# 180 gallon Hap/Peacock - yet another stocking thread



## Lindsey Dindsey (Jul 14, 2004)

Hi everyone, I am upgrading my 100 gallon to a 180 and want some input on the fish I am interested in. I currently only have 4 fish, all males, and I want to continue keeping all males.

Current stocklist:
Placidochromis sp. Phenochilus Tanzania 7"
Protomelas sp. Spilonotus Tanzania 6"
Dimidiochromis compressiceps 6"
Aulonocara maulana Bi-color 500 4.5"

The following are fish I am interested in keeping, but I am not going to neccessarily keep every single one:

Peacocks:
Ruby Red Peacock
Eureka Red Peacock
Jacobfreibergi "Otter Point"
Aulonocara baenschi 
Aulonocara sp. "Lwanda"

Haps:
Fossorochromis rostratus 
Otopharynx lithobates "yellow blaze"
Chilotilapia euchilus 
Nimbochromis venustus 
Nimbochromis fuscotaeniatus 
Cyrtocara moorii 
Copadichromis azureus 
Protomelas sp. "Steveni Taiwan" (Albino)
Protomelas sp. "Steveni Taiwan" 
Copadichromis trewavasae 
Protomelas taeniolatus "Super Red Empress"
Sciaenochromis fryeri 
Placidochromis milomo 
Copadichromis sp. "Mloto Undu"

Also thought I could throw in some yellow labs for color.

I wanted to have a bunch of different types of fish, only 1 male of each (except the labs). Please comment on these fish and let me know if there are any you suggest not keeping and any that shouldn't be put together. Also if there are any that I should get more than one of (all males).

Thanks!


----------



## FishAreFriends (Dec 23, 2004)

Everything you have listed looks great. In my opinion if you are going to do males only go with 2 males of each species this way you will have more of them coloring up because when you get two of the same kind, one will be dominant over the other instead of just having one of each where you will have one king over everyone else. I dont see any problems mixing and matching the list of what you have into a tank.


----------



## Gibbs (Apr 21, 2008)

FishAreFriends said:


> In my opinion if you are going to do males only go with 2 males of each species this way you will have more of them coloring up because when you get two of the same kind, one will be dominant over the other instead of just having one of each where you will have one king over everyone else.


I believe this to be an untrue statement. A peacock/hap will colour perfectly fine without a subdominant male of it own kind. The sub-dominant male always ends up stressed and sick from the constant bullying from the dominant male and other fish in the tank that will take advantage of it's fragile state.

I love some of the fish on your wish list:
Nimbochromis fuscotaeniatus 
Fossorochromis rostratus 
Sciaenochromis fryeri 
Protomelas taeniolatus "Super Red Empress"
Copadichromis sp. "Mloto Undu" 
And a group of labs :thumb:

1 male of each is best, besides the labs of cause


----------



## Lindsey Dindsey (Jul 14, 2004)

Thanks to both of you for your input. It's surprising to see that no one has a problem with this stocklist. Makes it easier when it comes time to buy fish that I can grab any of these that are available to me.



Gibbs said:


> I love some of the fish on your wish list:
> Nimbochromis fuscotaeniatus
> Fossorochromis rostratus
> Sciaenochromis fryeri
> ...


Yes I am very excited about all of these too, especially the rostratus! That's probably the one I want most. :drooling: Can't wait to get this thing started. I _might_ be receiving my new tank today!


----------



## Denny (Sep 27, 2008)

I have and like these two of your choices. 
Cyrtocara moorii

Sciaenochromis fryeri

If you have an all male tank go with 2 of each if possible. Have 2 of each in my Muay Thai arena.


----------



## Denny (Sep 27, 2008)

Pics of blue dolphin in my tank


















Pics S.fryeri in my tank


----------



## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

I have several of the fish you have listed and like them all -- although I did re-home my Eureka Red who was always beating up my ruby red. But you have a much larger tank and that might not be an issue. I just raise it as FYI.

You don't mention any cats. You NEED a pack (6-8?) of synodontis multipunctatus to make your tank complete1


----------



## FishAreFriends (Dec 23, 2004)

Gibbs said:


> FishAreFriends said:
> 
> 
> > In my opinion if you are going to do males only go with 2 males of each species this way you will have more of them coloring up because when you get two of the same kind, one will be dominant over the other instead of just having one of each where you will have one king over everyone else.
> ...


