# Stocking new 5ft 125G/450L Malawi tank



## chetan (May 14, 2009)

Hi All,

This is my first post and would like to get suggestions on stocking options for my new 125G tank with Dolphin 1100LPH external filter, Resun 1500LPH internal filter and a 1000LPH air pump.

I would like to start with colorful Malawi juveniles and in the long run provide nice setup for breeding.These are my preferred fauna:Yellow Labs,Cop. Borleyi,C. Moori,N.Venustus and colorful Peacocks.
I would like to know whether all these are compatible in my tank and also the number of each of these keeping in mind they would form breeding group/pairs.

Thanks and Regards,
Chetan


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I have no suggestions other than 6 yellow labs. And know that Malawi do not pair, but they harem breed so you would need many females for every male.

OK one more suggestion, go all male. You've got a lot of species, and a 5 foot tank is roomy but I'd limit to 4-5 species, you have some large fish on your list. Plus I believe haps and peacocks crossbreed so you will have limitations if you want breeding groups.


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## chetan (May 14, 2009)

@DJRansome,

Ok,thanks for the suggestion.I would keep more Yellow labs and all male for other species.

Regards,
Chetan


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## greencross420 (Apr 30, 2009)

I would say 6 (or more) Pseudotropheus sp. blue acei. they are a blue-ish color with a yellow dorsal fin. I have 6 in my 55 with 6 labs and they get along well. If you get peacocks they tend to have some very nice colors depending on which ones you get some haps do also.


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## chetan (May 14, 2009)

@greencross420

Yes, even I was thinking of 6~8 Yellow labs with males of the other species I had mentioned plus a few acei/freyi.


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## kodyboy (Dec 9, 2007)

I would go with 6 yellow labs (m/f ratio does not matter much)
6 accei (m/f no big deal)
6 cyaneorhabdos (1m/5f) 
and a varitey of colorful peacocks and haps (all male), 
one of each main peacock color,
one s freyeri
one Otopharynx lithobates
this would provide a lot of color and activity, although it does not have the larger species you mentioned.


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## chetan (May 14, 2009)

@kodyboy:Thanks for the suggestion.

But I have bought a few last weekend and here goes the list:

2-Yellow labs
4-Kadango(C.Borleyi)
7-Peacocks
6-C.Moories
2-Pseudotropheus socolofi (Albino)

These were the only fishes available in LFS and are around 2-2.5" and I don't know how to sex them. So are these compatible? If not I can exchange the incompatible ones with LFS. 
Also can I add more to this list?If yes, please suggest numbers to add or other compatible species.

Regards,
Chetan


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I'd say the socolofi are too aggressive for that mix. You probably need more yellow labs if you are going to keep them. What species are the peacocks?


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## chetan (May 14, 2009)

@DJRansome:

Yes your right, both the socolofis have occupied almost 1/3rd of the tank on the right side and chases away every fish even the dolphins and Kadangos which are almost double their size.
So I was thinking of exchanging them and adding 6 more yellow labs. The peacocks are Aulonocara sp. but not sure though( Im no expert sry).

Can anyone suggest a few colorful Haps which I can add to current stock?I personally like N.Venustus because of the Giraffe pattern and would like to add it,Is this fine?

Regards,
Chetan


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## chetan (May 14, 2009)

Sorry for double post.Dint know how to delete the duplicate reply.


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## kodyboy (Dec 9, 2007)

these two are colorful and not too aggressive: s freyeri, Otopharynx lithobates and definitely ditch the socolofi, they can be very aggressive. 
Venustus would work, but they get sizable.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

> Can anyone suggest a few colorful Haps which I can add to current stock?


I have Placidochromis phenochilus & Protomelas sp. "Spilonotus Tanzania" (Liuli), relatively peaceful - love them both. Placidochromis electra is a fish that always looks way better in person than in pictures. To add a couple more that would certainly work.

