# African Cichlid Tank stocking



## Dant0602 (Sep 2, 2019)

Hello, I'm new to african cichlid hobbys and i would like to have some suggestions on my tank stocking.
The tank is 120cmx60cmx60cm, and had been cycling for 2 months. The temperature is 24°C.
My current stocking is :
- 16 Yellow Tail Acei (All 3 inch or more)
- 4 Yellow Labs (1 Male 3 Female, all 3 inch)
- 1 Protomelas Tanzania (Slightly Larger than the Acei)
- 1 Star Sapphire (Same size as the Tanzania)
- 1 Deep Water Hap/Electra (Same size as the Acei)
- 1 Dragon Blood sp.Firefish (Same size as Tanzania)
- 1 Aulonocara sp.Lwanda (2 inch)

Is my current stocking can be considered as overstock? Should I remove some of the fish? I'm interested to add 4 White Tail Aceis for some color


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Welcome to Cichlid-forum. You are a little TOO overstocked, I would not add fish without removing some. You know that white tail acei are less colorful than your other fish? And I would not have both color morphs of acei in the same tank.

The Protomelas and Placidochromis (star sapphire) are 10 inch fish so you will need a longer tank once they hit six inches.

The 2 Placidochromis may have trouble in the same tank...maybe think about swapping out the star sapphire.


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## Dant0602 (Sep 2, 2019)

Hello thank you so much for the input, I'll move the star sapphire and Electra after it got a little bit bigger to my 180G tank then.

On side note, I had seen some of my acei shaking/trembling for seconds, is this some kind of illness? I always think that this is some kind of mating dance, as they always do it near the rock stature.And, can we sex the acei based on their size and intense coloration? I see that some of them are larger than the others, and have brighter blue coloration.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The electra will stay small. The star sapphire and the Tanzania are the big ones.

The shaking or vibrating is mating or aggression. Acei are hard to sex...I usually just wait until someone is holding. Color and size are not reliable...nor is the shaking. If you need to know in advance of procreation you will have to vent.


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## Dant0602 (Sep 2, 2019)

Just moved the Tanzania and Sapphire to my 180G tank. thx for the suggestion  
And I also decide to cancel my plan to add the White Tail Acei. Do you have any recommendation for other species of 'docile' mbuna??
I'm thinking to add Red Zebra of Afra Jalo Reef for more color, but everything I read about them is how aggressive they are..


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

You don't need more fish in the tank...20 is more than enough to properly overcrowd, especially with some of the fish being solo males.

You already have the only mbuna I would consider combining with haps and peacocks.

All your fish should have color...what exactly are you trying to accomplish?


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