General African Cichlid Discussion • Quick stocking question

[nickthefoxtoy]

Hello, I just got a 150 that I will be making into an all male peacock hap tank. Currently I have a 55 gallon with yellow labs and yellow tail acei. I am curious if I can move the dominant yellow tail acei who is reaching over 6 inches and is getting a little too big for a 55 into the all male tank. I have the same question for the yellow lab, not because he is too big, but I think he is a pretty fish and would love him in the tank. I know these are “peaceful” mbuna, will they cause an issue in a peacock hap tank? I do not have my mind set on any peacocks/haps yet.

[DJRansome]

How long is the tank?

They usually work with peacocks and haps in an all-male tank. I personally like to keep them separate but it can be done. You could even more the entire breeding group of both acei and yellow labs.

[nickthefoxtoy]

It is a 6ft tank. That would be pretty cool. I would like to move the breeding group over. Would the female acei cause any drama for the male peacocks/haps? And would there be any extra aggression from the mbuna with the females being in there as well in your opinion?

[noki]

You could possibly have Acei or Yellow Labs but starting a tank with a dominant 6+" Acei doesn't help the color of your Haps/Peacocks. If you have a Hap/Peacock tank, you want them to color up and feel happy and dominant, that is the point, and having mbuna may stress out the Hap/ Peacocks to some degree, even if they do not beat them up.

The mix may be okay, or it may keep your Hap/peacocks from showing their full color. It a depends on what is important to you. Generally I found that Haps/ pure Peacocks do not look good in a mostly Mbuna tank.

[DJRansome]

I also prefer to keep them separate. Also remember if you add six acei (then omit the lab) you have used 1/3 of your slots for peacocks and haps. Male haps and peacocks seem to ignore female mbuna in general.