# Labeotropheus trewavasae - how aggressive?



## Dogtanian (Jan 27, 2011)

Hi All,

Brand new to Cichlid keeping, so sorry if this is an obvious question.

I currently have 4 Freiberg Peacocks (1m3f) and 4 Labs (mixture) and I will be shortly looking to add more to the tank (64 US Gallon).

I am in a complete quandary as to which direction to take. I would love to get some Blue Dolphins, but I understand they can get quite big quite quickly. I also love the trewavasae, but I understand the can be quite aggressive and I have read this morning that they should not be kept with the more peaceful Haps, such as the Dolphins.

If I choose trewavasae, am I committing myself to a route whereby I need more robust tank mates/mbunas? Or can they happily mix with other Malawis given enough rocks and/or a little overstocking to suppress aggression?

Yours confused,

Ian.


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## Nina_b (Jan 3, 2011)

Hello and welcome  
I'm sure a more in-the-know person will be along to help soon. I've never kept peacocks, and probably never will.

From what I've read/heard around here, peacocks are a bit finicky around the rugged mbunas, although many people do fine with yellow labs in the same tank. Considering that adding another peacock species will lead to crossbreeding, I'm not sure how to help here. Why not just up your current stocking levels, since almost any other mbuna will have your male peacock all pale?

Another thought, why not add some catfish? Many of them are quite striking, to my eyes.

Might also be worth browsing the cookie cutter setups, to get some ideas


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## Dogtanian (Jan 27, 2011)

Thanks Nina,

You think that other Mbuna will make the peacocks go pale?

I would love some catfish, will definitely look at those. Where are 'cookie cutter setups?'

Thanks


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## Nina_b (Jan 3, 2011)

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/q ... e_list.php

There you go, they're all there. None for your specific tank, but I suspect you could look at the 55 gallons and the 75 gallons and find a mid way from there (also depends on your tank's footprint).

I frankly don't know about peacocks. From the forums, however, people perpetually find that their malke peacocks don't colour up amidst mbuna, with the exception of yellow labs, sometimes.


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## dielikemoviestars (Oct 23, 2007)

Haps and peacocks are both "shier" than mbuna... There are varying degrees (just like mbuna have varying degrees of aggression), but usually, mbuna will stress them out.


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## JimNY (Dec 11, 2010)

they can be agressive, I have 1m:1f only b/c no lfs has any females right now
, typically 2 or 3 ratio is enough for species agression, however they may or maynot srtess out peacocks, while my orange shoulder peacock was in my tank along w/some other haps, he did not bother them. so its a 50-50 shot.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

What are the dimensions of the 64G? Do you mean hap dolphins? Or mbuna dolphins?


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Trewavasae are typical Mbuna in good standing... and of course can be aggressive. Best kept with other Mbuna. If you want Peacocks to show their best color, you probably don't want to add.


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

noki said:


> Trewavasae are typical Mbuna in good standing... and of course can be aggressive. Best kept with other Mbuna. If you want Peacocks to show their best color, you probably don't want to add.


I agree.

However, Jacobfreibergi tend to be among the most aggressive peacocks and can sometimes coexist in an aquarium with mbuna. In fact, I'm trying a little experiment with some A. Jacobfreibergi (Otter Pt.) and C. afra right now.

The answer to your question is: it might work and it might not. It will have a better chance of working if you have a larger aquarium. Also note that most who keep Jacobfreibergi peacocks recommend at least a 48" x 18" aquarium. That's also the minimum size aquarium I would recommend for L. Trewavasae.

If you do try it out, I recommend 1m + 4f for each.
Good luck!


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## pretty-nifty (Nov 4, 2009)

My L. trewavasae's do not bother other species, only conspesifics; but they are in a mixed mbuna tank. No Peacocks in there.


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## Dogtanian (Jan 27, 2011)

DJRansome said:


> What are the dimensions of the 64G? Do you mean hap dolphins? Or mbuna dolphins?


Hi,

The dimensions of my tank are 40"(w) 55"(h) 17" (d). It's a 240 Litre bow front tank. I was talking about hap dolphins.

Having read a lot of the library articles on this site, I think I have decided the route I am going to take with the tank. I have decided not to stress the peacocks out with any aggressive mbuna, so will stick to the labs (which are love, they are awesome!) and also add some Rustys (which appear to be even more chilled than the labs) to live in the remainder of the rocks. Then I will give the peacocks some of the recommended haps to swim with, like the dolphins and super VC 10.

Thoughts anyone?

Cheers,

Ian.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I think the tank is too small for haps and I'd go with just the peacocks and labs. I'd want a 48" x 12" tank before going with 3 species. And I would want a 72" tank for the moorii, but they might squeeze in if you had 48" x 18" (at the sides, not in the middle). I've seen mixed reviews on the moorii in tanks less than 72".


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## Dogtanian (Jan 27, 2011)

I can get hold of some very small hap dolphins (1.5")... I think I would quite enjoy watching them mature. How quickly would they outgrow the tank?

Failing that, perhaps I can get some haps that don't grow so large? Any suggestions?

Thanks.


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## Dogtanian (Jan 27, 2011)

Kanorin said:


> However, Jacobfreibergi tend to be among the most aggressive peacocks and can sometimes coexist in an aquarium with mbuna. In fact, I'm trying a little experiment with some A. Jacobfreibergi (Otter Pt.) and C. afra right now.


I know what you mean! The male is having his run of the tank completely.... but he looks amazing, so I'm letting him off.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Most of the "small" haps mature at 6" and thus I would not put them in anything smaller than 48".

A tank less than 48" is good for dwarf mbuna like rusties and some of the smallish peacocks. Look for something in the 4" or less range.


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## Dogtanian (Jan 27, 2011)

Although the tank is 40" it is deeper than a standard tank and has a bow (curved) front, arising to the 64G capacity. This leads me to think it would be more suitable to mid-water cichlids (haps?), where they would have a slightly deeper tank to swim in?


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

Now that I know your tank dimensions, I agree with DJRansome's advice.


DJRansome said:


> Most of the "small" haps mature at 6" and thus I would not put them in anything smaller than 48".
> A tank less than 48" is good for dwarf mbuna like rusties and some of the smallish peacocks. Look for something in the 4" or less range.


My guess is that your Aul. Jacobfreibergi females won't have enough room to avoid the male in your size tank - especially once they reach breeding age, so it might be best to trade them in if you start to see signs of fin-nipping and aggression.

Some other peacocks that would likely do well in this tank are Aul. Baenschi (aka. Benga peacock), Aul. Kandeense (aka Blue orchid), and Aul. Maylandi (aka sulfurhead peacock).

Any of the above could probably coexist with some yellow labs and make a nice tank!
Alternatively, there are some smaller mbuna that could work in this tank too.

Just about every hap (with the exception of the above smaller peacocks mentioned above and some rarer species like from the Lethrinops genus) would eventually get too large to be comfortable in this tank.


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