I never once said it wouldnt color up without having another of the same species, all i said was that they would more colored up males to go around because if you just have one of each, there will be one dominant fish. With adding two of the same kind, in a 180 with about 30 fish give or take, they wont single them out and take advantage of the "fragile" state. With that many fish it will be more than fine. What just happens is the other male assumes a female like position by not showing off the colors completely as would the dominant male. Which is why i suggested that information.


----------



## Sulfurhead (Jul 18, 2005)

i vote for the Rostratus, Fusco, lithobates, and perhaps Placidochromis Electra?

Please post pics when you get it set up, it appears you will have a kik ass tank :thumb:


----------



## Lindsey Dindsey (Jul 14, 2004)

Thanks for the pics Denny, very nice fish indeed!

I'm a little confused on whether to have two of each kind or not with the different opinions. :-? I guess I'll have to decide that for myself.



hollyfish2000 said:


> You don't mention any cats. You NEED a pack (6-8?) of synodontis multipunctatus to make your tank complete1


I NEED them huh? :lol: Anyway, that's a good suggestion. My only worry is that I will not have much rock work in my tank. I'm going to have a 3D rock background and one biggish rock on the bottom, but that will probably be it. Don't they need lots of places to hide?



Sulfurhead said:


> i vote for the Rostratus, Fusco, lithobates, and perhaps Placidochromis Electra?
> 
> Please post pics when you get it set up, it appears you will have a kik ass tank


Oooh, an electra might be nice. I'll add that to my list.  And yes, I will definately post pics, I HOPE it turns out as nice as it looks in my mind. Although I just found out my tank might not be coming for another week.


----------



## Sulfurhead (Jul 18, 2005)

just my opinion, but i wouldnt get pairs of males unless i really wanted more than one. *** seen many all-male tanks with only one of each species and they all looked good. I would just get one of each to house more variety, but thats just me.

You only need cats if you really want them. i think your idea of having yellow labs will take care of any leftover food debris


----------



## lotsofish (Feb 28, 2008)

Don't expect total harmony with whatever group you decide on. Fish don't read their profiles and even ones you expect to be a more peaceful cichlid, may turn out to be the terror of the tank.

I just removed my Copadichromis borleyi because my Placidochromis sp. Phenochilus Tanzania was beating him up. Even though they are both not known to be very aggressive and they were both the same size, they just wouldn't get along. No problem with the other fish in the tank. Anyway, be prepared that it could happen that a fish will need to be removed.


----------



## CharlieTuna (May 20, 2006)

check out this video. this guy has a 180g hap/peacock tank with ALOT of fish and i dont remember seeing two that were the same.


----------



## Gibbs (Apr 21, 2008)

Having 2 males of each is pointless. 90% of people go with 1 of each which is pretty much the norm. Check out the tanks section and you will see some brilliant all male setups, i can't remember the last time i saw 2 males of each.
It's not a good idea, malawi's don't pair and males don't tolerate each other.


----------



## Lindsey Dindsey (Jul 14, 2004)

Thanks everyone. So I won't worry about getting pairs then, good. Makes it easier to fit in a lot of different types of fish. 



lotsofish said:


> I just removed my Copadichromis borleyi because my Placidochromis sp. Phenochilus Tanzania was beating him up.


Yeah my Pheno has always been the king of my tank too. I know they are suppose to be "peaceful". Mine isn't _that_ bad though considering how empty my tank is right now.



CharlieTuna said:


> check out this video. this guy has a 180g hap/peacock tank with ALOT of fish and i dont remember seeing two that were the same.


I think I saw several Venustus  But that's a very nice and active tank!


----------



## Denny (Sep 27, 2008)

Here's a view of my 90g community tank with its 65 stars.
Welcome to Muay Thai arena, my kiddies all get along.
http://s435.photobucket.com/albums/qq79 ... iArena.flv
This one will prove cichlids are self cleaning:
http://s435.photobucket.com/albums/qq79 ... ent=v4.flv
Enjoy


----------



## Lindsey Dindsey (Jul 14, 2004)

WOW.  That's a lot of fish.

That second one reminds me of Finding Nemo, "bubbles bubbles bubbles!" :lol:


----------

