Lake Victoria Basin, West African, Madagascar & Asian Species • Xystichromis sp. ''Kyoga Flameback'' tank set up question...

[GoofBoy]

I am not trying to be a pain in the _ _ _ but according to the profiles on this site the yellow lab is a peaceful fish towards other species and the electric blue is mildly aggressive or is it one of those thing that every fish is different. If I do get these I think I will try a species tank for a while and then put a male yellow lab in with them and keep a close eye on them if that works add a female.

I have no idea which fish you mean when you say electric blue. If you mean Sciaenochromis fryeri, no way would I combine them - from my experience my guess would be the S. fryeri will get too large and aggressive for the Flamebacks to show their best.

I would also say the odds are good a single male yellow lab will end up being too aggressive to have the Kyoga Flamebacks show their best. If I were to do labs I would opt for 3-4 females instead if you want the look and lower aggression.

I first kept mine alone - very skittish, not much color.

Then I had them in with Yellow Labs, Pseudotropheus sp. ''Minutus Tanzania'' Manda, & Pundamilia nyererei (Ruti Island) - they never really colored up much even though no one picked on them directly - never a torn fin or hiding behind a heater. They pretty much looked like this all the time



Mine completely fired up within an hour when they were put in with 3 younger Malwawi Hap/Peacock species groups - Aulonocara stuartgranti (Chiwindi), Otopharynx lithobates (Zimbawe), and Placidochromis sp. "Blue Otter". They went from almost no color like the photo above when in with mbuna to what you see in one evening. My wife couldn't believe they were the same fish. The males never spared like that in the mbuna tank.




The Aulonocara stuartgranti (Chiwindi) male may end up being too aggressive in time as he grows - the Otopharynx lithobates (Zimbawe) seem about perfect as far as temperament to go with the Flamebacks. The Placidochromis are, well, Placid as has always been my experience with them.

My experience, I am sure other people can chime in with different experience - I expect that your mileage may vary.

But I really think you need to consider if the Flamebacks do not feel very comfortable, they will show you very little.

[ls5292]

I can't find either one of those two species, but I can find Aulonocara "German Red". So would two species be enough or would I need three and would I be better off adding all of them together so they grow up together. I am also thinking abut getting two tanks and seeing what works the best.

[DJRansome]

I think the confusion comes when you try to compare aggression ratings across different lakes and different types of fish. Labs are peaceful compared to mbuna, but not to peacocks, for example.

Kyoga are "timid" compared to Victorians. Unfortunately there is not a comparison rating across all cichlids, so it's a little bit more experimental as to what will combine if mixing lakes.

GoofBoy is a well-respected fishkeeper and his advice would bear a lot of weight with me, FWIW.

[ls5292]

Thanks for the clearing that up and you are telling me that Aulonocara Stuartgranti (chiwindi) and the Otopharynx lithobates (Zimbawe) are from lake Victoria?

[ls5292]

if I add something to the flamebacks would it help if I kept them smaller and or what about non-aggresive catfish or another non-aggresive tropical fish

[DJRansome]

Chiwindi and lithobates are from Lake Malawi. Aulonocara or peacocks are all from Lake Malawi. The label haps or haplochromines are used for both Lake Victoria and Lake Malawi, so you would have to track down each fish to determine the lake of origin.

Small size does not mean less aggressive...many a small fish can harass a fish 2X it's size. Synodontis multipunctata, lucipinnis, or petricola will combine well with Victorians. Tropical fish again have the problem of comparing aggression. Overall Africans from any lake will be more aggressive than the usual tropicals such as neon tetras, etc. Many tropicals prefer a lower pH/KH than African Rift Lake cichlids. I might try rainbows with Kyoga flamebacks, but that is an untested idea.

Note that I think Kyoga flamebacks are less aggressive than Hap. flamebacks. I am growing out some non-Kyoga flamebacks to try them with Malawi haps and peacocks. I have read mixed reviews on even that mix where the worst-case-scenario is that the male will not color up.

[GoofBoy]

I agree with DJ - Synodontis multipunctata, lucipinnis, or petricola will combine well with Victorians. Something like Congo Tetras or Rainbows will also work nicely. There are other African options - Lethrinops (Lake Malawi) should work but then, the Kyoga's may be too aggressive for the Lethrinops depending on species of Lethrinops.

It very much is trial and error and what works for one person may not work for another if it were real easy, people would get bored with them pretty quick, I know I would, that is why I don't keep much in the way of community fish.

You went from a species tank - doing it right for them, to including them in with Lake Malawi mbuna in this thread - those two options are mutually exclusive IMO.

Hope the information provided hasn't made you more confused.

[ls5292]

thanks for your help

[dmoreken]

Now to help u out I have a bredding pair in one of my tanks and when the femaile is holding her fry she is a real attack dog to gaurd her fry from other fish, way different from peacocks who will not protect their fry. Other than that the males are peaceful, but I agree the P.Nyereri are go getters I have them Anchor and Ruti Island in tanks and the males are no joke just got a Telmatochromis Temporalis shell dweller now he can hold his own against the P.Nyereri they are the only fish I know that can probable hold their own with Mbuna's. Hope this helps a little

[ls5292]

how many flamebacks could I fit in a 55g tank? What I am going to try is a putting an few Aulonocara german reds in with what I whant to know is how many fish I can put in a 55g tank? I was thinking 11 adults?

[GoofBoy]

I'd get 8 young of each species and let them grow out and adjust as there are issues with males getting too spunky or timid.

[ls5292]

I am trying to trim down the males out of my flamebacks so do all of the males have a black strip going up the side of their head when their are the dominate are trying to be the dominate male. If this isn't the case how could I tell the difference between the males and the females?

[DJRansome]

You could vent them. Or you could keep removing the one colored male until no additional males color up.

[ls5292]

I am planning on doing the latter but I would like to know what the females look like

[DJRansome]

There is a picture of the female in the profile:
https://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=1550