# 55g stocking



## kribmonster (Aug 9, 2013)

Hey there, I am changing around my tanks my 55g was almost empty so I tranfered those fish into my 75g, gave the tank a good vaccum and a 75% water change, added lava rock and plenty of river rock and bought some fishies for the beginnings of an African Cichlid tank. I looked around in 2 cities for the fish I wanted and only found one species I wanted. So I had to change my stocking a bit. 
So all the fishies I bought are 1 and a half inches. I still need some but would like your advice before I get more or go further.

5 yellow lab juvies
4 Eureka red peacocks juvies ( all the store had)
and the associate found a lonely guy she threw into the bag as a bonus apparently she said it was a blue dolphin cichlid ( cute but im sketchy )

I have red that it is ify putting peacocks with mbuna but my only other choices were red zebras, and other really aggressive species. All the stores I called only have the mixed tanks and they are all different sizes and very difficult to determine what the heck you are buying. So frustrated!

So any suggestions on what I can add?

I was thinking Rusty's or Acei's but I will have to order them and I hope they can order the same size, or should I just get more peacocks??

My ph is 8 and my water is hard.


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## clhinds78 (Jul 27, 2012)

Well, peacocks and labs make a nice mix. Just so you know, the female peacocks will stay drab.

This is for your 55G, correct? If so I think for this sized tank you are almost full .You could probably add 5 acei or rusties or a couple more peacocks.

Does the pice on this page resemble your 'blue dolphin?' If so that is a pretty common hap. It may, however, grow to large and aggressive for your tank. 
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=1061


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Welcome to the forum.

Keep in mind, if stocking peacocks, you need to stick with one species or only males of different species with no look alikes. All peacock females look identical and it will impossible to distinguish between different species.

If you want to keep what you have now, buy more lab juvies and Eureka red juveniles. In the end, shoot for 3-4 females and one male. You can keep the blue dolphin for some time. They grow really slow, but will ultimately grow too large for a 55. I would pick a mild mannered hap that tops out around 6" as your third species. Again, shoot for the same ratios as above. Visit the Lake Malawi section of the forum for more ideas. There are many 'pros' there with haps and peacocks and can get you headed in the right direction.

You may want to consider ordering your stock online, instead of being restricted to what a store can get for you.

Good luck!


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## kribmonster (Aug 9, 2013)

Thank you for your advice! Yes that blue dophin is the one I have mind you he is about an inch, once these fellas are grown I might do another switch and put them all in my 75g and move my freshwater community to my 55, I just wanted to get my feet wet in a smaller tank in case this task proved more difficult than I thought. I also have a 75g saltwater fowlr set up for the last year, so I am hoping this is about the same! I am not really use to these aggressive fellas, my yellow labs were chasing eachother around one already lost his tail!

I really like the idea of a school of haps, but I really love the idea of all males peacocks as well, I will see what I can find. 
Anyone know a good online site in Canada that sells quality cichlids? I really want a lot of color in the tank.


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## clhinds78 (Jul 27, 2012)

kribmonster said:


> Thank you for your advice! Yes that blue dophin is the one I have mind you he is about an inch, once these fellas are grown I might do another switch and put them all in my 75g and move my freshwater community to my 55, I just wanted to get my feet wet in a smaller tank in case this task proved more difficult than I thought. I also have a 75g saltwater fowlr set up for the last year, so I am hoping this is about the same! I am not really use to these aggressive fellas, my yellow labs were chasing eachother around one already lost his tail!
> 
> I really like the idea of a school of haps, but I really love the idea of all males peacocks as well, I will see what I can find.
> Anyone know a good online site in Canada that sells quality cichlids? I really want a lot of color in the tank.


Do you know your m/f ratio of yellow labs? Less males than female is better and only one male is best. My labs rarely if ever pick on one another. Perhaps they were cross-bread with something else like a red zebra or soulosi.

Where at in CAnada are you? Are you in or near a larger city. There are several local breeders in Madison-which is about and hour from me-with a good selection of haps and peacocks. Do some research in yoru local area. Does craigslist work in Canada?That is where I find most of my breeders.


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## kribmonster (Aug 9, 2013)

I am in Saskatchewan, I bought the electric yellow labs from Petsmart in Saskatoon, unable to sex, and I have to research how yet, I am aiming for 1m:4fm ratio. They love to hide so I have yet to get some pictures. As for the peacocks no clue on their sex either. I have looked on kijiji as well not a lot in my area. I am still deciding what I should do...I love labs and I love the idea of an all male peacock and haps mix.


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## clhinds78 (Jul 27, 2012)

kribmonster said:


> I am in Saskatchewan, I bought the electric yellow labs from Petsmart in Saskatoon, unable to sex, and I have to research how yet, I am aiming for 1m:4fm ratio. They love to hide so I have yet to get some pictures. As for the peacocks no clue on their sex either. I have looked on kijiji as well not a lot in my area. I am still deciding what I should do...I love labs and I love the idea of an all male peacock and haps mix.


I have a feeling petsmart will not carry peacocks. Maybe others on this site from your area could help you. There must be some online stores that are located in or at least ship to Canada.

With a 55G tank you will probably only be able to have three maybe four peacocks as they get larger. You may be better off with a non-agressive mbuna. Something like labs, acei and rusties or socolofi would work good in this tank. 1m/4f is a good ratio. As they grow it will be easier to sex them.


