# Mixing african Rift lakes cichlids?



## johnchor (Apr 2, 2011)

Dear folks,

need your advice.
is it possible to mix 3 different rift lakes cichlids?

i was thinking of getting a 4ft tank and doing a "Community african rift lake tank".
i intend to keep an all Male tank:

below are some cichlids i have in mind:
most of these are the more commonly seen and cheaper fishes except Pundamilia nyererei.

1) 1*Labidochromis caeruleus (Malawi)
2) 1*Aulonocara stuartgranti (Cobue) (Malawi)
3) 1*Neolamprologus brichardi (Tanganyika)
4) 1*Pundamilia nyererei (Victoria)
5) 1* Synodontis petricola (Tanganyika)

i have read that Pundamilia nyererei is very aggressive?

thanks and have a nice day


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

If you switch the nyererei to Astatotilapia latifacsiata it would work. I would do 5 Synodontis petricola (or lucipinnis) however.

And I think you would want twice as many males.


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## johnchor (Apr 2, 2011)

hi DJ

thanks for advice.

how about switching Pundamilia nyererei to Haplochromis sp. "Ruby Green"?

Astatotilapia latifacsiata does not look appealing to me...


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I was advised the ruby green male would not color up unless there were females present. Same for Christmas Fulu.


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## johnchor (Apr 2, 2011)

DJRansome said:


> I was advised the ruby green male would not color up unless there were females present. Same for Christmas Fulu.


Thanks DJ

for giving this tip on ruby green.

can you recommend a Victorian cichlid which looks good and suitable for my setup?

i really like Pundamilia nyererei but too bad it is too aggressive...


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

johnchor said:


> can you recommend a Victorian cichlid which looks good and suitable for my setup?


No I have the same issues, as you can see I have asked about a bunch of them. I do have the Astatotilapia and plan on the Pundamilia for my demasoni tank when I can find some.


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## awilson0001 (Sep 2, 2010)

in my 125 i have a Pundamilia nyererei with my malawi. he does fine.
it may depend on the fish's personality. i did add a second pun at one time and the whole tank balance changed. but i removed it and all was well again.

i say try it. just get the malawi first and let them make it a home.
but it is true... they are aggressive.


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## awilson0001 (Sep 2, 2010)




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## johnchor (Apr 2, 2011)

awilson0001 said:


>


hi awilson

from your experience is Pundamilia nyererei more aggressive then malawi mbuna?

because i am keeping some rather docile fishes
eg: yellow lab, blue peacock, bichardi and syndontis catfish

thanks!


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## awilson0001 (Sep 2, 2010)

i do agree with DJ that they are agressive. in a seperate aquarium i had 2 males and 7 female. the one male beat the other one pretty bad and picks on the females. a lot of that is from females being there.
the larger one in my 125 did get agressive with others when a second male was added, but chilled after removing it.

my tank holds clown loaches, labs, acei, ob peacocks, blue ahli, red zebra, lwanda(i think it is called), and syndontis cats.

the pun does not run this tank, but he does hold his own for sure.
i have a lively larger lab that goes in circles with him and the red zebra. fun to watch opcorn:


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## johnchor (Apr 2, 2011)

hi folks,

i have went to the local LFS and asked around the owners, apparently none carry Pundamilia nyererei.

only astatotilapia latifacsiata is found...
victorian cichlids seems rather rare here....

i saw only astatotilapia latifacsiata and some "RED jewel cichlids" 

is it a good workable idea to keep red jewel cichild with african rift lakes cichlids?
i know red jewel cichild are from rivers instead...

or astatotilapia latifacsiata would be a better choice? :roll:

thanks


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I was advised (broken record :lol: ) that a jewel will not color up without a female in the tank.


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## Florida-Guy (Jul 15, 2010)

Hey johnchor how about you try Zebra obliquidens, they are not as aggressive as some of the other lake vic. fish although if you get only one male he my not color up completely. I have a male ruby green and no females and he is colored up very nice so sometimes they will though


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## awilson0001 (Sep 2, 2010)

i have a zebra in one of my tanks and he also has color. i was gonna say the same thing about the aggression. zebras seem like a good possibility


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## johnchor (Apr 2, 2011)

awilson0001 said:


> i have a zebra in one of my tanks and he also has color. i was gonna say the same thing about the aggression. zebras seem like a good possibility


hi folks

thanks for your good advice.

i have search here locally LFS and the only 2 Victoria cichlids they carry are
1) Astatotilapia latifasciata
2) Haplochromis sp. "Thick skin"

i can't find any Pundamilia nyererei here and i am not allow to order online because i do not have a import license according to local law. 

comparing Astatotilapia latifasciata and Haplochromis sp. "Thick skin"

i prefer Haplochromis sp. "Thick skin" male color. looks as good as Pundamilia nyererei.

but i read here that Haplochromis sp. "Thick skin" is very aggressive!!! 

i just wonder if a single 1inch male Haplochromis sp. "Thick skin" is going to be "ok" for my comm tank. :-?

thanks alot


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## johnchor (Apr 2, 2011)

hi folks,

as advice i have got myself a trio of Astatotilapia latifacsiata! 

anyway i noticed my male blue peacock is very aggressive with them?

Strange to me... :-?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

A trio? That is not likely to work well in an all-male tank. If you have introduced females you can expect all the existing males to become aggressive.

In addition, it is not unusual to have compatability problems with an all-male tank. What works for one may not work for someone else. Remove the two females and give them a couple weeks to adjust, assuming there is no physical damage or just the occasional nip.


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## johnchor (Apr 2, 2011)

DJRansome said:


> A trio? That is not likely to work well in an all-male tank. If you have introduced females you can expect all the existing males to become aggressive.
> 
> In addition, it is not unusual to have compatability problems with an all-male tank. What works for one may not work for someone else. Remove the two females and give them a couple weeks to adjust, assuming there is no physical damage or just the occasional nip.


ok roger, DJ thanks for advice.

i will remove my zebra females.

y the peacock is interested in zebra females? they looked different.. :fish:


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

All mouth brooders can crossbreed. If there are not females of his species, the male will spawn with any available female.


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## johnchor (Apr 2, 2011)

hi DJ

after searching on the internet for pictures of Astatotilapia latifasciata.

i have found that all my 3 zebras are males!!! 

2 looked like females because they are still juvenile fishes 1.5inch
cos they spot a yellow body and broken black bar

the females on internet pics are only slivery with black strips.

1 bigger male at 2 inch is definately a male. with nice yellow and red body with nice black bars.

is it possible to keep 3 males zebras together?

thanks


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## awilson0001 (Sep 2, 2010)

females have yellow bodies as well with black bars, just no red color.
all four of my females have yellow.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

They will fight, but try it and see. Just have a plan for what you will do with the other two.


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