# Mixing African with Central / South American



## tim_s (Nov 27, 2011)

*Reviewing the description first: Is adding 1 of the following a good idea to expand the selection of stock?*​
Strongly agree00.00%Agree316.67%Disagree633.33%Strongly disagree950.00%


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## tim_s (Nov 27, 2011)

Hi Everyone,

This is more for my education than anything and feel free to only leave a vote rather than engage in any written disagreement.

Let's start off with a scenario,

Established 90 G tank brought up to 8.0 PH and 80 Temperature and contains Yellow Labs, Red Zebra's and Salousi.

Question: Is adding 1 of the following,

A. Jack Dempsey
B. Green Terror
C. Convict

,a good idea to expand the selection of stock?


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## gverde (Mar 3, 2010)

I have a 220 gal with a mixture of about 20 male peacocks and haps. Included with them is my 2 Central Americans. 10" male Jack Dempsey and a male 9" Midas. The 2 get along fine and they get along fine with all the africans. The Central Americans are less aggressive than the Africans. Maybe its due to the large tank size but as far as water parameters, the CA have been fine in the 8 plus ph. They have been together with the africans for 2 years now.


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## newforestrob (Feb 1, 2010)

I know you probaly threw thos species together for a hypo. situation,but I wouldnt mix those three together,I wouldnt mix the listed fish with them,but I would mix fish from different lakes together,an example some victorians can be mixed with mbuna,or actually my nicholsi would probably be okay as well


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## tim_s (Nov 27, 2011)

Yes this is very hypothetical - - I am personally not a big believer in mixing African's and Central / South American cichlids but I know others have had zero issues and I am just collecting over-all views and seeing where the majority lays on this subject.

In the short time I have been on this forum I see people mixing regions on a regular occurrence and I wanted to create a fall-back thread to share with people considering the idea where opinions will be mixed in with my own.

It is meant to be both educating to myself and for future people.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I think the convict might be OK, but the terror and JD have a significant number of "failure" stories if you search Cichlid-forum.

Don't forget to look for examples where the successful mix has lasted two years or more.


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## tim_s (Nov 27, 2011)

DJRansome said:


> Don't forget to look for examples where the successful mix has lasted two years or more.


^^ Good advice, success with fish is not counted in days, but month -or- years


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

DJRansome said:


> I think the convict might be OK, but the terror and JD have a significant number of "failure" stories if you search Cichlid-forum.
> 
> Don't forget to look for examples where the successful mix has lasted two years or more.


Yeah..I agree...just don't have convict pairs as they will be terrors when they team up. There are many variables to consider as to knowing what will be successful including a fishes personality. It is hard to say. I have had success in the past and failures doing this.


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## jon1417 (Dec 20, 2011)

I had 2 convicts which were absolutely fine with my mbuna and peacoks. on the other hand i had a red devil and he was only fine with everyone until he hit about 7 inches. then i had to get rid of him


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

jon1417 said:


> I had 2 convicts which were absolutely fine with my mbuna and peacoks. on the other hand i had a red devil and he was only fine with everyone until he hit about 7 inches. then i had to get rid of him


I guess it just boils down to the fishes personality because there are only a few mbuna I would even consider with my peacocks. I would certainly not have male/female convicts or red devils with my peacocks either. Some people may have luck with it though.


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## jon1417 (Dec 20, 2011)

well i wouldnt recommend a male and female pir of convicts. they breed like rabbits and they have virtually no value. my fish store uses them as feeder fish. My convicts were actually some of my favorite fish *** kept.


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## tim_s (Nov 27, 2011)

I personally wouldn't even recommend convicts. ~ I too have had convicts in the past and was very happy with the choice within a Central American tank.


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## D*N*R (Jul 27, 2011)

My oscars and firemouth got along fine with my africans just not each other. I gave away oscars but firemouth keeps the peace. Bigger problem is feeding area(top or bottom)and speed they get the food. Iwould like my firemouth to eat more but i would have to over feed a few others.((always be ready to remove fish)).


