Lake Malawi Species • Stocking a 55 gallon mbuna tank

[Jai'galaar]

Hi all,
I have a currently empty 55 gallon tank (I had Tanganyikans in there before) and I'd like to stock it with some mbunas. I had a run with it before and I've failed miserably so I try to be extra darn cautious this time.
I'm looking for species that aren't overly agressive. It maybe sounds too casual but I want to have some blue, yellow and barred in the tank. I'm thinking about saulosi and acei but I don1t think the latter would be a good choice in 55 gallons. I certainly have a thing for Cynotilapia, but dislike yellow labs and red zebras.
Can you guys give me some stocking ideas? I've been thinking about it for a great while but it's a harder case that I thought.
(Yes, my English is bad, I'm not a native speaker.)

[DJRansome]

Welcome to Cichlid-forum!

Your English is pretty good and my Hungarian is non-existent so compliments to you!

Do a saulosi species tank with 3m:12f and you will have it all. Acei are too big for a 55G.

[Jai'galaar]

Thank you for your advice! (Btw that demasoni is dope as #%$&.)
I don't really know why but I'd prefer a two-species tank. I don't know if it's a safe idea in 55g tho.

[DJRansome]

Two species is fine, but you will have only the one blue barred fish with 1m:6f saulosi.

That gets you the blue barred and the yellow.

The solid blue choices comparable to acei are socolofi or callainos...neither are overly peaceful but would work with 1m:6f in a 55G.

You can even do 3 species with 1m:4f of each, but when acei and yellow labs are out...there are not as many options for species that have both males and females colorful.

[Jai'galaar]

But the socolofis are not so nice guys, are they? I heard very mixed things about them. Just like the mainganos, I love them but zero clear information, and it's also Melanochromis (eh, sort of), so it's most likely not a very good idea.

[DJRansome]

Maingano is better is 75G IME. All mbuna are aggressive, and socolofi and callainos are "medium" level aggression IME.

What about white labs? 1m:6f saulosi and 1m:6f white labs?

[Jai'galaar]

You mean the caeruleus Nkhata/chisumulae/perlmutt guys? They're cool but almost impossible to obtain in my country :/ I'll look around, maybe I can get some from abroad.

[DJRansome]

Not chisumulae, they are aggressive. Nkhata.

[SenorStrum]

Have you looked at labidichromis exasperatus? They also go by Joanjohnsonae. Males are a lovely blue color and the females are absolutely stunning "plaid" fish. They are my favorite females in my tank by far! Small and not very aggressive, but I'd only do 1 male and 4-5 females.

[Jai'galaar]

I just saw in another thread that someone stocked a 55 with 3M:9F saulosi and 1M:3F rusty. Could this be a good idea or is it just another accident waiting to happen?

[DJRansome]

You could try it. I have not had luck with quads, but I have also never kept rusties.