# Stocking help



## Apparition (Jul 30, 2013)

I have just about finished my cycling my 250 litre tank and putting together my fish wish list.

This is what I am thinking about getting and hoping they are available in Aus.

Metraiaclima Callainos 
Cynotilapia afra
Labidochromis caeruleus
Pseudotropheus interruptus

I was thinking about 5 of each fish 1 male and 3 female.

Filtering I have aqua one 1200 and a Pro-Aqua 1500 L/H.

Any advice will be great cheers


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## nmcichlid-aholic (Mar 23, 2011)

I've never kept Ps. interruptus before, but my understanding is that they are slightly more aggressive than your other species (especially towars each other). You may consider increasing their numbers so you have at least 6 or 7 females to each male.


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## Apparition (Jul 30, 2013)

Thanks for your reply,

I will grab more of them as they are my fav of all cichlids and used to have a lot of them


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## amcvettec (May 11, 2012)

What are the dimensions of your tank?


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## Apparition (Jul 30, 2013)

The tanks is 48x18x18 which I believe is US 65g


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## amcvettec (May 11, 2012)

Ok, that is a good size tank. I think you will be able to do 4 species. However, depending on how the interruptus colors up, you have a problem between him and the afra. You may also have an issue with the yellow interruptus females and the yellow labs. I'd say start with the Callainos and the Interruptus at least 1M:4-5F or buy 10 juveniles each. Maybe consider something like Rusties or Albino Socolofi.


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## nmcichlid-aholic (Mar 23, 2011)

amcvettec said:


> Ok, that is a good size tank. I think you will be able to do 4 species. However, depending on how the interruptus colors up, you have a problem between him and the afra. You may also have an issue with the yellow interruptus females and the yellow labs. I'd say start with the Callainos and the Interruptus at least 1M:4-5F or buy 10 juveniles each. Maybe consider something like Rusties or Albino Socolofi.


That's a good point about the interruptus females and yellow labs cross breeding. I wonder if you may have a similar issue with the afra females and the Met. callianos males - the afra females tend to be a shade of blue without any real dark bars, so they would look similar to the callianos females. Maybe you could do Rusties as amcvettec suggested above instead of the afra, and trade the yellow labs for something like Pseudotropheus flavus? Rusties, flavus, callianos and interruptus would be a pretty attractive mix, IMO.


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## Apparition (Jul 30, 2013)

Thanks for all the replies, great advice 

I have kept Interruptus in the past with yellows and didn't have cross breeding but if it's a chance I will not risk it.


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