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## regal120gal (Feb 9, 2011)

Yes , you can mix Africans and some central Americans together. for instance we have Africans and a buttificori and jack D empsy and Green terror and some convicts in the '' BIG FISHY '' tank and not any problembs :fish:


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

regal120gal said:


> Yes , you can mix Africans and some central Americans together. for instance we have Africans and a buttificori and jack D empsy and Green terror and some convicts in the '' BIG FISHY '' tank and not any problembs :fish:


How big is this tank? Got pics? How long have they been together?


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## tim_s (Nov 27, 2011)

Honestly - I am not doing this because I want to take away the pleasures of fish but too many people in my opinion mix fish together on the basis of maximizing the use of a single tank but the issues arisen from such practices can exceed the cost of the newly introduced fish. Sometimes the issues are more subtle, such-as stress.


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## regal120gal (Feb 9, 2011)

Fogelhund said:


> regal120gal said:
> 
> 
> > Yes , you can mix Africans and some central Americans together. for instance we have Africans and a buttificori and jack D empsy and Green terror and some convicts in the '' BIG FISHY '' tank and not any problembs :fish:
> ...


Foglhund, This tank is about 120or110 but big and taller than a 120 its an old school tank ! They have been together for like 6 years . 
I have not been on here in awhile so I thought I would chime in ! :-? About pics I do have some but need to figure out how to post of all my tanks . I'll try for visual of course opcorn:


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## regal120gal (Feb 9, 2011)

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb4 ... CI1862.jpg
Trying to post pics of big fish mix africans and Central American in the tall 100ish


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)




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## regal120gal (Feb 9, 2011)

Woops that is the wrong photo , thats of my 120 gal and african ciclids with some peacocks and hap
Not sure how it got on your post though


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

regal120gal said:


> Woops that is the wrong photo , thats of my 120 gal and african ciclids with some peacocks and hap
> Not sure how it got on your post though


I copied and pasted using the IMG button using the link from the above post.


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## tim_s (Nov 27, 2011)

Hi *regal120gal*,

13razorbackfan - found one of the links within the post but I found the original post but what is the size of the tank?


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## regal120gal (Feb 9, 2011)

OH YEah the tank is at least 100 gallons though . That is a good point that the size matters. So if you had a small tank with a mix of africans and cental americans it may not work . Also just llike overcrowding a tank helps deal with the aggresive dominance of territories

_________________
120 gal marineland 360 and cascade filter with 2 heaters for 100 gal. African mbunas and peacoks with a frontosa thats 3'' venustise thats like 5inches very cool big , hap ,2 yo yo bothias &large pleco

100ish gal ( fluval can. backpack filtration. ( venustice ,buttoficori , frontosa ,green terror ,jack dempsy, kenyi , large blue zebra , and various mbuna

65gal : cascade filter and a powerhead with a sponge filter ,heaters ,/ with variouse mbuna and baby overflow that are at least 3" 
10gal back pack filter and babies of blue zebra and the hospital tank


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## tim_s (Nov 27, 2011)

regal120gal said:


> 100ish gal ( fluval can. backpack filtration. ( venustice ,buttoficori , frontosa ,green terror ,jack dempsy, kenyi , large blue zebra , and various mbuna


How is the Frontosa? They generally do not fare well mixed with other more active species.


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## regal120gal (Feb 9, 2011)

tim_s said:


> regal120gal said:
> 
> 
> > 100ish gal ( fluval can. backpack filtration. ( venustice ,buttoficori , frontosa ,green terror ,jack dempsy, kenyi , large blue zebra , and various mbuna
> ...


 Well ' the frontosa fares well he's calm , and just cruises around . Although the Buttikoferi is the meanist and he didn't like my Bumblbee , probably since they are about the same color? sometimes the Butter we call him does some lip locks with the jack Dempsy but it's like moods they come and go so they dont always or hardly ever lip together


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