# mixed lakes



## Robchester_2000 (Nov 8, 2008)

i know its not to everyones liking, but i was thinking of combinations for when i get my larger tank.
I currently have 3 altolamp comps, and was wondering if anyone had ever mixed these with peacocks? i had all the seachem chemicals for malawi cichlids left over, so i have been using them for my comps, and they are thriving, so they are already in a malawi type water situation. i know mbuna are a no-no because they would inhabit the same area as comps, and probably bully them, but i believe peacocks are far more easy going?
let me know if i'm completely barking up the wrong tree.


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## mainganio (Jul 20, 2008)

at my LFS they used to have a tank. which had mbunas,peacocks,comps and frontosas.They were fine together no bullying,chasing or anything.The tank was really peaceful.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I think you can come closer to pulling it off with peacocks, but some are more aggressive than others, so I would stay away from them. (I have an OB peacock male and a jacobfriebergi male that terrorize my mbuna at times...)

If you want to add an extra splash of colour to the tank since the female peacocks are so drab, try adding a group of Yellow labs.

Mainly, you want to stay away from aggressive spawning behaviour when you mix, and try to keep it to where the slower moving fish can actually get to the food and not be too stressed out.

It can be done, you just have to make good choices.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

I've mixed some of the smaller, more peaceful Aulonocara, in with large wildcaught Alto. calvus. The Aulonocara were Neon Blue Dorsal. There were no aggression issues, but I had to specifically feed the Altolamps, as they weren't fast enough to get enough food. In addition, the pair had been regular breeders for two years, and stopped breeding when I added the Aulonocara, and didn't start again until they were removed. The fish can coexist together, but I wouldn't call it ideal.


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## Robchester_2000 (Nov 8, 2008)

okay, so its really not a great situation to put peacocks in with comps...
what colorful fish can i put in a 55 with some comps? 
(i'm under pressure to make this 'too big' tank at least attractive! lol)


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## chapman76 (Jun 30, 2004)

Depends on what you're going for in the tank. You could get some Cyprichromis or rainbows to fill the upper water column. They'll add a lot of color and activity.

Then it depends if you want a large open sandbed or more rocks. If you want more rocks, go for some Paracyprichromis or some Juliochromis species. If you want an open sand bed, there are many sanddwellers and shellies you could use. While a lot of Tangs don't have a hit you in the face bright color (except Cyps), many have good coloring and great personalities.


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Lelupi are the most colorful fish that I think would go with the comps! I had peacocks, it didn't work out for me.


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## pmac (Dec 1, 2008)

I'm thinking about adding an altolamp comp into my mostly mbuna mix. I guess it's all trial and error, although I really hope it works out, I think Altolamps are really nice looking fish! I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't agree with the mixture of fish I have in there already, but so far no problems.

.. Except when I tried introducing a couple of Gouramis... The pearl gourami is still there today and hasn't got a single nip on his fins, he seems to keep up just fine at feeding time, and even pushes his way in to get the food! but the gold gourami got ripped to shreds about an hour after I put him in there 

Not too sure what happened there, maybe they didn't like the colour of him, even my Juv Frontosa got in on it, I think the only fish that didnt attack him was my Yellow lab.


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## Robchester_2000 (Nov 8, 2008)

lol gold gouramis make excellent, if a little expensive, feeder fish.....


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## pmac (Dec 1, 2008)

Haha, yeah I realized that, any ideas why they would've left the pearl one alone? It actually seems to boss some of the cichlids around sometimes :? (it uses it's pointy red fins like arms and pushes them out of the way to make room at feeding time)


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## Robchester_2000 (Nov 8, 2008)

no idea, i heard of someone who had a guppy  that bossed their cichlids around, i'm guessing it eventually got eaten, but for a while it was top dog! :lol:


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## bernie comeau (Feb 19, 2007)

pmac said:


> .. Except when I tried introducing


Introducing new fish into an established cichlid tank can be tricky. The new fish is an intruder. If it gets scared and nervous, especially with aggressive mbuna, it will get picked on. All it takes sometimes is one fish to start picking on the new fish and it draws the attention of the rest of the tank. Mbuna don't always give new fish a chance to establish themselves.

To successfully introduce new fish sometimes requires the temporary removal of some or all of the established fish, re-arrangement of the decor plus a water change. And sometimes that is not even enough; the new fish needs time to establish itself. You really got to keep an eye on newly introduced fish and be ready to remove it, should it get picked on too much.

Bear in mind as well, that mbuna will usually establish themselves VERY quickly, even in comparison to most cichlids.
The fact that your mbuna picked on the one Gourami probably allowed the other Gourami a chance: a little more time to get used to the tank and establish itself, while the others attention was directed at the scared and fleeing gourami. The gourami that made it probably wasn't quite as scared and nervous at the time of introduction (?).


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## Robchester_2000 (Nov 8, 2008)

okay, so i'm thinking my comps, and a group of yellow labs, and maybe one or two more peaceful male peacocks, once i get the bigger tank, hmmm do you think bribery or begging will convince the wife quicker?  tho she did admit my little tank was beautiful, so i`m getting there!


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## Robchester_2000 (Nov 8, 2008)

wow my post was so awesome it came up twice.


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