# Potential Stocking Issues



## Luhann (Jun 13, 2020)

Hi Everyone,

Would love some insight from you all.

I lost a male peacock last night, can see he was beat up badly, did not see the aggressors.

Have an all male 90gallon (48").

Stocking is as follows:

1 x Strawberry peacock
1 x Compressiceps
1 x Plecostumus
1 x Yellow lab
1 x Livingstoni
1 x Cyrtocara moori 
1 x Hansbaenschi Red shoulder
1 x Electra 
1 x venustus
2 x Frontosa
1 x Pearly Calvus
2 x Leleupi
1 x fryeri

All the fish other than the leleupi (2inches), 1 Frontosa (8inches) and Calvus(2inches) are about 4 inches big. Have had them all for about 6 months and they all grew up together. Eniugh rock work for the small fish to hide.

The fish I lost, appeared to be one of the bullies in the tank, he was always harassing the bigger fish and dominated one third of the tank (that was his domain).

I guess my questions are, who do you guys reckon could have killed him? Where am I gonna hit snags with my current stock? It is worth pointing out that my big Front is super chilled. The most aggressive fish that I have witnessed are the Dolphin, Livingston and yellow lab.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

You need a 72" tank for the fish that will mature at a size larger than six inches. You may also want to separate the various lakes. I have not found that having the fish grow up together makes any difference...once they are mature they behave according to their species. I have also tried mixing fish from Lake Tanganyika with Malawi haps and peacocks...it was a survive but not thrive situation.

Without knowing what peacock you lost I would say the strawberry or venustus or livingstonii.


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## ken31cay (Oct 9, 2018)

DJRansome said:


> You need a 72" tank for the fish that will mature at a size larger than six inches. You may also want to separate the various lakes.


Your fish may survive for a time in the 48" but as they mature only the 1 or 2 most aggressive will thrive.



> I have not found that having the fish grow up together makes any difference...once they are mature they behave according to their species.


+1.


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## Luhann (Jun 13, 2020)

Thanks for the advice.

The peacock I lost was an OB.

Wife will kill me if I were to get a bigger tank. If I rehomed the Venustus, Livingston and Dolphin, I should be good with the current tank size right?


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## ken31cay (Oct 9, 2018)

The Frontosa get the biggest.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

You would also want to choose either Lake Malawi or Lake Tanganyika. Which is your favorite fish?


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## Luhann (Jun 13, 2020)

I love al of them.

I guess I would have to say the frontosa and calvus are my favorite. I do love variety though and Tangs are very hard to come by here.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

All male does not work well with most Tanganyikans. You could do Tanganyikans in a 48" tank with the comp/calvus and leleupi. You would want more individuals of each however. Maybe a dozen calvus and 6 leleupi. Don't save fry.

Or you could do all male Malawi with the 
1 x Strawberry peacock
1 x Yellow lab
1 x Hansbaenschi Red shoulder
1 x Electra
1 x fryeri

For this tank you could add a yellow peacock and a couple more haps that look nothing alike and mature at or less than six inches. If variety is hard to get you could fill up the tank with a breeding group of yellow labs and acei. Shoot for a dozen fish.


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## ken31cay (Oct 9, 2018)

If you like Frontosa then be aware that they do best in groups of at least six or more and minimum 6 foot tank. Adult Calvus might or might not work with large Frontosa but Calvus have a slow growth rate so getting them small is risky.

In my 450gal (96"x36"x30") I have fifteen Frontosa 4"-8", three male Protomelas steveni taiwan reef 6", six Placidochromis Phenochilus star sapphire 4"-5" (3male, 3female), and one Dolphin moorii 5". I don't believe this stocking combination would work in a smaller tank, and the jury is still out on my tank while my fish continue to mature. Right now there is virtually no aggression in my tank but the Protomelas steveni taiwan reef are getting a little iffy since they are somewhat rambunctious and Frontosa need tankmates that are slower moving and rather peaceful in order to thrive and display their natural behavior. Hope this helps.


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