# new to vics.....suggestions for 55 gallon stocking



## RTAGUE (Jun 20, 2007)

Hi guys,I've been keeping malawis for a couple of years and would like to stock a 55 with some nice colorful Vics,any suggestions for species an numbers would be greatly appreciated.Thanks in advance.


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## samaki (Oct 25, 2002)

Hi 
yu may house 2 species together but yu'll have to choose between very different body form and colour for the males. for example yu can house H.rockribensis with some Neochromis rufocaudalis or H;chilotes or P nyererei but avoid keeping close colored species together such as Kyoga flameback with ruby green or flameback or phytophagus or nyererei.Keep one or at least 3 males with 4 to 5 females.Yu'll need a lots of hidings (a rock pile is necessary needed in case of keeping rock dwellings fishes)
xris


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## Maddog (Nov 7, 2008)

i have yellow labs, red zebras,venutus, rusties, blue johanni's, 
they are all small now... and lots of places to hide, 
it;s good for everyone.


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## patrickeriksson (May 26, 2007)

Fish that have worked well together for me in a tank that size is Xystichromis sp. "flameback" and Paralabidochromis sp. "rock kribensis". No agression issues between the two species and no noticable interest in crossbreeding. Great color combination as well. I would start with 8-10 of each, and as samaki mentioned, 1 or 3 males or more. Two males will simply not work (I have tried).

Another maybe odd combination that works for me is Paralabidochromis sp. "redfin piebald" and Astatotilapia nubila.

Lipochromis sp. "matumbi hunter" seem to work with pretty much anything. A group of these could possibly be added as a third species in a 55 gallon if you keep two smaller groups (1+4) of for example Xystichromis sp. "flameback" and Paralabidochromis sp. "rock kribensis".

Haplochromis sp. "ruby green" and Paralabidochromis sp. "redfin piebald" is a well tested combination that usually works really well.


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