# 135 Gallon 72 inch Tank Stocking Question



## nickthefoxtoy (Aug 2, 2016)

My tank has finally finished cycling and I am ready to stock it. It is a 135 72 inch tank. I am going for an all male peacock/hap tank. This is my idea below:

Venustas
Malawi Hawk Cichlid
Yellow Tail Acei
Electric Yellow
Blue Dolphin
Super Red Empress
OB Peacock
Malawi Gar?
Sunshine Peacock
Eureka Red
Dragon Blood
Frontosa?
Group of clown loaches

I have had a Mbuna tank for 4 years, but I am completely knew to the Haps/peacocks. Would what I have so far mesh decently well? Could I fit a frontosa in this, a lot of people give a lot of different answers about frontosas with Malawi cichlids. If I did get a front I would get a much larger one.

Any fish on this list that would need to be taken out? I would also love suggestions! What are people's more favorite peacocks/haps. I love the trout cichlid, but I believe my tank may be too small for one of these. Is that true? Any haps that are yellow in color? Any more rare cichlids that are good looking and fun to own? I will be buying them as male and paying the extra cost.

Thanks for the help!


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I am sure I am one of the ones who said to skip the frontosa in a hap/peacock tank. Also the clown loaches...Synodontis multipunctatus or lucipinnis would be a better fit for a bottom dweller in a Malawi tank.

Mylochromis ericotaenia is an unusual hap.

No yellow hap, but you can get yellow from a peacock and yellow labs. Spilontus Tanzania has yellow on the body.

I like 18 individuals if they mature <= 6 inches. You have a lot of big haps on your list, maybe reduce the number.

The eureka red and the dragon blood will not likely be happy together.

I like many of the more timid haps. Protomelas marginatus. Otopharynx tetrastigma. Copadichromis chrysonotus.


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## jcover (Apr 18, 2014)

you might find some of the more timid species, such as the sunshine peacock, to be out shined by the more boisterous species such as the venustus, OBs or Dragon Blood.


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## Dooner (Mar 10, 2019)

From my limited experience, I can tell you that my Otophraynx was a bully and created a lot of tension. The venustus and dolphin fish are dominant due to size but not bullies. My OB peacocks and electric yellow are fine. As long as you don't have multiple male peacocks of similar colors they are fine. I have several different ones and they are a favorite. I have a couple of plecos and a couple of Mbuna. One is a rusty. I have two but if they are together in a tank they fight terribly. It sounds like you like a lot of the same fish as I do so PM me if you want.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Dooner how long has your mix been together? I know not long...but you may have to continue making changes for 2 years to be sure you have a stable mix. Good to hear you are good at this point!

Really unusual for Otopharynx to be a bully, they are usually difficult to get to color up since they are timid. Goes to show there are SOME individual variances where an individual fish has not read his profile.

I agree with jcover.


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## nickthefoxtoy (Aug 2, 2016)

This is what I am thinking after reading everything people said. I would like to steer clear of any issues ahead of time if possible, I know individual fish may vary.

Remove Dragon Blood add Copadichromis chrysonotus
Remove the Malawi Gar and add Otopharynx tetrastigma
Remove Blue Dolphin and add Spilontus Tanzania
Remove the frontosa all together.
I feel like the tank might not be stocked enough at this point? Is there any other fish I should look into. There is so many, it is kind of over whelming.
I have the clown loaches already because I got them from someone who had them in too small of a tank. If they don't fit or don't seem to be working I will rehome them.

Is the Venustas going to cause an issue? I have been seeing mixed reviews on them being overly aggressive. Is the Livingstoni any better? Does anyone have any history with the ARISTOCHROMIS CHRISTYI? Do they cause any issues?


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## Dooner (Mar 10, 2019)

DJRansome said:


> Dooner how long has your mix been together? I know not long...but you may have to continue making changes for 2 years to be sure you have a stable mix. Good to hear you are good at this point!
> 
> Really unusual for Otopharynx to be a bully, they are usually difficult to get to color up since they are timid. Goes to show there are SOME individual variances where an individual fish has not read his profile.
> 
> I agree with jcover.


Even newbies have experiences that may be helpful.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Absolutely! just know that your mix on day 150 may not be successful on day 365 or day 700. But once a mix is successful after day 700 you have a good chance of that continuing.

Joea used to say judging a mix too early is like deciding whether a marriage will last based on the honeymoon.


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## jcover (Apr 18, 2014)

From my experience (although brief), aristochromsi cristyi are rather peaceful towards other species. I have a group of 5 that are just starting to colour up (around 5"). Almost no aggression between them and the other fish.

Just to add to individual personalities for fish, my Copadochromis borleyi quadrimaculatus is my tank boss, and chases all of my OB peacocks, scianochromis fryeri and cristyi around. I have a feeling that will change once more fish become fully mature. At the end of the day, it is about how your tank mix will balance with individual personalities.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Borleyi is one of the more aggressive copadichromis, I agree.


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## nickthefoxtoy (Aug 2, 2016)

So I am making my first purchase for this tank. The first group is a group of 5.

Super Red Empress
Blue Sapphire
Sunshine Peacock
Malawi Hawk
Aristo Yellow Blaze

Is there any fish in this list that has a high probability of a bad mix? More will be added around these 5 such as the Rubescens Peacock, OB Peacock, Pombo Hap, Venustas. I will be researching more and finding other species as well. I just want to make sure I am not making a mistake with my first 5.

I would appreciate everyones opinions.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

What is the Aristo Yellow Blaze? The Malawi Hawk and the Aristochromis christyi are the same fish.

Some of the Otopharynx lithobates are sold with the marketing name Aristochromis Red Top at times.

IME the blue sapphire and the Otopharynx can be timid haps and the empress is not. Not sure about the Hawk. You may find the empress keeps the sapphire and the otopharynx from showing their best color.

What is a Pombo hap?

Remember any all male tank is trial and error to a large extent. Be prepared to swap fish out and have extra tanks and a rehoming plan.


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## jcover (Apr 18, 2014)

From my experience, Malawi Hawks ignore other species. My current group of 5 is housed in a 220 with various peacocks and haps.

My largest Male Hawk is 6" and starting to colour up. I haven't heard of them being boisterous or anything, compared to other haps.


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## Luvindaspurs (Jun 6, 2017)

Keep asking questions. All tanks are different and all tanks will take time to get right.

Personally, if I could do it over with my all male tank, I'd start with maybe 4-6species. Grow them for a bit, let them establish territory. Start with your calmer/timid peas/haps (if that's the route you decide) amd add 2 to 4 or 3-5 species at a time when adding. You're gonna have some not work out so always have a grow out tank on hand and you're probably gonna have deaths. It happens to all of us. And continue to ask questions as your building up the stock list! 18 seems to always be the "suggested" amount on this website. That's definitely a solid number. Some like more/some less. Just depends on how heavily stocked you like the tank.

Some I'd consider to start with for Aulonocara (peacocks) are blue neon (any collection point), turkis (beautiful turquoise), ruby/roter Kaiser/german red (1 of those depending on the red ya want) and maybe a Jake (otter point or lemon). For haps as some stated Oto. Tetrastigma, mylochromis species (Ericotaenia would be an epic choice), various Protomelas species maybe a taiwan reef or tangerine tiger, cant ever go wrong with the red empress. For placidochromis look at the star sapphire, mdoka white lips, milomo (VC10). Avoid the nimbochromis, dimidiochromis and buccochromis to start off with.

Good luck, take your time, stay patient and have fun with it!


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