# 125 Gallon Finally Stocked - All Male Malawi w/ Some Others



## hybrid55 (Nov 22, 2011)

New to the video thing but wanted to see what you guys thought of my young Male Malawi tank. The video was taken with my iPhone and is about 3 minutes. I was hoping to get any aquascaping suggestions or comments you may have as well as any insight on the gender of a few of the fish as I still am unable to determine if some are males. Also I feel the tank is already stocked heavily enough because most of the inhabitants get quite large but wanted to know if you guys thought that I should add any more or not. Here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTz1gs5Y ... e=youtu.be

The tank stocking is currently as follows:

Haps 
1	Nimbochromis venustus Venustus 
1	Placidochromis sp. "Phenochilus Tanzania" Star Sapphire 
1	Placidochromis electra Electra Deep Water Hap 
1	Protomelas sp. "Spilonotus Tanzania" (Liuli) Insignus or Royal 
1	Protomelas sp. "Steveni Taiwan" Taiwan Reef 
1	Protomelas taeniolatus Red Empress 
1	Sciaenochromis fryeri Ahli Electric Blue

Peacocks 
1	Aulonocara "Ruby Red" Ruby Red 
1	Aulonocara "OB Peacock Hybrid" Peacock Hybrid 
1	Aulonocara jacobfreibergi (Undu Reef) Lemon Jake 
1	Aulonocara jacobfreibergi "Eureka" Eureka Red 
1	Aulonocara koningsi	Blue Regal
1	Aulonocara masoni Mason's Peacock 
1	Aulonocara sp. "Walteri" (Likoma Island) Blue Faced Peacock 
1	Aulonocara sp. "Stuartgranti Maleri"?	Chidunga Rocks or Sunshine?

Mbuna 
2	Labidochromis caeruleus Electric Yellows

Other 
3	Chromobotia macracanthus Clown Loaches
1	Epalzeorhynchus bicolor Red Tail Black Shark

Let me know what you guys think.

Edit: Also here is a couple of shots of the whole tank:


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## Rupununi (Jan 29, 2011)

I'd be interested in knowing how things are going a year from now. You'll probably have a few responses suggesting you visit:

http://www.overstock.com/

but you won't hear that from me.


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## nudge (Aug 1, 2011)

agreed, they are nice and peaceful at this stage but as your fish grow and mature thats when all **** can break loose. You also have a few fish from the same genus which can be a problem. I had 2 protomelas in an all male tank and they both wanted to kill each other


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## DanniGirl (Jan 25, 2007)

From looking at your pictures, it looks good! (I'll check out your video tomorrow.)

Honestly, with a tank of that size and providing all your fish are males, you probably won't have much of a problem. I found that the Liuli and Red empress generally balance each other out and the Taiwan Reefs are pretty mild mannered. You may have an issue with the Venustus later on but I wouldn't worry too much about it.

As for the peacocks, you may want to watch the masoni (they tend to be a little more timid) especially since you have so many different blues in the tank.

Just remember that you may have to trade some out as they mature, but for starters, it's a nice tank. :thumb:


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## hybrid55 (Nov 22, 2011)

Rupununi said:


> I'd be interested in knowing how things are going a year from now. You'll probably have a few responses suggesting you visit:
> 
> http://www.overstock.com/
> 
> but you won't hear that from me.


I understand that it definitely could be very crowded, but I plan to remove any non-males so I expect to lose 2-3 in that process and that would leave me with about 17 fish in a 6 foot tank, which I think is reasonable. Once they are all full size, and by that time I may have to trade some in if they get too aggressive (right now all is very peaceful). But I am always willing to seek out a better home for the fish if it seems like they are too crowded or stressed. I have been very successful with keeping large fish in the past and have a good eye for agressors or problem fish. These guys seem to really be happy as of now and they definitely have a lot of space and water movement so Im happy with it for now. Could you guys confirm any males of the less colorful guys in the video by any chance?

Dannigirl, thank you for the comments! Im hoping things stay smooth and I understand that they do get more aggressive as they get larger, we shall see how things go.


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## hybrid55 (Nov 22, 2011)

So as I'm trying to sex my fish, is there any time guideline for the various features (i.e., do haps tend to show color earlier than peacock males?)


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## mokujin22 (Jan 19, 2010)

Looking good. 

I agree with Dannigirl. I do not believe it to be overstocked for a 125.

Good luck and post updates.


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## DanniGirl (Jan 25, 2007)

You have a lot of decent males in there. As for the ones that you're unsure of, perhaps photograph them. Some were too small to sex and some just weren't clear enough.

Good job though!


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## aquariam (Feb 11, 2010)

Clown loaches want a mellow tank with temps in the mid eighties and very high current and synodontis are a much better match for african cichlids. There is no reason to have clown loaches in there.


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## Super Turtleman (May 21, 2007)

Looks good so far.


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## hybrid55 (Nov 22, 2011)

Thanks for all the responses guys! I will definitely get on taking some pictures to try and determine genders!

Aquariam, the water is at 82 degrees and has a pretty strong current with two XP3 canisters and a Aquaclear 110 (a total of about 1200 gph). I also have plans to install a power head soon. With that said they look very happy and many aquarium owners have successfully housed these species together. If I as the owner and provider for these fish like them and they seem to be healthy and happy I do not see any reason to not have these clown loaches. I am pretty sure that my tank is a better home for these guys than 90% of the peoples tanks that they would have likely ended up in being that I got them from Petsmart.


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## Sub-Mariner (Dec 7, 2011)

Nice selection...and I agree, I dont think youre overstocked at all in your 125g.


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## hybrid55 (Nov 22, 2011)

Here is an update after a number of changes: 



.

All these guys are between 4 and 6"

Current stock list:
Ruby Red Peacock
Blue Regal Peacock
Yellow Sunshine
Red Empress
Taiwan Reef
Turquoise Hap
Deep Water Hap
Insignus
red fin borleyi
Astatotilapia calliptera
RTBS
4 Clown loaches
2 albino BN plecos

All is well in the tank, the only major change recently is getting rid of an OB Hybrid that was always a disruption in the tank. I have a 65 gallon currently running with a Nimbochromis Livingstoni, an electric blue, a red fin electric blue, and a dragonbood peacock. They are about 3-4", with the exception of the dragonblood who is about 2.5-3" and I would like to add them as a group to the 125g. Do you guys forsee any problems with this? Is the dragonblood too small and would these 4 overcrowd the tank?


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## fishing12 (Dec 15, 2012)

hybrid55 said:


> Here is an update after a number of changes:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I like your list, just watch your Sunshine Peacock. All fish can be different but my Sunshine has become a Belligerent Tyrant in my tank. Nice job and Good luck!


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## hybrid55 (Nov 22, 2011)

So you think I should be alright with adding those 4 new guys?


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## lilscoots (Mar 13, 2012)

The four you are going to add are about the same aggression wise as the OB you just removed if not a little worse....and if he was a problem, I'm thinking the new guys will be as well.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The insignis might compete with the other Protomelas you have in the tank...the turquoise hap for example? And two fryeri (one "regular" and one red fin) could not be expected to get along I don't think.

Agree you are likely to have the same problem with the dragon blood as the OB for the same reason.

I'd lose the clown loaches to make room for the new fish...they grow to be 13" long and like to be kept in groups of six.


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## audierou (Jul 25, 2012)

Better to add 4 than 1 so as to distribute evenly any aggression to the new inhabitants. Number-wise... I say do it.


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