# Stocking tips



## darkenedkaven (Apr 18, 2008)

I'm buying a 55 g tank.

I have a Kennyi so far, about how big do they get?

And which would be best to go with it?


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## xclub (Apr 15, 2008)

Kennyi or scientific Metriaclima Lombardoi can grow in aquarium conditions up to 6-6.5 inches.

A very difficult fish, by my humble opinion. Very aggressive and territorial species.

To find suitable aquarium companion is hard, people suggest to have some other aggressive species, I don't think that it is a good idea. I use to have them, they look great, and with them I had several Labidochromis Caerleus (species that finds a way to cooperate with every single species!!) and several Labidochromis Perlmutt, also peaceful species.

I don't know are you a beginner or not. If you are a beginner Kenyi is difficult one, but not impossible to keep.

I hope that other members from this forum will give their vision of your tank/give some suggestions&#8230;

I hope that I helped a little&#8230; :?


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## darkenedkaven (Apr 18, 2008)

I am a beginner and I learned the flaws of buying African Assortment.

I only picked him cause he was the smallest to go with my other little cichlid.

But now its bigger than pseudotropheus saulosi.

And he hides from the kenyi.


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## xclub (Apr 15, 2008)

You better get rid of him, give it away or return it if possible and get some more Ps. Saulosi, they are grat,add some Labidochromis Caerleus, Labidochromis Perlmutt, Iodotropheus sprengerae and enjoy. You are the beginer these species are pretty, you will have colorfull aquarium and they are easy to keep.

What I suggest is that you take at least 5 or six from one species,that will be 20 to 24 fishes.

When you get some practice you will be able to keep more in the same volume if you like but this will work excelent trust me... :wink:


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## darkenedkaven (Apr 18, 2008)

Well, I only have a 55 g tank. So, whats the best advice for a tank that small?


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

What would you like to do with the tank?
Will it be mainly a show tank?
Do you want to breed your fish?
Which colors/patterns are your favorites?

Kenyi are quite aggressive. You may have trouble finding tankmates that your kenyi will tolerate in a 55 gallon.


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## darkenedkaven (Apr 18, 2008)

I want a show tank. The last thing I want is millions of fry.

I like some of the blues, but bright yellows would be pretty in it too. I'm using white subtrate

I just want malawi cichlids in it also.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

xclub made great suggestions. Also, Look at the 55 cookie cutters.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/cookie_cutter_55g.php

If you are new to africans also look at the profiles - I would suggest searching for peaceful or mildly agressive fish and see if you can find things you like that you can also find at the LFS.
If nothing catches you eye, move up to aggressive. IMHO, calmer is way better for smaller tanks and just learning.

The yellow Labs are a great suggestion if you like/want yellow and show. Please make sure you find ones that are YELLOW - not bunches of black bars or grids on the sides, lots of yellow lab hybrids being sold and they don't look nearly as good as a purebred fish.

Ps. Aceii grow to a larger size but are peaceable, hardy, and like it out in the water column ( not down in the rocks as much as other mbuna) I have had.

6 babies of each Ps. Saulosi, yellow Lab, and Ps. Aceii would give a very colorful and reasonably peaceful start to a great 'show' tank.

Or you could go with the yellow labs get a couple of a species of smaller haps. - male Haps in full color are definitely show stopping. Do some reseach on diet to see why I didn't necessarily suggest the other two to go with haps for a beginner.

Most male Haps will change dramatically from juveniles to adulthood and offer a little different experience from mbunas - I've had plenty of both - they can all be great.

A 'downside' of haps is the females do not color up in almost all species of hap - I have found a few silver/grey fish in an aquarium with a bunch of other colorful fish isn't always bad - to me they look good in that they are different.

Otopharynx lithobates & some of the Peacocks would give yellow and blue. The Haps will also take care of any fry in the tank.

Syndo. cats will also take care of fry quite nicely - and add something different.

The possiblities are endless - if you can identify some things that you may like to put together people would be able to tell you if it would work or not.

I wish I had a resource like this when I started out, I made many mistakes as I was told all africans were 'agressive'. Well I learned there is aggressive and then there is a male M. Auratus.

Good Luck.


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## xclub (Apr 15, 2008)

nothing else to add :thumb:


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## darkenedkaven (Apr 18, 2008)

Is there a place where I can get them shipped and pay with money order or something?

The only cichlids I can get my hands on are in tanks named "African assortment". And I realized, this is the worst way to get a cichlid.

I don't have a checking account or anything. So, whats the best way of getting these fish and knowing what they are?

I can easily get Johanni's and yellow labs.

PS, turns out my saulosi is not that.

JoeA thinks it is a hybrid of Kennyi and some other cichlid. I've posted pics up in the Unknown ID.

You guys are helping me out so much.

Thanks.

I've learned a lot. I've grew up with my mom having a convict and an african assort. They lived together peacefully. But now she has just two cichlids and her silver dollar fish in a 55 g.

One is some sort of malawi, and she bought her parrot fish before knowing about all of the bad things of it.


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## QHgal (May 18, 2006)

You could try Aquabid or the trading post. Most people should accept a money order, I would.

You could also look through the reviews and contact one of the retailers. They might take a money order, too. Wouldn't hurt to ask.


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