# What is your favourite peacock or hap?



## kribby (Oct 26, 2010)

I've been thinking of growing out a small colony of peacocks or haps in one of my tanks and I was just looking for ideas. So I was wondering if anyone had a particular favorite and why?


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## BoilerFan (Jun 20, 2010)

That's a tough call, but I am a fan of:

Haps:

I keep:
Taiwan Reef: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=1235 (Have a sub-adult just coloring up in my tank, love it :thumb: ).

I wish I kept:
Star Sapphire http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=1218
Electra http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=1204
Otopharynx Lithobates Z-Rock http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=2292 (want one of these baaaad :drooling: )

Peacocks:

I keep:
Walteri http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=1415 (mine looks like Photo 5, love this guy)
Lwanda http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... php?id=663 (mine is a 3" F1 juvenile barely colored, tinge of blue, dorsal blaze visible but not colored much)
Albino Eureka Red http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=1378

I have several others, but those are my favorites.

I am sooooo bad at "favorite" questions


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## kribby (Oct 26, 2010)

oooo, the Otopharynx lithobates are gorgeous! I am not sure if I can get those around here though... but I do work at a fish store so it might be possible if I beg my boss lol!

Also, the P. Electra are gorgeous too, we have a few at work I could get for a little colony 

I had to laugh a little when you mentioned the star sapphire though, I have about 80 of them ranging in size from fry to 5-6" juvies. They are one of my favorites though. If I can't find another fish I like as much I migth have to dedicate another tank to them


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## BoilerFan (Jun 20, 2010)

I was at the GCCA Swap last weekend and I could have picked up a lithobates for $25 pretty easily, but I had pre-ordered most of my fish and was on a tight budget. The wife would had my head and my fish budget would have been $0 for the foreseeable future :roll: I had to take a pass and wait for another day.


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## Kerricko (May 26, 2010)

Aulonocara Maylandi is one of my favorite fish. The pictures in the forum profile don't really do the fish Justice.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=653

I also like the Z-rock Lithos. Beautiful fish.


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## mmz3 (Sep 7, 2009)

i like Sciaenochromis fryeri you can't go wrong with these guys there colour is always awsome.
and another of my favs is Nimbochromis venustus. the males are stunning with the blue head and yellow blaze.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Placidochromis electra. The hap sold as Tramitichromis intermedius. Stuartgranti maleri and Stuartgranti Mdoka flametail.


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## BoilerFan (Jun 20, 2010)

Checkout the Lwanda and Lithobates in this post:

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/view ... p?t=219975 :drooling:


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

Protomelas sp. "Spilonotus Tanzania" (Liuli) - very peaceful for his size. Had a breeding group for a bit but they were too much for a 90 gallon tank.

Feb. 2010 - with sub-adult labs to give his size.










Aug 2010










Nov 2010










The Hap I would most like that I don't have, as a breeding group, would be Placidochromis Phenochilus "Mdoka White Lip" males and females are both violet blue.

Good Luck finding them... :roll:


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

What size tank?

Really, there are dozens and dozens of nice fish, as long as they are well bred. really, what you can get in quality is best.

Fossochromis make an interesting large tank group. Benga Baenschi Peacock make a nice less aggressive group. Can't go wrong with Maulana Bi-Color or Flametail Peacocks. Taiwan Reef Red and Red Empress make great Haps, but the quality in breeding has gone way down. The Protomelas sp. "Spilonotus Tanzania" (Liuli) is indeed a beautiful medium large meek Hap, maybe mix with a Peacock.


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## kribby (Oct 26, 2010)

I had one Protomelas sp. "Spilonotus Tanzania" (Liuli) pair a while ago, they are indeed an awesome fish, but I had to let him go at the time to make room for more Placidochromis plenochilus. They would be an interesting fish to have back again! Or Even the White lipped versions of the PPs though I thought the females were brown for that variety.

Ugh, too many options and they are all beautiful fish! I think I will rue the day I asked for suggestions.

As to the size of the tank, I'd be keeping them in a 55 gallon to grow out and then moving them up to something 6 foot or so.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

kribby said:


> Or Even the White lipped versions of the PPs though I thought the females were brown for that variety.


Nope, blue just like the males from everything I have researched - kills me you can't get them.

Google images "Placidochromis white lips" bunch of shots from Germany.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Scieanochromis fryeri


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## CichlidStore (Apr 2, 2009)

wow tough question, i would have to agree on some of the mentioned species.

P. Electra are beautiful fish.
Z-rock blaze are very colorful as well.
The Lwandas are pretty amazing too.

It is so hard to decide. Just get more tanks!!!


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## kribby (Oct 26, 2010)

GoofBoy said:


> kribby said:
> 
> 
> > Or Even the White lipped versions of the PPs though I thought the females were brown for that variety.
> ...


