# Blue Dolphin Tankmate Question



## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

Could I keep metriaclima sp. dolphin (giant demasoni) with cyrtocara moorii (blue dolphins) and yellow labs? The tank dimensions are 72.125 x 19.25 x 20.125 (called 108 gallon long).

I'm hoping to keep some kind of blue barred fish with the blue dolphins and yellow labs. The giant demasoni seem the least aggressive.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks.


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## kyboy (Oct 30, 2009)

How about the yellow labs, metriaclima sp. dolphin (giant demasoni) & sub ps. socolofi for cyrtocara moorii (blue dolphins) ? The metriaclima sp. dolphin (giant demasoni) are not too aggressive IME, I have no experience with moori, but I did buy 1 juvy years ago (& It grew really fast); but could be doable in a 72" tank if you start with all juvies & there's not a big size difference.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I'd say socolofi would be too aggressive for moorii...they were almost too aggressive for my demasoni. I don't have experience with metriaclima sp dolphin but I imagine they are more aggressive than yellow labs and therefore a higher risk with the timid moorii.


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## kyboy (Oct 30, 2009)

I suggested to * sub* (not keep both together) ps. socolofi for the moori, to keep with the light blue color. :thumb:
Metriaclima sp. dolphin (giant demasoni) when larger, are" middle of the road" as aggression goes & it is a 72" tank.


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

I'd prefer to find a suitable tankmate for the cyrtocara moorii and yellow labs rather than replace the blue dolphins. My reason is that I don't want to set my tank up with wall to wall rocks in the manner that a dedicated mbuna tank seems to require. I have two unstacked piles of large river rocks (each the size of a head or a bit bigger) at each end of the tank with some smaller river rocks scattered in the middle. I like the way it looks but I don't think a tank full of mbuna would be happy in it...so I'm thinking a group of labs (to make use of the rocks) and the blue dolphins (which prefer open sand from what I've read).

How about a single male peacock as a companion? Would that work?


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

The metriaclima sp. dolphin (giant demasoni) are usually said to be some of the most laidback slowest moving larger Mbuna, so they could be a possible mix. If you want to try, I'd say go for it. The Moorii can get pretty hefty, how many do you have?

Cynotilapia afra might work, the larger Moorii and Afra may ignore each other and keep to their own business. Not all Afra would be colorful except for one or two males , but the idea that the metriaclima sp. dolphin (giant demasoni) are monomorphic may be exaggerated. When they are small, most in a group do not show much barring.

A single male Aulonocara might do well and be very showy.


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## kyboy (Oct 30, 2009)

I have never kept peacocks, but I'm pretty sure there's some that could work in your 6' tank. Ps. acei (msuli) may work, they're peaceful & I 've read( in the profiles) that they swim in the upper part of the tank, this way you'd have 2 mbuna & 1 hap...?


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

zimmy said:


> How about a single male peacock as a companion? Would that work?


Yes. A German Red peacock would really pop - but why not just do a group?

Personally - I'd stay away from the Aulonocara jacobfreibergi to keep things calmer.

Aulonocara, Copadichromis , Lethrinops, Otopharynx, would all work as relatively peaceful species groups with the Moorii & Labs.

Good Luck.


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

noki said:


> The Moorii can get pretty hefty, how many do you have?


None at the moment but I'm thinking I'll have about 6. My tank is sitting on the floor waiting for the stand to be built. I'm still in the planning stage for what I'm going to put in the tank.


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

GoofBoy said:


> A German Red peacock would really pop - but why not just do a group


Is there any benefit to doing a group? The females are pretty drab.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

zimmy said:


> GoofBoy said:
> 
> 
> > A German Red peacock would really pop - but why not just do a group
> ...


That extra 10% the males turn on to show off to the girls is spectacular - kind of like going from regular TV to Full HD. There should be more general peace in the tank as well if all of the boys have girlfriends.

