[Bluesteel23]

Which is better for a beginner?​

Acei Cichlid	29	64.44%
Kenyi Cichlid	4	8.89%
Red/Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid	12	26.67%

 

[Bluesteel23]

I am starting a new tank and already have a few electric yellows in it. So the question is: What do you think is best? The acei, the kenyi, or the zebra.

 

[702Cichlid]

depends on the size of the tank and if you plan on keeping fry or not.

 

[slimjim]

acei.....nice peaceful fish ...good looking and give a good look in the tank..

 

[BoilerFan]

Voted Acei, but you do need a larger sized tank for them (75 Gal minimum).

 

[Bluesteel23]

It is in a 55 gallon aquarium. And I would like to breed them so I can keep fry (I would put the fry in a 20 gallon that I have).

 

[Bluesteel23]

Given the tank limitations, would there be something better I could get? It needs to be something common, as I have no good fish stores in my area. The options I listed were basically the fish I could get at Petsmart/Petco

 

[Guest]

kenyi and the cobalt and red zebras are both real nasty.. my friend has them in a 55 with like 15 other kinds of fish ( i gave them all to him) and he hasnt had any problems yet.. acei get much bigger than the zebras.. idk why not put a few of each in there... thats what i would do..

 

[Chunkanese]

You can try one of each IMO depends if your going all male or breeding tank. Both male and female kenyi are attractive but even if you get a female it would be fine with zebras or acei. I have them in my 90 along with gaps and peacocks

 

[beccam]

I have Kenyi in my tank, and they have not showed any aggression at all. they breed for me like crazy and are a nice color combo, females showing blue and my male a bright yellow. Just be prepared for them to dig in your substrate!

 

[GTZ]

Rusty's (Iodotropheus Sprengerae) are a nice contrast to labs.
Most Cynotilapia Afra would work as well.

 

[DJRansome]

I voted Metriaclima (red or cobalt zebra) but only because it is a 55G.

If you already have yellow labs, I'd choose the cobalt (Metriaclima callainos).

 

[Bluesteel23]

These are all really good suggestions. I don't have access to very many different types of cichlids, so I will probably have to stick with one of the three listed in the poll. Can you guys elaborate on why you voted the way you did?

Basically the main criteria for me are:

Easy to care for.
Breed Easily.
Not too aggressive.
Will look good with Electric Yellows.

 

[DJRansome]

Both the acei and the kenyi are not a good fit for a 55G.

Between the estherae (red) and the callainos (blue)...only the blue is unlikely to crossbreed with the yellow labs.

Process of elimination. :thumb:

 

[Bluesteel23]

I was under the impression all three of the options grew to the same size. Do zebras grow smaller? Will orange and blue zebras crossbreed?

 

[fatcat660]

I also voted for Zebras because of the size issue. Zebras about 4 inches Acei about 6 inches. Yes the Zebras will crossbreed if you dont plan on selling the fry it not an issue. I have Zebras and Labs in my 55. The Zebras can be aggressive but in my tank it is mostly conspecific. BTW I also have one Acei it is only a Juvie if it gets to full size of 6 inches I will take it to the LFS but we shall see how big it gets. I do have a question for the mods how come the cookie cutter recomendations for a 55 list the Acei? :fish:

 

[JcarrVT]

Those cookie cutter recommendations seem to be really hit or miss, everyone says 4 species for a 75g but there is a cookie cutter with like 6 or 7. I think it was a collaborative effort which probably meant some advice was only included to show that there aren't any truly hard and fast rules i.e. a certain tank setup worked for a certain person with lucky individual fish, so it deserves noting. If I kept mollies with a wolf cichlid and it works out I'm definitely gonna post it but that doesn't mean anyone else will luck out like me.

 

[24Tropheus]

Acei without a dought. But make sure you get a genuine wild type or better still variant Ided WC fish. Acei do well in small groups and small tanks and produce over 24 fry a mouthful.
Kenyi are mean big guys that produce good numbers of young that sell very well but you are kind of not helping the hobby breeding em. They are about as mean a killer of other Mubuna as you can get outside Melanochromis. And kind of need big tanks to breed well.
Red/Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid have a real soft spot for this cichlid as it was the first I had major success with but hard to get hold of good breeding stock and folk want Id able cichlids these days. Hard to say what most of these on the market are. Double reds where the male and female are both orange and a variant cross seem to sell best. Kind of not my thing.

On balance I would say sp "Acei" are sort after and make good additions to most of the smaller Mbuna tanks most folk have but get a well coloured and WC for good stock and sell as the regional variant they realy are. Good for you and good for the hobby.

Acei come in a few flavours that are man made. For top dollar you need to go back to an ided WC variant and sell as F1.

I breed Pseudotropheus sp. "Acei" (Ngara) but more because I am a little wierd and happend upon some good ones. Pseudotropheus sp. "Acei" (Msuli) or others of the blue yellow tails generaly sell better.

I have to say keep your yellow labs pure by breeding em in a tank separate from these other guys. And start a new tank for the new guys. It is the only way with Malawi Mbuna that cross at the drop of a hat to be sure the young are what you think they are.

Malawi communtty tanks are for mixing Malawi cichlids serious breeders keep one type of one species per tank.

Simple as that.

All the best James

 

[Bluesteel23]

How do you tell Acei males from females? Part of the allure of Kenyi, for me, is how easily you can distinguish male and female.

 

[24Tropheus]

How do you tell Acei males from females? Part of the allure of Kenyi, for me, is how easily you can distinguish male and female.

Then you do not know Kenyi. I had 6 females all yellow and over 4" in a 75g tank no breeding untill I added a real male.
It is kind of all the happy guys take on male colouration. You have to vent em to be sure..
Yep Acei are a bit harder to be sure but at least the males can live together without serious mayhem.
Saying that the best breeding group I had was one male and 8 females. I know they were females because they held and produced young.

All the best James