more, but why stress out the fish just to have some different color in your tank. Choose the tankmate wisely and you can still get the colors and your fronts will be happier. Just my thoughts.


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## mustangs (Nov 21, 2005)

I agree with Joe about adding only males. I've kept male peacocks in a 180 with a colony of bismark fronts and the fronts spawned. However, after I moved the peacocks out, the fronts had better color and didn't seem as stressed out.


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## mel_cp6 (Feb 3, 2009)

> Choose the tankmate wisely and you can still get the colors and your fronts will be happier. Just my thoughts.


i've been reading a lot and tried some species but since the largest 
gibb is already 8" its been rather difficult.
i had some yellow lab in there because i was told they should be ok since 
they are mildly aggresive but they can be fin nipper so out they went.

i have some leleupi in there now, but they are to small and may eventually get eaten.
its not easy finding some adult tangs around here.
thats why i thought i should try some auloncara since they are peaceful and fairly bright yellow.

are they known to nip fins?


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## joesfish (Mar 29, 2004)

The auloncara thst I had in my tank many years ago didn't nip. My experience with leleupi and 8" frontosa has been good, but your leleupi must be adult size and leleupi work better in large groups. I wouldn't just have a few together.


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## Charles (Feb 25, 2003)

I actually had the opposite experience with the leleupi and frontosa. The leleupi were mature size and started to spawn. They were nasty and mean. Even my 8" frontosa was no match of the nipping power of those pest. I eventually ended up with 1 leleupi.


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## joesfish (Mar 29, 2004)

I have not had many tanks with leleupi, but I have noticed that with my smaller groups of leleupi they would nip and kill each other off until there was one. I used a 180 tank with about 12 - 15 leleupi and 8 frontosa. The leleupi were so interested in nipping each oth that the fronts didn't get nipped. The frontosa grew up with the leleupi and once they all reached adult size i never had a problem. I only had them together for about 4 years, but it worked until I sold the leleupi. Maybe I was just lucky with the tank. I did have a lot of rocks with caves at the time.


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## joesfish (Mar 29, 2004)

Oh ya, I did have a 125 gal tank once with about 6 leleupi and a colony of frontosa. Within a year the leleupi killed each other leaving me one. I currently have no leleupi because they love to eat the frontosa eggs.


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## joesfish (Mar 29, 2004)

mel_cp6, if you are planing on spawning, the eggs will get eaten by the leluepi. Frontosa in the wild are in deep water and a lot of tankmate that people choose are not in them deep waters, they will pick the eggs from the female during spawning. I only keep my fronts with other species until they are old enough and start showing signs of spawning. I then put them in a species only tank.


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## mel_cp6 (Feb 3, 2009)

i think the fronts really looks great with yellow fishes.
they compliment them really well.
that is the main reason im trying to get yellow (peaceful and doesnt nip fins) 
cichlids. yellow labs are very bright but can be nippers. as for the aulonocora, it looks like 
they are peaceful and doesnt nip fins thats why i considered them. 
any other options out there that are yellow and peaceful?


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## mel_cp6 (Feb 3, 2009)

just came back from an all african cichlid store and came back with new fishes.
i bought all tanganyika this time.

here are the stock list.

three 3-4" gibberosa mpimbwe
two 3-4" a. comprissiceps
one 3" Neolamprologus sexfasciatus (beautiful fish)
one 3" tropheus sp.


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## Afishionado (Jun 6, 2006)

Mel, I don't think the Tropheus fits into that mix well. It's more of a herbivore whereas the others are more carnivorous. It's a rather hyper tankmate for the likes of Frontosa (although a lone Tropheus will be a lot less hyper than a colony of them) - on the other hand it may eventually also be a snack for the Fronts.

Just thought youshould know.


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