The chart at the bottom of this article is pretty good to give you a 'general' relative aggression level for the different haps.

Good Luck.


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## chetan (May 14, 2009)

Thanks to kodyboy,GoofBoy,

Need to know the availability of these in my place.The article Haps vs Mbuna was great,would help me pick fish of similar aggression.

I would update the list once I buy them.

Best regards,
Chetan


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## billyh (May 24, 2009)

I am new to cichlids and setting up my first 135 tank so may follow advice of codyboy with those fish if i can find them nearby
thanks for the help


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## chetan (May 14, 2009)

Hi all, just an update on the stock.

Yesterday I added a few fishes to my current stock and got rid of the mean P.socolofis(Albino).
Current stock:
9-Yellow labs( 8 - 1" and 1 - 2.5" )
4-Kadango(C.Borleyi 2.5")
7-Peacocks(2.5")
5-C.Moories( 2.5" lost 1  maybe socolofi's harrassment? donno)
4-N.Venustus(1")

I would like to know whether the stocking is OK and constructive criticism is welcome. 
My bad luck there are no red colored Haps/Peacocks mentioned by kodyboy and Goofboy available here  .


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## kodyboy (Dec 9, 2007)

you should be fine, but some of those fish get pretty big so maybe in a while you will need to reassess, but for now should be OK.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

> My bad luck there are no red colored Haps/Peacocks mentioned by kodyboy and Goofboy available here


Your dominate male Copadichromis borleyi (Kadango) should turn red in time.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Those haps and peacocks are likely to cross, right?


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

> Those haps and peacocks are likely to cross, right?


I don't think any higher risk than a mbuna tank with species groups that look different.


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## chetan (May 14, 2009)

@kodyboy,Goofboy,DJRansome:

Thank you all for replying. As kodyboy says I might have to reduce after few months.Let me first assess the bio load of these as they get bigger and start eating more and then decide which one goes away  . 
Hope my Kadango turns red( any special feed so that it turns bright red?).

Regards,
Chetan


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## kodyboy (Dec 9, 2007)

I like new life spectrum foods, they seem to do a great overall job regarding nutrition/color.


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## Groovylad (Dec 1, 2007)

Another fish to consider would be the Pseudotropheus Acei to add to your tank as they are known to use the upper half of your tank. I have 2 yellow tails in my 90 and they do like the top half of the tank.


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## chetan (May 14, 2009)

@kodyboy: Is this mew life spectrum better than Hikari cichlid Gold/bio gold+? Anyways, let me check about its availability in my LFS.

@Grovvylad.Acei are basically herbivore and all the other cichlids in my tank are not.So I was just wondering if they can adapt to the high protein diet that I provide to them currently.
(FYI...I feed twice/thrice a day and 75% of the diet is cichlid gold pellet and rest 25% diet would be chopped fresh market prawns.)


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

> @kodyboy: Is this mew life spectrum better than Hikari cichlid Gold/bio gold+? Anyways, let me check about its availability in my LFS


Truth is any high quality food will work well - used to be, cheap fillers were used once upon a time causing bloat, but I really haven't heard of issues for quite some time.



> @Grovvylad.Acei are basically herbivore and all the other cichlids in my tank are not.So I was just wondering if they can adapt to the high protein diet that I provide to them currently.
> (FYI...I feed twice/thrice a day and 75% of the diet is cichlid gold pellet and rest 25% diet would be chopped fresh market prawns.)


Honestly, the prawns are not necessary, and if you drop the prawns, the Ps. Aceii will be fine.

I've had Ps. Aceii in with Haps for over a year and a half now - zero issues. I feed NLS - 34% protein, but also give them Dainichi Color FX once a week of so 45% protein.

Note the NLS growth formula actually has 50% protein, the protein really shouldn't be an issue.


