75 gallon stocking opinions

I wouldn't pick from the assorted tank. The possibility of hybrids is extremely high. Even if they look like they're pure you won't know...and you shouldn't cultivate fry.

Maybe go a little less with the maingano...like 1M/5-6 F....closer to what you had for the labs/rusties stocking. You could probably add a female or two to the lab/rusties. I think you would be okay with 1M/5-6F for each species you mentioned. But if you want to have more mainganos then I think you would be okay with your current stocking levels...just my 2 cents :thumb:

Oh, I should have mentioned in my first post (I was meaning to but it was early) toume, they will be spit in the tank and given no special effort to save them from being eaten. I just want to gain some experience with keeping them in the correct stocking ratio and building a healthy long term community.

I would order online but I have to cut out my CA/SA stock first and this is the only LFS that will trade. They give horrible cash prices but in turn for my 8" clown knife I got 5 cichlids. So I'm really just buying by phenotype. I found a local guy that has rusty 1"-2" for $1 a piece so those are probably pure.

esparzar1, I was told and have observed that melanochromis are much more aggressive and require 7-9 females so that's where I got that number. If I find that's not the case I might try to cut out a few and get 4 groups of 5 fish.

esparzar1, I was told and have observed that melanochromis are much more aggressive and require 7-9 females so that's where I got that number. If I find that's not the case I might try to cut out a few and get 4 groups of 5 fish.

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That is certainly true but not as prevelant with Maingano.. FYI

Ah, any idea why? Is it because they are monomorphic so there's not as strong of a visible response in the fish's eyes?

JoelRHale said:

Ah, any idea why? Is it because they are monomorphic so there's not as strong of a visible response in the fish's eyes?

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They have recently been redescribed as Pseudotropheus Cyaneorhabdos. Thus, they aren't as close to the other Melanochromis species as was first originally though. That being said, they are still the most aggressive species that I have owned so far. I recommend at least 6 females per male.

Okay 7 mainganos it is! I can cut rusties and labs down to 4 to keep a 5 spot open for white top hara or some other fish that isn't conspecific.

With mainganos, who are more aggressive, you might want to stick with 3 species. You can get more than 4 labs and rusties though (stick with the normal 1m, 5f).

JoelRHale...

Psuedo Saulosi could be an option to possibly replace Maingano.. Would give you a 4th color with the females being orange + a blue/black male, not that terribly aggresive & are a dwarf...

FYI

I'd love to have Saulosi but right now I have to trade my stuff away and get better fish then turn that into money or a trade for them. Once I'm free and clear of the CA/SA stock I will look into actually purchasing fish. Do you know anyone with them that's up for trading? I can PM you with a list of all the fish I can trade now and the fish I will probably have through trades in the next month.

I will be so happy to be back to one tank. I have three going right now (4 if you count the one that's cycling)- the 75, a 20 hospital, and a 10 heading back to the LFS on bad behavior and incompatibility issues and a cycling 55.

Saulosi would be a perfect, but aren't rusty females orange and labs are yellow so would I have to lose my current stock and redraft a new plan? For a nice fish like that I'd be willing to do that? I just want to know what stars have to align for this to work haha.

Saulosi would be a perfect, but aren't rusty females orange and labs are yellow so would I have to lose my current stock and redraft a new plan? For a nice fish like that I'd be willing to do that? I just want to know what stars have to align for this to work haha.

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With mbuna, crossbreeding is always a concern but I have never heard of problems with the combination of rusty, lab & saulosi. For mbuna, there is a significant difference in those three.

Not aware of anyone wanting to trade per se'. Saulosi are very common though.

I will keep my eyes open for them. They are a sharp-looking fish.

I just wish this guy with the rusty fry would respond to my email. He didn't leave a # or I'd call. Dealing with CL people are always a new adventure.

Try aquabid or the trading post on this site..

JoelRHale said:

There's only one problem and that's the LFS only gets in "assorted african cichlids" .

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you should ask them if you can order the ones you want. i work at a LFS and we have a tank of assorted cichlids, but we can order in all kinds of different species. we just keep the the tank of assorted because alot of people buy them.

jkeehn33, I gave them a wish list about 10-15 fish long, he went into his office, came back and said he could only get Ps. demasoni and that they were $20 for 1". So I think I'd get shafted on the trade, where if I game with assorted phenotype I can probably turn 4 of the 7 I have left into 10+ easy.

Once I have all African trading is easy, but finding a pet store that not only will take a 6" green Texas, but is excited and gives me a bunch of fish in return has been a difficult task!