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55 gallon stocking issues

415 Views 1 Reply 2 Participants Last post by  DJRansome
Original stock was

1 Red Zebra male ?
1 Albino Zebra ?
2 pictus cats
1 jewel cichlid female
1 OB peacock
1 kenyi female
1 pleco
1 yellow lab ?
1 convict female - plan to move to 125

Well two nights ago I moved the Ice Blue Zebra male? back from the 125. So yesterday I come home to two dead pictus cats. I am in process of making my 125 an american tank so I moved a male auratus who was pestering my oscar in the 125 to the 55. I woke up this morning to dead peacock and dead jewel. The fish all range from 2-4 inches. I am currently left with following in 55 gallon.
1 Red Zebra male ?
1 Albino Zebra ?
1 Ice Blue Zebra male ?
1 kenyi female
1 pleco
1 yellow lab ?
1 auratus male
1 pleco

I had all my fish together up until couple of months ago when moved a couple to the 125. I wonder if the moving of them back just made the aggression jump up tremendously etc. The water tests are perfect. I am running penguin 150 biowheel and hot magnum for filters.

I guess I am wondering what are my options with what I have left. I was thinking some more yellow labs possibly,or more zebras, or could I add group of jewels or peacocks as my daughter really likes them. All suggestions appreciated
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When you have a tank that "isn't supposed to work" but it is...any change can wreck the delicate balance.

When you have so many species, limiting to all-male usually works better because it eliminates fighting over females.

So if you want to try to salvage as many of the current inhabitants as possible, remove females and look-alikes and shoot for 8 mbuna in the tank.

If you want to try groups, I would avoid jewels since they are likely to try to kill everyone when they spawn. Choose 3 species and stock 1m:4f of each. Each species should be a different genus and red zebras have a rep for cross-breeding with yellow labs. You have a lot of Metriaclima in your tank (red zebra, albino zebra, kenyi).

I'd go for some more peaceful species like yellow labs and Cynotilapia sp. hara.
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