# dragons blood peacocks



## schafe (Apr 4, 2013)

hi guys and girls,please help,i am new to cichlids and i have aquired a couple of dragons blood peacocks and have them on their own at the moment,i am in the process of setting up my cichlid tank(sand is in,sandstone in,cycled and ready for inhabitants)i was just wondering what would make good tankmates for them?i am thinking of adding a couple of yellow labs,i like OBs(i know hybrids arent everybodys cup of tea)my local lfs are selling convicts and have told me that they will be ok,however i am under the understanding that convicts are very aggressive and from south america,whereas the cichlids i am looking to keep are from lake malawi.please help. thanks in advance, Steve


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## schafe (Apr 4, 2013)

i should also let you know,the tank dimensions are as follows 42"x18"x23" making the tank 75 gals


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## thegundog (May 1, 2012)

First off: WELCOME to Cichlid Forum, this is a great site with tons of information and knowledgeable, experienced Cichlid enthusiast who are more than happy to share!

Second off: WELCOME to Cichlid keeping - I am certain you will find great enjoyment!

With Dragon Bloods most keep other Peacocks and Haps.

If you like OB's they should be fine with your DB's.

I've never kept yellow labs, but I'm sure someone will share their experience.

One thing is sure, every fish is different (based on the individual fish and other factors such as tank size, aquascape, fish density), and in most cases you just have to give it a try and see how it works out.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

A 42" tank is going to limit your stocking options somewhat...the fish crave the length of the tank and the height/width or extra gallons are not too helpful in expanding your stocking options.

Are you doing mixed gender groups?

If yes, stock 1m:4f for your dragon bloods (they are aggressive and may have issues in a 42" tank but no harm in trying).

Then you don't want any other peacocks...was the OB you were considering a peacock or a mbuna?

Maybe just the 1m:4f group of yellow labs?

Three species can work in a 48" tank but with 42" you might want to try the two species first and see how they do.

If you stick with two species, you might want to up the females to 1m:5f of each.


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## schafe (Apr 4, 2013)

thank you both for the advice and help,it is a 4 ft tank so is 48" not 42", i was hoping to have an all male tank.


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## DanniGirl (Jan 25, 2007)

If you want an all-male tank, it's best to keep to one Dragon Blood. You'll see heightened aggression between multiple males and one will likely dominate the others. Moreover, given the temperament of the fish, it's likely you'll have to remove the others before the harassment leads to death.

An all-male tank can be a challenge in a 48" tank but it can work. Aim for about 8-10 mature males (that are dissimilar in appearance) that do not exceed 6" when mature. Dragon Bloods can be tough in a 48" but you can try it. Same with the OB peacocks. If you're set on them, I would recommend one of each. A groupd of yellow labs is a great possibility.

Some other possible tank mates would include: Aulonocara stuartgranti "Red Shoulder", Aulonocara stuartgranti (Chiwindi) "Blue Neon", and Placidochromis electra "Deep Water Hap".


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## vrs2013 (May 6, 2013)

schafe said:


> thank you both for the advice and help,it is a 4 ft tank so is 48" not 42", i was hoping to have an all male tank.


I have a 75g all male tank with 15 species of Haps and Peacocks. The dragon blood is by far the most aggressive of the lot, with that said he hasn't done any damage, but he is clearly the boss of the tank.

Colourful Options to Consider:

Protomelas Taiwan Reef - Brilliant mix of Blue, Yellow and red/orange
Aulonocara Stuartgranti Maleri - Gold Peacock 
Red Empress - Blue mixed with Red gradient
Deep Water Electra - Blue/White with a black stripe over the eyes
OB Peacock - Mongrel colouring but an effective addition

The only male mbuna's i'd add are Yellow Lab, Cobalt Zebra or a Rusty... Possibly a YT Acei but keep in mind they can grow to 8 inches plus.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I found anything more than a dozen in my 75G to be too many, and all mine mature at 6" or less.

The empress and possibly the taiwan reef can also exceed 6".

Make sure you have an extra tank and a plan for rehoming fish that don't work out.


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## schafe (Apr 4, 2013)

brilliant advice and i will be taking it all on board. Thank you all


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