# Newb question....Am I going to have trouble?



## kb3781 (Jul 22, 2008)

Now that I am educating myself on this forum, it seems like I may have made a big mistake.

A friend of mine gave me 13 Malawi cichlids to start my new 120 gallon long tank. He gave me 7 yellow labs and 6 other unidentifiable Mbuna (they are a cream color but I can't ID them).
The fish range in size from 1 inch to 5 inches.
Without knowing any better, I added 4 female convicts, 2 Acei, and 3 Frontosa (Burundi).
All of the new fish appear to be juveniles and currently all are less than 3 inches long.

Everything I read on this forum tells me this was a very bad thing to do. However, they have all been existing happily together for about 6 weeks now and I have not had a single fish die and nobody seems to be picking on anybody else.
After all that I have read on this forum, I don't get it....am I just lucky or am I in for big trouble down the road???


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

Juveniles can lull you into a false sense of security in that an initially peaceful tank now might turn into a mess later.

Your acei's are fine. Your labs are fine.

You need to find out what your cream-colored mbuna are, though, before you know for sure what you're in for. Post a photo for folks to help you identify them. They may be OK or they may be trouble.

Convicts are not malawi and should be removed.

I've not done frontosa, so can't talk from experience, but usually folks are told they need a species-only tank.


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## BurgerKing (Jul 1, 2008)

Your fronts probably wont be happy with mbuna. The size of your tank is good for them but even yellow labs might stress them too much.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

BurgerKing said:


> Your fronts probably wont be happy with mbuna. The size of your tank is good for them but even yellow labs might stress them too much.


Actually, the fronts will eat the Yellow labs once they mature. 

For long term success with the tank, you do need to make some changes.

Fronts aren't going to do well with mbuna...They will eat them, and prefer to be in colonies with their own kind. Great fish, but need a 6 ft tank...

The convicts could spell real trouble if by chance you are wrong on the sex and they pair off and start breeding, they don't really belong with the mbuna, either.

All these fish from the different regions/lakes have different needs (water and diet) and behaviour - both aggression wise and spawning wise.

What do you want from the tank?

Colour? High activity level? Breeding?


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## kb3781 (Jul 22, 2008)

Thanks everyone for your input.
I identifed the unknowns as Pseudotropheus Flamebacks
So I have:
7 Yellow Labs
6 Flamebacks
2 Acei
4 convicts 
3 Frontosa

I am pretty sure all the convicts are female because they all have the red spots on their tummies. Also, I probably would have seen some action by now if they weren't.

Looks like the Fronts are going to be my big problem.
I guess I learned the lesson about researching first the hard way. Also I learned the lesson about not listening to the guy at the LFS who told me as long as they are all cichlids they will be fine together.


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## GJx (Mar 13, 2003)

Also I learned the lesson about not listening to the guy at the LFS who told me as long as they are all cichlids they will be fine together.

LOL :lol:

Not saying that you are lying or anything, but it's hard to believe that anyone would say THAT with a straight face!!

But I've seen & heard of it happening sooo many times, that it's become commonplace.


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## kb3781 (Jul 22, 2008)

Not so hard to believe when the guy is a 16 year old kid.
I've learned a lot in the last 4 weeks. A month ago I thought you just walked into the store, bought some fish and put them in some treated water with a filter on the tank.

Now I know all about the different lakes in Africa, PH, Nitrites, Nitrates, Cycling....all sorts of fun stuff. I'm just amazed I didn't kill any fish. I must have some strong fish...

I hope I can find an LFS that will take my Fronts for credit.... they are beautiful and the fins seem almost neon. I will miss them....Maybe I just need to buy a second tank lol.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

kb3781 said:


> Maybe I just need to buy a second tank lol.


Go ahead...You know you want to... :lol:

I'm sure there is some furniture you don't need if you don't have the space for a 6 ft tank!

You'll stop when you're seating your guests in the floor!


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## gunk (Jun 23, 2008)

Convicts don't get much bigger than the average Mbuna and if they aren't breeding they won't be too aggressive. I have a bunch of juveniles in a community tank and they just roam around the plants and driftwood and rocks. They also tend to do well in higher pH levels that mbuna's prefer. So if you really want to keep them in there you might get away with it. However, they are from completely different parts of the world and can be unpredictable, especially when they are mature, so keep a close eye on them if you want to keep them.


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