[BillD]

Whether the fish end up killing each other is almost beside the point. While CAs and Africans share similar waters in nature, their behaviors are different. One of the reasons we keep cichlids is their behavior and mixing the two types messes this up. I have seen more than a few tanks where the different types co-exist, but the fish don't behave the same as they do in tanks of like types.

 

[BillD]

Whether the fish end up killing each other is almost beside the point.

In what way is that 'beside the point'? Is there worse or more unsuccessfull then when one fish kills another??
!

Since fish of the same type (especially conspecifics) will kill each other, I consider it beside the point in this discussion. As I mentioned, I have seen many tanks over the last 40 years that mixed the two continents, and were what you would call "successful"; the fish didn't kill each other. I even had a few once upon a time. I will stick by my statement that mixing doesn't allow for natural behavior. I will agree that the confines of an aquarium, limit true natural behavior in many instances, and really, people can do what they want. The question here was why not, and I expressed my opinion based on what I have seen. What I have also observed since joining a fish club 20 years ago, is that the really advanced fish keepers, some of whom I would label as expert, don't do it because they have observed the same thing. These people have far more experience and expertise than I could ever hope to have.

 

[BillD]

Quote "What I have also observed since joining a fish club 20 years ago, is that the really advanced fish keepers, some of whom I would label as expert, don't do it because they have observed the same thing."

--Going by this model, you have to set up the aquarium as a biotope. For those unfamiliar with the term, that means having the aquarium decorated like a section of the river/lake where the cichlid is from, and the other occupants are found naturally with them too. Anything else, and the behavior observed won't be natural. The more you stray from this, the less natural that it will be.

In my opinion, this severely limits you as far as tank setup and inhabitants.

Indeed, this practice does offer limitations, and biotopes are great although difficult to do in practice. Some are in fact rather boring as well. I tend to favour species tanks, even though they may not be actual "biotopes", or even remotely close. So, I don't personally see this as a limitation, but, rather, a good thing. This is just my opinion, and we all have our own reasons for being in the hobby.