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## kribmonster (Aug 9, 2013)

Yes I am definitely leaning towards a less aggressive mbuna, I am thinking towards Rusty's . I would love to find some afras though, I may try and order them through Petland. Looking at the dorsal, anal and pelvic fins of the labs I think I may have 2 males and 3 females. The 2 males have dark fins and a single egg spot, where as the females have very faint to no black on their anal and pelvic fin. One of my males is missing a tail and has a gash on his side, he is swimming and eating well however (so far). 
If I go the way of peacock could I keep my yellow labs and get lets say 4 male peacocks? Keeping only the male from my current 4 Eureka reds, with no females?..Making the stock..4 male peacocks and haps (all different looking) and 5 labs?


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## clhinds78 (Jul 27, 2012)

kribmonster said:


> Yes I am definitely leaning towards a less aggressive mbuna, I am thinking towards Rusty's . I would love to find some afras though, I may try and order them through Petland. Looking at the dorsal, anal and pelvic fins of the labs I think I may have 2 males and 3 females. The 2 males have dark fins and a single egg spot, where as the females have very faint to no black on their anal and pelvic fin. One of my males is missing a tail and has a gash on his side, he is swimming and eating well however (so far).
> If I go the way of peacock could I keep my yellow labs and get lets say 4 male peacocks? Keeping only the male from my current 4 Eureka reds, with no females?..Making the stock..4 male peacocks and haps (all different looking) and 5 labs?


Ya, I think that would work. Labs and peacocks do good together since labs are one of the least aggressive mbuna. They are mainly aggressive towards each other so make sure you have a least 5 to spread it amongst the species. Rusties and acei would be ok with peacocks too, but all three species would be a lot in a 55G.


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## Pseudeotropheus BB (Jan 24, 2013)

I do not recommend adding another species. Both the Caeruleus and Eureka's are larger fish and need plenty of room once they mature. The chances of either fish growing out to their maximum mature size are slim because of the tank size but nonetheless adding a third species would be too much in my opinion. The Peacocks in particular would appreciate it.


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## kribmonster (Aug 9, 2013)

We are moving in about 3 months and I do plan on switching my Freshwater community from my 75g and moving my African cichlids in there. My freshwater will go into my 55g and my 29g in storage ( I have a breeding pair of Kribs I would love to separate with a nice school of neons). I started off in my 55g because I had a nice sand substrate and it was almost empty, once I move, I will do aragonite sand in the 75g instead the gravel it has now. I figured it was a big job switching the substrate so I will wait until I move and have to remove everything anyway. When I move I am keeping all filter media, décor, lava rock and such I should not have any problems with cycling (I hopes!) 
So this week I am doing one of 2 things please tell me which one is better! Keeping in mind the switch to the 75gallon, in about 3 months. If I do run into problems I have a few tanks empty that I can use in emergencies. All fish I get are 1 and a half inches.

1) keep my 4 Eurekas (provided the sex ratio is right, so hard to tell right now..I think I have a 2:2 ratio, I will get it to a 1:3 or a 1:4 ratio)
5 Yellow labs (1:4)
1 Blue dolphin ( I think he is a male, I may rehome him depending on his temperament)
5 Rusty's (1:4) OR 5 Acei (1:4) which ever I find or can order in first
1 Bristlenose pleco ( he is about 3 inches )
Would this be stocked for the 75g?

2) 1 Eureka Peacock male
1 OB peacock male
2 other male peacocks 
1 Blue Dolphin male
5 Labs (1:4)
1 Bristlenose
Would this be stocked for a 75g?

Or if all my ideas suck I would love to hear more of yours ...like I said in three months they will be in the 75g and not the 55g and I have a 29g and a 20g I can use in an emergency. I am not a noob to fish keeping I have about 7 tanks currently running and had up to 12 this spring running including a 75g saltwater, I am just scared of African Cichlids! They are beautiful but I am just not use to aggressive fish and do not want to screw up to badly lol

Thanks guys for all the advice so far!!


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## clhinds78 (Jul 27, 2012)

I think option two would be the best, especially if you plan to upgrade to a 75G tank soon. Once you do that you might even be able to add a couple more male peacocks or another species of mbuna.

Peacocks and haps are not too difficult to sex once they reach a certain size. As the grow males will color up while females stay drab. Males also grow larger so even if they are sub-dominant they should still be a little larger and more colorful than the females.


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## kribmonster (Aug 9, 2013)

Sounds great, I found an Orange blossom peacock close to the same size as my others today so I bought him, I know some are not a fan of this type, but I think he is lovely, they are getting a variety of peacocks later this week so I will add a couple more. I added a bubbler and a few new rocks as a distraction. The four Eurekas I have are all still drab..except for one has pale blue on the dorsal unlike the others, I am thinking it is a male, I will have to catch them and vent them soon.


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## clhinds78 (Jul 27, 2012)

kribmonster said:


> Sounds great, I found an Orange blossom peacock close to the same size as my others today so I bought him, I know some are not a fan of this type, but I think he is lovely, they are getting a variety of peacocks later this week so I will add a couple more. I added a bubbler and a few new rocks as a distraction. The four Eurekas I have are all still drab..except for one has pale blue on the dorsal unlike the others, I am thinking it is a male, I will have to catch them and vent them soon.


Yes, sounds like that one is your male. What size is he?


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## kribmonster (Aug 9, 2013)

The eureka are about an inch and a half


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## clhinds78 (Jul 27, 2012)

kribmonster said:


> The eureka are about an inch and a half


Still a little early to be sexing, but it should be soon.


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## kribmonster (Aug 9, 2013)

Once they get a little bigger ill post some pictures of them and the tank. Thank you for all your help


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## clhinds78 (Jul 27, 2012)

kribmonster said:


> Once they get a little bigger ill post some pictures of them and the tank. Thank you for all your help


Great!


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