# new display tank help needed



## Toot (Oct 28, 2013)

Hi evryone,

I have recently built my 6x2x2 tank into the wall in the hall way of my home. It is the perfect place to have a display tank..

my only problem is that i generally house large American cichlids and im not to educated on community type tanks..

Could someone please help and give advice on what you think would be a great bunch of fish for me to put in my display tank.

im am looking for lots of fish and lots of colour... My wife likes pretty fish .. she wont let me keep Monsta fish in the display tank


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## rmcder (Jul 9, 2005)

"Lots of fish" implies small fish and fish which don't mind being crowded, so I think you're in the right place. Sounds like a situation made for mbuna. I've coming over here from New World cichlids also, so I'm still trying to learn, but your 6' tank gives you more options for variety than my 4' tank. 180g?


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## Toot (Oct 28, 2013)

yes its a 180 gal tnk .

so you suggest mbuna


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## Cichlidman14 (Jul 17, 2013)

So lucky on the 180 can't wait to get mine! I would advise 6-8 species of rock dwelling mbuna which are in a variety of colors. Or you could do an all male peacock/ halo tank. If your wife wants colors these are more stunning then mbuna. First make your choice and then we can talk about stocking.


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## rmcder (Jul 9, 2005)

Toot said:


> yes its a 180 gal tnk .
> 
> so you suggest mbuna


As Cichlidman14 said, the choice seems to be peacocks+haps or mbuna. Based purely on my short exposure, it appears to me that mbuna have the advantage if you're looking for smaller fish, greater density, and 'school-like' color schemes - You tend to get several sets of five or six fish which look identical. My impression is that there is also more activity with mbuna. Mbuna require/enjoy more rockwork.

Peacocks+haps, otoh, seem to run a little bigger generally, and the males, at least, are individually more spectacularly colored (multiple colors per fish), but you tend to get color singletons rather than several of the same coloration. Unless you have an all-male tank, you may also have some fairly drab-looking females. I get the impression that a lot of folks going to the peacock+hap combination try for all-male tanks for that reason. This group seems to prefer having at least SOME open spaces.

Both possibilities are colorful, but different. I haven't completely decided which way to go myself.

If I've made any factual errors, I'm sure someone will correct me....


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## Toot (Oct 28, 2013)

thank you for the comments.

there somthing that keeping me back from getting africans in general ... i dont know what it is..

I really dont know! what im going to do

my wife wanted a tank full of discus ..

still very stumped.


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## Cichlidman14 (Jul 17, 2013)

I know its a tough decision considerin your goin to hae the tank and fish for a while. I have never kept discus but have wanted too. They require the opposite of hard water softwater and love a planted tank in a shoal of them. When you decide what ours want to keep Africans or South American tell me and then we can talk about stocking.


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## Bowfront (Jun 3, 2013)

I honestly mean that if I had a 180 gallon tank I would put a little of everything, Mbuna, Peacocks, Haps and tangs in it. Go crazy because you have the size to do so.
.


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## Cichlidman14 (Jul 17, 2013)

Hah ha, I would love to see tht tank


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## Toot (Oct 28, 2013)

previously in this tank of mine i had .

1 red devil
1 festae 
3 flower horn
2 green sevrums
5 convics
1 jaguar
1 trimac
and 2 trimac x Jaguar hybrids

all pretty much adult size and living almost in harmony ... was an amazing tank to look at but the wife doesnt like the monster looking fish... she like pretty colourfull fish - lol


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