I have an all male tank and really enjoy it, the Protomelas sp. "Spilonotus Tanzania" (Liuli) male I have looks great, but when there were girls for him - he was simply stunning.

The other thing is a couple of silver girls in a tank of all colored fish really don't look as bad as you might think - at least in my opinion.

Good Luck.


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

Once they're in my tank I'll probably agree that a few silver females don't take anything away...in fact they might make the other fish look better just through the contrast they provide. Plus the point you've raised about the males colouring up more in their presence adds to the argument.

Any chance of crossbreeding with the moorii if i go for something like copadichromis sp. Mloto Undu (6-8 of each)?


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

zimmy said:


> Once they're in my tank I'll probably agree that a few silver females don't take anything away...in fact they might make the other fish look better just through the contrast they provide. Plus the point you've raised about the males colouring up more in their presence adds to the argument.
> 
> Any chance of crossbreeding with the moorii if i go for something like copadichromis sp. Mloto Undu (6-8 of each)?


With mouth-brooders there is always a chance. A low, low chance if there are girls for everyone with the species you have mentioned but it is there.

A bigger Lethrinops would also be a good choice for your tank in that you can find Green/Red and they like open sand as well.

Good Luck.


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

GoofBoy said:


> A bigger Lethrinops would also be a good choice for your tank in that you can find Green/Red and they like open sand as well.


Do you mean in addition to the copadichromis, mooriis and labs? My only concern would be that I wouldn't be able to tell the females apart for the two (non-moorii) hap species.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

zimmy said:


> GoofBoy said:
> 
> 
> > A bigger Lethrinops would also be a good choice for your tank in that you can find Green/Red and they like open sand as well.
> ...


In a 6ft tank you could do all 4 with no problem.

The female peacocks will have vertical stripes and a very different head shape than the Lethinops whose girls who will be very shiny silver.

Edit: young/female copadichromis have 3 spots - pretty hard to confuse them with the others.

My 90 is actually going to become a Lethrinops marginatus 'Red Flush', Copadichromis sp. 'Kawanga No-Spot' Undu 'Mloto Fluorescent', Aulonocara stuartgranti Chiwindi 'Blue Neon' tank come Wednesday with 8 Juvies of each :dancing:.

I have no concerns on differentiating the girls.

Here is a great site for the different spot/bar patterns of Hap species Flock.


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

Thanks for the link and all the answers to my questions!

One last question: how long do the juvies take from the time they are 1.5 to 2 inches to the time they start colouring up and you can distinguish the males from the females? I understand the moorii are very slow to mature and can only be sexed by venting (or if a female holds) but don't know about the other haps or the peacocks.

Thanks...and congratulations on your the restocked 90!


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

zimmy said:


> Thanks for the link and all the answers to my questions!
> 
> One last question: how long do the juvies take from the time they are 1.5 to 2 inches to the time they start colouring up and you can distinguish the males from the females? I understand the moorii are very slow to mature and can only be sexed by venting (or if a female holds) but don't know about the other haps or the peacocks.
> 
> Thanks...and congratulations on your the restocked 90!


A couple of months to half a year to show some color - just depends. The difference between Hap/peacocks and mbuna to me is the males continue to get better looking over the span of a couple of years, think of them as a fine wine.

The electra article points this out with the two pictures - difference between years one and two is what it looks like. The Electra is one of my favorite by the way - love my male and had a girl blue enough at 4in that I put her in my male tank - it was an unfortumate half-hour until I took her out :wink:.


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## Malawi Mac (Aug 20, 2004)

I kept a shoal of Giant Demosoni (2M,3F) in a 135 gal. hap tank once with minimal problems. One of the males chased a young Placidochromis sp. phenochilus on a regular basis. He had no speckles and was a blue fish with black bars, so I think the Giant Demasoni took him for a conspecific. Neithe he nor any of the other G.D.'s bothered any of the other haps in the tank, which included a large male Cyrtocara moori. I also had yellow labs in the tanks FWIW.


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