# New tank and fish pics...comments?



## olzkool (Jul 30, 2013)

Took some pics of my new tank this morning. Its been going for a few weeks now. I have had a few cycling problems, as I have posted about, but all in all its been great so far. As you can probably tell I am a rookie at Cichlids, but have had a lot of experience with other very aggressive fish species, herps, and turtles. I have a mixed lot of Africans and I am going for an all male set up. All are Malawi except for 2 A. Compressiceps. As of right now I haven't identified the females, but if I can't be sure soon I will take them out and vent them. So far zero aggression but I know its early. The only ones I am really worried about are the Afra and the Demasoni. I am prepared with both a 125 for when they get larger that is just sitting in the basement, and I have a small 20 gallon already cycled and running waiting for any females or bad boys that need removal. The only fish I would like to add from my list, but can't seem to find, are Metriaclima sp. "elongates chewere" and a Tramidchromis (lethrinops) intermedius. I am open and inviting opinions and comments on the tank, species I picked, etc. and will value all advice given. I admittedly know nothing except for what I have read on here.

Here are some pics with some info on each.

If you can tell right away if they are male or female or know the proper ID please let me know.

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I love these little guys. I hope they are ok being non Malawi species

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I have no idea what this is. It is dark black with lighter bands and has a bright orange and white top on the dorsal as well as an orange stripe on its head. Very interested to see how this one develops. I really like the color of it now and would prefer it stayed that way, but I am pretty sure its gonna change like the blue one did.

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Blue Peacock. This thing is crazy. It started off jet black with a white top stripe, its head turned blue, then its body turned light grey to silver, now the whole thing is blueing up and its developing some yellow near the fins

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My favorite but I'm worried about his future aggression. He is much smaller than the rest of the crew.

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I can't wait to see this one color up. I have no idea of sex

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My other little guy. He is a gold one. The Compressiceps are a lot smaller than the Malawi in the tank

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Not sure of sex but its pretty cool looking

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This one is VERY orange and definitely looking like a male

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The smallest Peacock in the tank by far. Already showing a lot of red

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I am so worried he is gonna be a thug. I love the way they turn out though so I am waiting this out. I am a little concerned about this one being a female as well

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he is gonna look good. I paid a little extra for him but he was already sexed and guarunteed to be a male

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I think this one is a female. It is hard to tell from the pics but The stripes and fins are orange. I hope its not as it is a very pretty fish with really nice, big fins

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I have 2 of these guys. They are both super yellow. This one has very black fins and dorsal, and the other one only has a little black on his dorsal. No idea of sex.

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Thanks a lot, I appreciate any information


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## olzkool (Jul 30, 2013)

I forgot to list the names of them on the pics and it won't let me edit it so here it goes. Any help on the true names would be great

Black and a gold A Compressiceps
Black Peacock? I really have no idea
Blue Peacock?
Red Peacock?
Orange Peacock?
White and orange Peacock?
Marble Peacock?
Yellow Lab x 2
S. Fryeri
Red top Afra
Fire Hap
Demasoni


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## wax32 (Aug 3, 2013)

Cool looking group you've got there. I hope they work out for you. I like those 2 Tanganyikans.


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## Allan01230 (May 23, 2013)

the third pic is of a hap- yellow blaze cichlid. Z-rock lithobaze (excuse spelling) very cool hap.


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## olzkool (Jul 30, 2013)

Awesome!! Thanks a lot for the info. I have been trying to figure that out since I got him. He started off looking just like the black one I have a pic of but instead of the orange on his head and dorsal it was white. Then within a week his head turned blue, then he lightened up from black to grey/silver, then within a week following his fins and body started turning blue and the white turned yellow. Any idea if the black one in the other pic with the orange head stripe and orange dorsal top will change totally like him? If so to what? Do you know what species he is?

Thanks a lot for the help, this is exactly the info I was looking for!!

Here are some early pics of the Blue one you call a Z Rock Lithobate in order as it was transitioning that I took over a period of time since I owned him. Some are crappy pics but you get the idea. Really wondering if the Other Black one will do something similar.

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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

that 3rd pic down is not a Lithobates Z Rock, or a "Yellow Blaze Hap"... looks more like Aulonocara maylandi... it is actually supposed to have black male color but this fish may get dull looking, not blue.
that 4th pic down is not a Lithobates Z rock either... it is more like a Scienochromis fryeri "Electric Blue Hap", but may be a hybrid or looks really odd because the fish has been hormoned.

