# mixing lakes



## darkcat (Mar 30, 2010)

Hi all nice site.

I'm pretty new to the world of keeping Cichlids, use to keeping other tropicals. I have recently got a 50g tank and hope to expand soon. I have got a few Malawi Cichlids in there but is it possible to add other Cichlids from different lakes such as Tanganyika when i expand????

Any help please?


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## sgwn73 (Jan 1, 2010)

Purests usually frown upon it...but it can be done...and be succesful. It would help though to know what you have now and what Tangs you are thinking about! If you could post of list of each we can probably give you better advice!


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

It comes down to which species you are talking about, how many of each you want to keep, the purpose of the tank, and the tank size (dimensions being the most important). You can't keep some fish from the same lake together, let alone those from other lakes, depending on the circumstances.


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## darkcat (Mar 30, 2010)

Thanks for that. I have not really thought of anything yet but was just wondering. Like i say I'm pretty new to the cichlid range.
At present I have what I think is 2 yellow Labs, 2 white top hara, acei, 2 livingstone i think not sure, 2 fairy cichlids and about 5 others that i can not identify.

I am getting a bigger tank soon as these fish will grow as at present all fish no bigger than 4".


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## darkcat (Mar 30, 2010)

Oh my god just identified three of the five and they are Tilapia buttikoferi. They are small at present 3" but is it right that they can grow upto 12" and are highly agressive. Might need to move them sooner than later.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

darkcat said:


> Oh my god just identified three of the five and they are Tilapia buttikoferi. They are small at present 3" but is it right that they can grow upto 12" and are highly agressive. Might need to move them sooner than later.


buttikoferi... actually I've seen some over 18" (45cm), and they are VERY aggressive. Get rid of them ASAP.

The brichardi can be mixed as singles. If you end up with a breeding pair, they will aggressively defend a meter cubed area as mature adults. In most fish tanks, that is most of the tank.

If you have Nimbochromis livingstoni, keep in mind that males can grow to 25 cm +. Anything less than a six foot tank will not suffice.

It is important for you to identify any of your other species, and any potential problems in keeping them.


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## darkcat (Mar 30, 2010)

Thanks for the advice. :thumb:


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

i like the idea of mixing vics with malawi more so than tangs, there are more similarities between vics and malawi and both tend to have colorful males


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## scrubjay (Oct 25, 2009)

Hi and welcome to the forum! 

If you haven't found it yet, there are lots of good articles in the library. Here are some profiles for your fish.
yellow labs: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1669
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/l_caeruleus.php
Nimbochromis livingstonii: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1158
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/n_livingstonii.php
White Top Hara: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=2626
brichardi: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1601
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/n_brichardi.php

Rather than keeping pairs or two of the same sex of each species, it would be better to keep all males (one of each species) in one tank, or keep one male and 3-5 females of each species if you want to breed them or just have more than one of each species. If you are thinking of getting a larger tank, you could use it as an all-male peacock/hap tank starting with one of the livingstonii and keep your 50-gallon for somewhat larger groups of the species you already have, which actually may make a really good mix in that tank (one male with 3-5 females each of the yellow labs, acei, and white top hara). The only reason I suggest this is because when African Rift Lake cichlids pair up, they tend to become more aggressive to tankmates and toward the female. Having more than one female spreads out this aggression.

Here is an article on African cichlid compatibility
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/compatibility.php

If you get a larger tank, there isn't much that is more impressive than a tank with male haps and peacocks. African cichlids are a never-ending hobby with endless possibilities (that can quickly suck up all available funds). 8) If you want Tanganyikans, I think they are at their best kept with other compatible Tanganyikans just for behavioral reasons. They are fascinating to watch.


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## darkcat (Mar 30, 2010)

thanks for the good advice scrubjay and the links. :thumb:


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## nhra_20 (Mar 22, 2010)

I currently have a mixed tank. Only had a few skirmishes. I have one male of each species in there. Except for one female borleyi, which I though was a male. And I have a kyoga flameback who did not coclor up and thought it was a female, when I put a colored up male in there, he really colored up and the two males were at it. lol I took the one who got the worst of the battle out and into another tank. But that has been the only major problem so far. I even have 2 zebras in my tank.. Most fish about 4 inches right now. But my Demasoni is actually a little guy, maybe an inch, but he swims right by everyone no problems. My typical chaser is actually my dolphin hap, go figure.


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## darkcat (Mar 30, 2010)

Just update.....all in tank doing fine. The butterkoferi are calm and not bothering anything in the tank. Have changed tanks to a 4x2x2. Have added 5 tiger barbs, 1 clown loach, 1 Frontosa, 1 Venustus. Have breed the yellow labs and have got 10 babies in seperate tank.

Have recently identified my white top is in fact a powder blue. Any body knows how to sex them.

The butterkoferi are about 5in in lenght. One is alot paler but the largest. how do you sex them?


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## mthom211 (Dec 22, 2009)

By powder blue do you mean scolofi? If so catch it and flip it over so you can see its vents. If it has 2 it's a male if it has 1 its female. i have a pair of julies with mine.


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## darkcat (Mar 30, 2010)

thanks i'll have a go.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I think what mthom211 meant was that if the 2 openings are both the same size like oo then it is a male. And if the 2 opening are different sizes like 0o then it is a female.


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