# help please! compatibility with metriaclima and cynotilapia



## Flapjack (Jun 24, 2010)

I have nine Metriaclima Maison Reef Zebra Chilumba
http://cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=2290
The males are very light blue with black stripes and females are a purplish pinkish blue.

I also have nine Cynotilapia afra cobue that i would like to consolidate into one tank.
http://cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1371
Males are purple or blue with a yellow top and females are purple.

Do you think that there is a compatibility issue that might cause cross breeding or do you think i have enough of each species to avoid it?


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## Flapjack (Jun 24, 2010)

I forgot to mention the tank is a 80 gallon, dimensions are 48x18.5x21

If the afra cobue is not a good tank mate for the maison reef what else could I consider? I need something relatively aggressive.


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

I know that many members have reported their afra (cobue) to be on the more timid side of mbuna aggression and only show good colors when they are top-dog in the tank. I think the two species look similar enough that the zebra male would intimidate the afra male and maybe even crossbreed.

I think there are quite a few options for alternatives. Do they necessarily have to be aggressive? The zebra chilumba might totally ignore a fish that looks completely different, for example a yellow lab.


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## Flapjack (Jun 24, 2010)

An adult O. Lithobates female was killed in the tank this weekend before i could rehome her.
I suppose I could try yellow labs or another timid mbuna species but i have a feeling they would get murdered. The maison reef zebra males grow to 7" and become extremely aggressive towards all species according to the profile.

I was thinking maybe Metriaclima sp. "Membe Deep" 
http://cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=800
might be a good choice because the females are yellow and the males have similar coloring as the maison reef but a much different pattern. please see the link above for a reference. Only downside is they only grow 4" =/, might be a problem

I wouldn't mind adding a small colony of Pseudotropheus acei "msuli" to the mix as a timid dither fish if they could hold their own.

What I'm asking is for suggestions for a single species of tank mates for the 4ft tank.


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## Flapjack (Jun 24, 2010)

anyone else?


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## Petrochromislover (Feb 23, 2009)

yes, the membe deep can go with the maisoni zebras, or you could go with a petrotilapia species. petrotilapia get as big as the maisoni.


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## nick a (Apr 9, 2004)

Don't mix the afra with them. Another Met. species wouldn't be my first choice either.

Tropheops sp Red Cheek would be a nice mix with your zebras....different coloration/body shape/grow quite large themselves and the females are an okay yellow color.

Pundamilia nyererei may work for a different looking tank...the males may mostly ignore each other.

Lot's of options...just check around and see what's available that are close to the current size of your zebras...make sure you completely rearrange your tank just before you add your new colony!


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## Flapjack (Jun 24, 2010)

Thank you for the suggestions, I did a lot of digging around here in texas and I found a source for Petrotilapia "chitimba" chitimba bay and Petrotilapia microgalana Nkhata Bay. I have decided to get the Microgalana because the males become powder blue and the females are yellow or orange. This will give me a powder blue male with yellow underside and his yellow/orange females and the maisoni reef which will give me a very very light blue, may as well be white with black stripes and his pinkish purple females.

Pinkishpurple females
White/black stripes male
Yellow females
Powder blue/yellow male


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