# Mixing Africans with South Americans



## jacobm1 (Jan 23, 2010)

I'd imagine this is a question that is asked all the time, but I'd like to hear from anyone who has mixed Africans with South Americans. I have a 4 in. venustus and a 4 in. red fin in a 55-gallon and I'm planning on adding some inherited convicts and fire mouths. Has anyone tried doing the same? Results?
Thanks.


----------



## kenko (Jan 19, 2012)

I see no one wanted to chime in... 
OK, I'll take a stab. Not a good idea.

Firstly, I think that most serious fish hobbyists would scoff at that question, simply for the fact that we (I'll throw myself in the group) prefer to keep species tanks or groups of fish endemic to a particular region.

Next, there is the problem of your 55 gallon and the maximum size of these fish - in particular the Venustus and Firemouths. Venustus can reach 8+" and Firemouths around 6+". A very small group (or just a pair) of adult Firemouths would do great in a 55 - alone.

Then, the water parameters are different between the American and African cichlids - though I would guess that the convicts and firemouths are acclimated to your water, the firemouths may do better in water closer to neutral.

Next, there is disaster brewing with those convicts once they reach breeding maturity. To be frank, they do what it takes to keep egg/fry predators at bay - and that could lead to stress and sometimes death in tankmates. What happens if both convicts and firemouths go into breeding? It would be like a war in there.

Anyone else care to add?


----------



## brinkles (Jan 30, 2011)

I think you covered it. What's a "red fin"? C. borleyi?


----------



## jacobm1 (Jan 23, 2010)

Yes, otherwise known as the Red fin kadango. Never heard it called that before?


----------



## kenko (Jan 19, 2012)

I was thinking Tropheops... They seem to be gaining in popularity, or maybe more about availability these days.

So it's a borleyi - that's even worse.


----------



## lavarock (Feb 17, 2011)

Just wanted to chime in here. I am kinda new to aquariums, when I got started I just tried whatever fish I liked. So I seem to have an odd group in my 125.

2 Borleyi - Red fin about 7" & 4"
2 Red Empress - 4" & 3"
1 Blue Johanni - 4"
1 Venustus - 6"
1 Livingstoni - 4"
1 Bumblebee - 5"
1 Acei - 4"
2 Hybrids - 5" - not sure what they are
2 Afra - 4" & 3"
2 Green Tx - 4"

They all seem to do fairly well together. No one has died at least. In process of doing another 125 but not going with anything like this one. I am very sure my tank mates aren't ideal but I really didn't know what I was doing when I started and have only recently started trying to figure it out. Also from my reading on the venustus and livingstoni they can get up to 10-11 inch.


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

lavarock said:


> when I got started I just tried whatever fish I liked. So I seem to have an odd group in my 125.


How many years have they been together? Two years is a good point to be able to determine if a mix is working.


----------



## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

In bullet points, some covered already.

* Nimbochromis venestus and Copadichromis borleyi will outgrow the 55 gallon
* convicts and firemouths are NOT South American Cichlids, they are Central American
* Many of the waters convicts and firemouths are found in, in Central America, are not too different from Lake Malawi
* Most of these fish are bred in Florida ponds, the Central Americans and Malawian, so they are bred in the same water.

If a 55 gallon is the tank you are going to keep, you'll need to rethink the stocking list from the beginning.


----------



## lavarock (Feb 17, 2011)

All but the TX guys have been together for at least a year.

I had a stand made for my tank and then decided it was to much trouble to move it to my tank, so I decided to get another tank. This is what has gotten me into trying to learn more about this hobby. Think I have decided on an all male peacock and whatever for a well with them. Still prob 2 months from having it up and running. Got it on CL, it was very dirty, hope to have it clean and back painted by this weekend, weather permitting.


----------