Ooo, a challenge. Well I think I found my next hap. It would be interresting to have a colonies of both varieties of PPs. I think I know where I might be able to get some of the white lipped variety as well. Though it will take some hunting.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

I know someone who has about 5 colonies of the white lipped. They probably have plenty of fry. Not sure if they'll ship to Halifax, but can ask if you want. Really, others really like them... I don't think they are much. The regular phenochilus are a gorgeous fish though... it is a shame that I can't seem to mix them with fryeri... they seem to hate each other.


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## kribby (Oct 26, 2010)

It would be awesome if you could ask your friend for me, Fogelhund. I would love to get some fry to grow out. I think that is the most interesting part of fish keeping.

I wonder why they don't mix with the fryeri... I didn't think they looked that similar, but who knows what fish are thinking.


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## limpert (Aug 28, 2007)

A venustus I bred way back when...


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## Liquid_Pyro (Jan 7, 2010)

I will have to throw in another vote for the Sciaenochromis fryeri...one of my first fish

However, trying to switch to some peacocks right now as they are usually a bit smaller


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## DrgRcr (Jun 23, 2009)

I just really got my all male tank going, but here are a couple of my early favorites.

As mentioned above, O. Lithobates Z-Rock. Picked him up at auction last week.









Aul. Turkis









Ruby Red


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## Glaneon (Sep 27, 2010)

My new Sciaenochromis fryeri (Electric Blue) - been working for like 2 hours trying to get a good picture of him!

Here's my best - and no touch up!


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## tranced (Jan 11, 2006)

cant go past taiwan reef imo! they dont get too massive and are fairly peaceful... i have a 4" male living with a bunch of gold occy fry that are well under 1" long, he is not eating them !!


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## Glaneon (Sep 27, 2010)

I plan on doing an all-male and a taiwan reef is going to be one of my first choices.


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## BoilerFan (Jun 20, 2010)

That's a sweet one. Mine is starting to color up nice, but he's a little thuggish in appearance


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## rsuarez1982 (Sep 2, 2006)

if i were to choose, it would be a few that are no longer with me - A. Maylandi,Ngara flametail,C. Azureus,C. Melas,P. Pheno, and of course S. Fryeri My Fryeri is still alive and well, lol. He's my oldest at almost 4 years. BTW, the photos of the azureus and melas don't do the fish justice in real life.


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## kribby (Oct 26, 2010)

You know, there are just too many nice species of fish to choose from. Too bad I can't just get more tanks and keep them all!


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## gverde (Mar 3, 2010)

I recently purchased a 6-7 in. show male Phenochilus Tanzania. He is becoming one of my favorites. He is beautiful and peaceful and will always come to me when I approach the tank. He isn't shy at all. Also purchased a 6-7 in. WC male D. Kiwinge last weekend. He is real cool and very active. I like my peacocks too especially my Ngara flametail and Lawanda.


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## PiePuncher (Feb 1, 2005)

Man... There is so many nice haps to be had. I am with goof boy on the Prot. Tanzania. I also love my Taiwan Reef and German Red. Shoot, even my tangerine Tiger and Tyrannochromis nigriventer are awesome. Guess its really up to you. The pic someone posted on the ruby red is of a young red male, they look 100 times better as adults. Find what you like most and find to be the most colorful and get it. The only factor in what you can keep really comes down to the size of your tank. Hap and peacock tanks look awesome. Everyone that comes over and sees our fish thinks they are saltwater but they just have no clue...........
Here is an adult red. German red but the ruby with also be solid when older. this one is about 7 inches and as big as my hand.








Taiwan Reef








Even borleyi can be pretty


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## xWingman48 (Apr 8, 2008)

> Here is an adult red. German red but the ruby with also be solid when older. this one is about 7 inches and as big as my hand.


PiePuncher, Is that a demasoni in the background there? How is that working out for you in a Peacock tank? I'd love a dem, but I'm worried one would tear any peacocks apart.

As an aside, my favorite hap so far has been my Lwanda peacock

















He's always out front and almost always all flared up like that, and he's not even the dominant fish in the tank.

Agreed though, you can't go wrong with a good Lithobates or Fryeri


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## PiePuncher (Feb 1, 2005)

I now only keep two kinds of mbuna with my haps and peacocks. I have 1 demasoni and four yellow labs. The demasoni has been around since 2005 and the tank is his. He does not mess with anyone. Demasoni tend to only be aggressive towards their own kind. Plus most of the peacocks and haps are 5-8 inches long and they all just ignore each other. He is my favorite little guy and I would be sad without him..lol When it comes time to catch a fish to strip fry, the demasoni makes sure they do not get into my 75+lb holey rock. He makes my life easy!!!


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## GSXRKID74 (Jun 27, 2009)

That's pretty much like asking me what playboy centerfold I like the best.... :lol:

I like em all!

All of the above opinion's are great choices!
:thumb:


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