[jbjack]

hey!

I am planning on stocking my 120 gallon with:

12, 3'' HAI REEF FLAVESCENT PEACOCKS (AULONOCARA STUARTGRANTI "HAI REEF")

6, 2.5'' LILULI SPILONOTUS (PROTOMELAS SP. SPILONOTUS TANZANIA"LILULI")

20, 2'' ZEBRA OBLIQUIDENS (ASTATOTILAPIA LATIFASCIATA)

6 BANJO CATFISH (BUNOCEPHALUS CORACOIDEUS)

ok I know its over-stocked I am purposely buying more then needed to grow a little, and pick the nicest male and females, then I will sell the rest, my long term would look more like:

3 male peacocks, 6 female = 9 peacocks

1 male liluli, 2 female = 3 protmelas

4 male zebra, 8 female = 12 astatotilapia

6 banjo cats

I do large weekly water changes on all my tankes needed or not, and have allot of filtration. all these fish are peacfull, and shouldnt cross breed.

any one have any issues they could point out with this tank?

thanks!

 

[GoofBoy]

First, I will assume a 4-5ft 120 since you didn't specify.

Having had a breeding group of Protomelas sp. "Spilonotus Tanzania" (Liuli) - IMHO you want a 6ft tank if you want to see the other fish.

I love the Liuli and still have my male (below). But my dominant male took over the 4ft 90 when he is in the mood - and he was in the mood like a 17 year old boy.

He will just be that much bigger than the rest of your stock and I fear you will see the same.

To make it more even for the others I believe you would want something like a Z-Rock, Lethinops albus, or an P Electra - a hap of comparable size to the peacock.

If you decide the Liuli route, I would start with 8 and hope to get more girls, my girls were much rougher on each other than the boys were. I do know someone else here who had the exact opposite happen, up to you to decide obviously but more girls is never a bad thing in a breeding group.

Good Luck.

 

[DJRansome]

I find the astatotilapia to be the most aggressive fish in my hap tank, and not a small fish either. I'd probably decrease the numbers of those and limit to one male with a larger number of females for him.

I guess it depends on the peacock whether 3 males will color up in a 48" tank.

 

[jbjack]

ah I see the midly aggressive rating on the zebras here, shoot, ok im going to scrap the zebras, and replace with kyoga flame backs, how does that sound?

 

[GoofBoy]

ah I see the midly aggressive rating on the zebras here, shoot, ok im going to scrap the zebras, and replace with kyoga flame backs, how does that sound?

Xystichromis males will not color up unless they are clearly dominant in the tank. They are best for a species only tank. Haplochromis sp. "ruby" should work however.

 

[jbjack]

really? even if there are several females present, and all fish in the tank are of the peacefull temperment?

 

[GoofBoy]

really? even if there are several females present, and all fish in the tank are of the peacefull temperment?

Per Dave Schumacher (a site sponsor), when I was looking to buy for a tank with other species (Peacocks and Lethrinops), he basically wouldn't sell them to me because he didn't want me to be disappointed with silver fish and wanted me to buy from him again.

He also wouldn't sell me a male Copadichromis jacksoni for my all male tank for the same reason - I trust Dave with advise on fish implicitly.

 

[jbjack]

if I may play devils advocate for a moment (and I am DEFINATELY not trying offend any one, just passing on reseach I have done) I came across a video of an aquarium containing the following fish:

2x-auratus(breeding pair)
2x-blue johanni
2x-yellow fin acei
2x-electric yellow
2x- red zebra
2x-ob zebra
2x-rusty
4x-red top hongi
4x ob peacock ( 1 holding)
2x-frontosa
4x-Pundamilia neyerei
6x-Kyoga flameback 2male & 4 female
1x- venustus
1x-Dimidiochromis compressiceps - african eye biter
3x -(zimbawe rock) - yellow blaze or red top

Now, obviously I dont agree with this specific mix of fish, but it does show the Kyoga males fully coloured, and with some of the above fish definately being more agressive then the kyoga flamebacks, the kyogas are obviously NOT the dominant fish in that tank. good shots of the kyoga at 0.33 and 1.54

 

[GoofBoy]

No offense taken.

I have also read numerous articles referring to them being easily bullied - but I also know I am not an expert on these particular fish.

Looked at Youtube and found the link - those look very much like Haplochromis sp. 44 Thickskin to me - which would definitely color up in such a tank. But hey, I've been wrong before, a lot.

If you try them please report your findings, I'd love to learn.

Good Luck.

 

[jbjack]

i am finding out in an hourish if infact i can get them, they all will be in tomorrow. i will keep this thread up to date. Im wrong lots too. :lol:

 

[dtune21]

I have 3 vics in my otherwise all Malawi 100g tank and this has been my experience within the last 6 months. The first vic that I put in there was a hippo point salmon and when he is angry his colors are amazing, but usually he is pretty drab looking. Next I put a zebra obliquiden in there and he keeps his color more often than the hippo point does, but his color also fades depending on his mood. About 3 weeks ago I added a flame back and his color has been the most consistent out of the vics and he always looks good to looking fantastic depending on his mood. There is very little aggression in my tank and the flame back is one of the smallest at about 2.5 inches with all fish ranging from 2.5-7 inches.

Like any animal/species they will all have their own temperament so you have to take advice with a grain of salt. Sometimes it will work and sometimes it wont. Some fish will keep excellent color and others will not and it will vary depending on the fish and not necessarily the species. I respect the opinions of dave and goofboy, but you can only really learn from experience.

 

[DJRansome]

I would not leave out the astotilapia, I think it's a good fit. I'm just saying you probably don't want 20 of them...maybe not even to begin with.

I have mine in an all-male tank and he is always colored.

I had the same feedback in the Vic forum about kyoga flameback...not the best fit for all-male.

 

[jbjack]

well shoot, its too late, anyways this is my final stocking, and what i plan to have in the long run....

now - in the end

7 banjo cats - 5 banjo cats

10 aulonocara stuartgrani hai reef peacocks - 1 male 3 female (4)

7 otopharynx lithobates zimbabwe rocks - 1 male 3 female

2 M 4 female xystichromis Sp. kyoga flame back - 2 male 4 female

6 protomelas Sp. spilonotus tanzania "liluli" - 1 male 2 female

well, whatta ya'll think? I definately would like the males coloured, and most imp. want a happy tank, secondly a nice tank, and third, I am hoping to use this tank to breed beautifully coloured fish for friends, family, and to sell.