# 55g Less Aggressive Stocking



## ReelBigFish (Mar 14, 2019)

Please can you suggest a stocking on the peaceful end of the cichlid scale for a 55 gallon. I would prefer not to have to buy multiple fish that I then have to remove, that was my problem with Mbunas.

I already have 6 Synodontis Petricola that I would like to keep. I knows they will eat fry, that's fine.

A shoal of Cyprichromis looks ideal, what would be a good choice along with them.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I have nothing to suggest if you never want to remove fish and you want to keep the Petricola. BTW most likely the Petricola are lucipinnis.


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## ReelBigFish (Mar 14, 2019)

Well I won't say never remove but it seems like the Tanganyika cichlids are less aggressive than Mbunas in general right? I just don't want to have to buy 10 fish to get a pair. I don't mind removing the occasional problem fish.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

You have to buy 6 to get a pair for many Tanganyikans. Removing 4 fish.

For mbuna you buy 8 and remove extra males...maybe 3 fish. So same idea.

If you got rid of the Synodontis you could do multifaciatus and cyps. You probably would not have to remove fish.

I do not find the Tanganyikans less aggressive than mbuna. If you have the right fish and the right tank, things work out.


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## ReelBigFish (Mar 14, 2019)

DJRansome said:


> You have to buy 6 to get a pair for many Tanganyikans. Removing 4 fish.
> 
> For mbuna you buy 8 and remove extra males...maybe 3 fish. So same idea.
> 
> ...


Yeah, I mean I don't need the fish which you can only have a pair of. I'll have ones that can be kept in groups. For example the Cyprichromis are mostly stocked in shoals.

I like the Synos so don't really want to get rid of them. Why can't they be kept with multis? Just because they'll eat the fry?


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## sir_keith (Oct 30, 2018)

(1) _Mbuna are more aggressive than Tanganyikans._

(2) _Tanganyikans are more aggressive than Mbuna._

Neither of these statements is true, because they are both so overly general as to be meaningless. Which Mbuna? Which Tanganyikans?

As for your tank, if you are intent on keeping 6 _Synodontis_ in a 55, forget about keeping any Tanganyikans in the lower half of the water column unless you already have a robust, well-established pair (_e. g. Neolamprologus leleupi_) that can fend off the catfish (thus, no Multi's): there just isn't enough space. Small cyps will be (mostly) OK in the upper half of the water column, but beyond that, the Syno's really limit your options. Good luck.


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