The big problem here is that a lot of these "Peacocks/Haps" have been hormoned for temporary artificial male color, a rather dubious practice to make fish sell easier . A lot of these fish may be hybrids, so it is hard to tell for sure what to call them. Fish with color may not be males.


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## JP_92 (Aug 2, 2013)

nice tank. great pics!


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## olzkool (Jul 30, 2013)

I just assumed the previous poster was talking about the blue one and not counting the aquarium pic. It's quite possible the blue on is a hybrid as he came from petco with my first few fish. I thought he nailed it so now I have no idea. I got the rest of my fish from an extremely reputable and knowledgable and I got a male s fryeri that is in the pics and this fish we are talking about looks nothing like it at all . It was black with a white spot on his head when I got it. I'm so confused....


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## olzkool (Jul 30, 2013)

I just looked at the Aulonocara maylandi on google then the profile here, etc. and I think that is the black one I have. I hope it stays that way. Still not sure on the blue one.
Thanks for the info


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## Austinite (Jul 27, 2013)

I once had one A. Compress with a tank of peacocks/haps/yellow labs and he didn't do well. Always hiding and too timid. It didn't seem like a good fit in my tank. I ended up setting up a Tanganikan tank shortly after that, with small shell dwellers, and put my Alto Compress there, he seemed to thrive much better. Always out and about, very different behavior. I love those fish, hope it works out for you


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Think you will find some of those Mbuna too rambunctious for your more mellow tangs and peacocks long term.

Personaly I prefer normal looking rocks to holy rock but yep it sure lets you pack the fish in.

Enjoy the learnig curve. Guess many of us tried such mixes and kind of find em fun but not great long term for all the species.

All the best James


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## Chester B (Dec 28, 2012)

Here's the list of what you have:

1. Altolamprologus compressiceps - not sure what location
2. Aulonocara maylandi - In the long run this fish will likely get pushed around by your other fish and will turn grey.
3. Scianochromis fryerei - this will be one of the most dominant fish in the tank
4. Pseudotropheus demasoni - these do have a real nasty side to them, but with their small adult size and the size of your tank I think it will be fine.
5. Protomelas taeniolatus red empress - Not 100% on this as this is not the best photo and the fish is still quite young.
6. Altolamprologus compressiceps 
7. OB peacock - this is a man made hybrid
8. Usually called Dragons blood peacock - another man made hybrid
9. This one is quite unusual in coloration - This would be an Aulonocara hybrid
10. Kind of tough to tell but I think its a Cynotilapia afra
11. Aulonocara hybrid
12.Aulonocara jacobfreibergi "Eureka" - its a male
13. Labidochromis caeruleus - "electric yellow"

It does appear that the majority of your fish are male. I think this can work, with the exception of the Compressiceps, they're a little to slow and timid and could suffer in the long term.

Stay away from the chewere, far too aggressive for any of these fish.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Pritty sure it is a red empress. Again one I would worry will not fully colour up with Mbuna.

For sure please do not add Metriaclima sp. "elongates chewere". big nasty Mbuna prob caurse havoc.


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## myswtsins (Jul 28, 2008)

Nice tank and fish selection. As others have pointed out though this may not work long term but it could with some minor tweaks. Watch the fish carefully and be ready to pull big bullies or even injured victims. The altos are slow and timid plus being MUCH slower growers than the malawis will quickly become over stressed and bullied. Might have to setup a Tang tank too, that's all.  Welcome to the world of cichlids!

Oh, small note. You might want to get some darkness in there. White sand tends to wash out the color of the fish and the white rocks will just emphasize that effect, plus IMO fish show more striking colors and stand out better against dark rocks. But to each his own, I'm just letting you know what I have learned.


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## Hock (Mar 23, 2012)

I have Cheweres in with my peacocks and haps and he doesnt hurt anyone. I also have 2 females in there with him who are currently holding. Anyways, thats a Ahli hyrbid thats been popping up recently alot. I dont remember if its crossed with a Z Rock or Mara Rocks Sulpher Head. The other is def a Mylandi Sulpher Head. The really red one looks to have been horomoned. The only time i've ever seen a little one become super bright red like that is at pet shops where they are horomoned to intice buyers and then they almost all their color and rarely ever gain it fully back.


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