# Mix 55g Cichlid tank



## Someguy9812 (Aug 5, 2007)

Hello,

Can someone help me choose some colorful easier to keep cichlids that would work in a 55g tank. I want to have at least 1 convict and some yellow labs. What else could I keep in there... something blue and something red if possible.

Thanks


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

It would be easier to keep if you choose all your cichlids from one locale and don't mix Africans with SA or CA.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

DJRansome said:


> It would be easier to keep if you choose all your cichlids from one locale and don't mix Africans with SA or CA.


Why? Convicts seem to get on just fine with mbuna... Atleast in my experience...

What else do you like Someguy9812? Tell us what you like and we'll tell you yay or nay


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## aFinFan (Jul 29, 2009)

"Why? Convicts seem to get on just fine with mbuna... Atleast in my experience...",now am saying this with utmost respect for TFG but you have huge tanks maybe thats Why you have had good luck  I agree with DJ.I've seen con's make short work of mbuna in smaller tanks and mixing localities goes against the grain for me(just my opinion-like elbows eveyone has them  )Someguy9812 there are a lot of blue n red cichlids, troll through the profile library identify what you like and the pro's on here can give you some great advice.An TFG go easy on me LOL what would you charge for a swim in the 1500 :lol:


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

You can also look at the cookie cutter sugestions for a 55g in the Library section. It gives several senarios (peacefull, semi-aggressive, aggressive), groupings from various locations and some options for species choices.

Cookie Cutters for 55g

There are more species that will work than are listed here, but its a great place to start.


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## Someguy9812 (Aug 5, 2007)

Hello thanks for the suggestions. Does anyone think this would work out?

1 M Convict(i really like convicts, and if I keep a lone male then aggression shouldnt get too high since no breeding)
1M&1F Metriaclima estherae (Red Zebra)
1M&1F Pseudotropheus saulosi (do these have a common name they go by?)
1M&1F Pseudotropheus sp. "Acei" (yellow tail acei)
3 Labidochromis caeruleus (hard to sex?)

That is 10 fish, cookie cutter says I can have up to 12, so I may get another female zebra and another female acei.

Would It be better if i got them small and let them grow into the tank. If I do get them small should i get a couple more of each and then thin them out when they get larger?


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

If you are hottly intent on a convict, then get a female. A male can still cause territorial issues in a tank that size, plus the females have better color.

The rest of the species are not a good mix. First off they are not pairing fish. Each species should have 1 male with 3-5 females otherwise the males spawing aggression with end up killing the females, not to mention the crossing of species.

Next labs and Red Zebra should never be housed together as they almost seem to prefer breeding together than with their own. The female saulosi will likely mix in there too as they are very, very similar to the zebra females and the male zebra won't care one bit.

The cookie cutter states "pick 3 species with a max of 12 fish", this means 3 species and having 1m/3f of each.


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## aFinFan (Jul 29, 2009)

I guess my theory about mixing CA/SA cichlids with Africans is the difference in fin behaviour or how they communicate.They speak different languages,dont understand each others warning signals an problems arise.Nothing surpises me with cichlids tho anything is possible many people have mixed successfully with no issues,*** just never been one to do it.Ok I'm done just wanted to put my extra two cents in sorry


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

CAs in some cases can mix with africans as their water requirement are very similar. SA need much softer, acidic water to thrive.


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

Not all of my tanks are "huge" Only four of them are considered huge. The rest are 75's and smaller, including four 55's

As we type I have a group of convicts with saulosi.... they just deal with each other... no deaths thus far... in a 55... Convicts would not last 30 seconds in the 1500...


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## aFinFan (Jul 29, 2009)

I apologize for being a stick in the mud


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## Someguy9812 (Aug 5, 2007)

I think I am going to start off with labs and convicts.

I shall see where I go from there .


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

aFinFan said:


> I apologize for being a stick in the mud


you're not a stick in the mud. You like what you like. A klot of people don't mix africans and old world cichlids.

As for the different water conditions needed... I strongly disagree with this unless you're keeping wild caught or F1 fish.

The fish the op wants to keep have been bred generation after generation in tap water... As long as obvious territories are made there shouldn't be too much of an issue...


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

aFinFan said:


> I've seen con's make short work of mbuna in smaller tanks


You had evidence to share and you shared it. So did Number6. That means a 50/50 chance with current evidence, not enough for me to try it, LOL.

I also agree with your preferences. I'm looking for a slice of the lake, so mixing is out for me. Except I do mix synos and ancistrus, so I cheat on the cats.


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## hey_wood1981 (Apr 7, 2004)

I had a baby convict that my brother put in my 55 gallon mixed malawi tank. The convict lived in the rockwork for a while to avoid becoming lunch. As it got larger it stopped hiding and got a long with everyone just fine. I liked it in there because it really stuck out from the rest of the fish in the tank.


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## oldcatfish (May 27, 2009)

Convicts will be fine with most other pugnacious cichlids, including mbuna. Just have a lot of rockwork on one side of the tank, and a single cave or piece of driftwood on the other---with about a foot of space in between. The mbuna will stay over the rocks most of the time and the convict will likely choose the more open area. If you have an oddball convict that prefers the rocks---just make the whole tank like you would any mbuna tank. Don't overstock the mbuna too much though...the convict needs a bit of space.

And by the way, this method works for virtually all of the Central American cichlids mixed with mbuna...as long as you don't have large predators involved.


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