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## chetan (May 14, 2009)

@GoofBoy: Ok, then let me substitute prawns with some high protein pellets like NLS growth formula for my cichlids once I get Ps.Acei.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

> @GoofBoy: Ok, then let me substitute prawns with some high protein pellets like NLS growth formula for my cichlids once I get Ps.Acei.


Any high quality food will by more than fine. The NLS which has a bit of a cult following on these boards has 34% protein, that is plenty. Hikari Cichlid Gold will be more than fine fine at 32%.

Please think of it as you fish are getting very high quality and calorie protein shakes or/and meal replacements with the better foods. Very concentrated nutrition, you don't need to look for the highest protein content food - it isn't necessary.

If it makes you feel better to get the 50% protein food great, but your fish are fine with the 30-35% stuff with no cheap fillers. If you pay attention, some of the higher protein foods will specifically state you must feed less and there is a greater nutritional wallop in the food.

Again, I have Haps and Ps. Aceii together and they get 34% protein food 95% of the time, and not a lot of it - 1.0mm pellets that they can eat in about 15-20 sec twice a day (and these are 1.5 to 2yr old fish up to 6in). They are growing and spawning just fine.

Good Luck.


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## chetan (May 14, 2009)

@GoofBoy: Thanks for detailing the diet. This is very informative for me as I always used to think that all cichlids (other than herbivores) need to be given high protein food for them to grow to full size.


> Again, I have Haps and Ps. Aceii together and they get 34% protein food 95% of the time, and not a lot of it - 1.0mm pellets that they can eat in about 15-20 sec twice a day (and these are 1.5 to 2yr old fish up to 6in). They are growing and spawning just fine.


I had read from some source that there needs to be a varied diet like dry pellets/live worms/fresh prawns/shrimps for the carnivore cichlids for them to thrive and spawn. So are you telling me this is not 100% true?


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

> I had read from some source that there needs to be a varied diet like dry pellets/live worms/fresh prawns/shrimps for the carnivore cichlids for them to thrive and spawn. So are you telling me this is not 100% true?


Yes.

If your N.Venustus get over 6-7in and aren't spawning then they may need a little extra something, something, to kick them off and get them in the mood, short of that, nothing in your tank comes close to needing that much meat.

Look at the ingredient list for any of the high quality foods - everything you mention is there (sans worms - bad idea IHMO) without the introduction of disease from live foods.

Here is a link to a thread of me bragging on the new babies in the house last month just to show I am not lying or making it up without actually doing it. Protomelas sp. "Spilonotus Tanzania" (Liuli) are very comparable to what you have in your tank as far as dietary requirements.

Good Luck.


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## chetan (May 14, 2009)

I knew you were not making it up but I was just confused after reading a lot of stuff on the net about diet and stuff.
Btw the male you have got looks awesome.


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## dirtywonderful (Feb 14, 2007)

I found this post when I searched Google for 2mm NLS spectrum. I'm was having problems finding that specific type of spectrum online. So, I wanted to sign in and respond real quick. The closest places to buy the spectrum food in Dallas are about 45 minutes from my house and are extremely expensive when I look at the prices online. They don't offer anything larger than the 300 gram size. I read some reviews about the food on Amazon yesterday. (I think it was Amazon.) One reviewer posted the funniest thing. Anyway, I finally found a place to order much larger sizes online. I can't believe the difference in price. The 2mm size is hard to find anywhere. I went ahead and placed an order for a 5 pound bucket. No more calling stores and driving everywhere.
For some reason, I have problems with any type of floating food. My fish are lazy or something. This is silly.. I'm no expert and never know exactly how much to feed them. So while I'm feeding, I take a look and check out how much food is at the bottom. That way I don't dirty my tank and all. When it comes to color, I'm not sure what brand is best.

Basically, the food is really great. The other brands seem more expensive. I've had my tank for over 5 or 6 year and never lost a fish.

Longer response than I thought. Hope it helps


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Why do you want the 2mm instead of the 1mm?


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