# 55g w/ yellow labs and Ice blue zebras



## sasquatch-exists (Feb 25, 2009)

For the last few months I have been trying to put together a lake malawi tank(male/female), but can't figure out exactly what will work.

I *REALLY* like the Red top Ice Blues, but I want some brighter colors too.

I also want to try and breed them if possible.

My real question is will the labs and zebras cross breed? :-?


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## BRANT13 (Feb 18, 2009)

any mouth brooder can crossbreed with any mouthbrooder but as long as the male to female ratio for each species is adequite then the chances of it happenning are greatly reduced :fish:


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## sasquatch-exists (Feb 25, 2009)

I'm wanting to place 3 female/ 1 male ice blues, and 3 female/ 1 male labs. The problem is that I would like something else to balance things off and finish the tank. Do you have any suggestions?


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

There will be minimal risk of hybridization with those two species, as long as you have male and females of both.

How about adding a trio or maybe 4 Cynotilapia White Top Galireya to the tank? They are nice blues, and have decent looking females to make up for the drab ice blue females.


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## sasquatch-exists (Feb 25, 2009)

WOW, Incredible fish I'll be sure and try to find some!!!  :thumb:


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## sasquatch-exists (Feb 25, 2009)

O wait! Will their be 3 dominant mails or 1 dominant and 2 sub dominant?


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

sasquatch-exists said:


> O wait! Will their be 3 dominant mails or 1 dominant and 2 sub dominant?


It's hard to predict how the pecking order will play out until you put the fish in the tank. Even then, it can change after a few months.

That being said, you probably will have one male who will fill the role of tank boss. There's a big spectrum of how bossy or lenient this boss may be. Sounds like a good looking mix, try it out!


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## sasquatch-exists (Feb 25, 2009)

So the answer to the question: Defiantly 1 dominant male (tank BOSS  ) or something like that.

Thanks 4 the encouragement, I'll defiantly give it a shot!! :thumb:


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## hobbeslax (Nov 22, 2005)

I've kept yellow labs w/my zebras for years and there has been NO cross breeding. The cross beeding I have had was between my dominant ice blue w/the cobalt blut. Result, nice blue zebra cichlids.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

hobbeslax said:


> I've kept yellow labs w/my zebras for years and there has been NO cross breeding. The cross beeding I have had was between my dominant ice blue w/the cobalt blut. Result, nice blue zebra cichlids.


There is really no way to know with 100% accuracy if you've had crossbreeding between the yellow labs and zebras or not...Unless you keep all resulting fry into adulthood and breed them over and over again...The result from these two species crossbreeding can seemingly appear to be pure, taking on traits of either species. For this reason, it's best NOT to ever house them together to start with, and most experienced hobbyist wouldn't buy fry from a tank that had both species in it. It's just not worth the risk.

I had what I thought to be one of the nicest breeding groups of Yellow labs I'd ever seen...Right up until they produced a clutch of fry that were obviously part red zebra...But I didn't have any red zebras!

I've seen crosses between the ice blues and Cobalts. They do look nice, but will easily fly under the radar as a pure strain of mbuna. These two species should not be housed together, either. Zebras are notorious for crossbreeding, period.

You can sometimes get away with keeping non barred zebras in with barred zebras, but even that is a bit of a risk.

I hope you keep all those fry to yourself! :thumb:


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## sasquatch-exists (Feb 25, 2009)

Can u not, separate one species of the pure bred adults into a breeding tank, and leave any another fry that have developed in the main tank to fend for themselves?

*The catch*

I (strangely enough) have a very hungry sun cat with them, that will take care of the problem! :lol:

Assuming that the adults are pure bred, will the offspring not be pure bred as well?


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## hobbeslax (Nov 22, 2005)

"I hope you keep all those fry to yourself! Thumb"

Sigh, 
I was thinking of converting the tank to demansoni and yellow labs only except for leaving the dominant ice blue zebra. I guess, this too, is a bad idea. Otherwise it would end up w/an unholy yellow lab/ice blue zebra/demansoni abomination.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

sasquatch-exists said:


> Can u not, separate one species of the pure bred adults into a breeding tank, and leave any another fry that have developed in the main tank to fend for themselves?
> 
> Assuming that the adults are pure bred, will the offspring not be pure bred as well?


Yes, you can do that. But you'll be surprised how many manage to survive in the main tank! They're quite ingenious at hiding.

hobbeslax, call it what you will, but yes, that's another risky set up. The male ice blue may interfere with other spawns in the tank.


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## sasquatch-exists (Feb 25, 2009)

> Otherwise it would end up w/an unholy yellow lab/ice blue zebra/demansoni abomination.


 :lol: :lol:

Nice way to put it. 

(yellow lab/ice blue zebra/demansoni)-That might not look to bad depending on what genes come out in the color. U just couldn't get rid of it, or let
it mate. 
( don't worry I wont try this  ).


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