[NeonRabbit]

I made some mistakes early and I am completely lost as to what to do. I have a 75 gallon that started about 9 months ago with the following mix: OB, yellow labs, Virginilas Gold, Rubescens and Flametails but my tank is now "stable" but in a rough way. I have hit a wall with that to do to correct it and the direction I should go.

Had a bad case of bloat wave knocked out my peacocks when a friend watched my tank for a weekend. I now have a mix of 7 female rubescens and flametails (I know but what is done is done). 1 male OB with great coloration and 4 OB females. 4 female virginilas (or atleast no color and breeding) and 4 male labs. Its been about a month in this "stable" state and I havn't had an issue with cross breeding.

I have found someone who would be willing to take the female peacocks despite the mix who made the same mistake. I was thinking of adding 1 male virginilas, a group of female labs and maybe 1 OB female as a baseline. I want to correct my mistakes with the knowledge I have now but could use a second opinion. Should I keep the Hap, mbuna, peacock mix I have that I know is working? Should I rehome them all and go back to first base?

 

[DJRansome]

Do you want to keep any females other than the yellow labs?

Do you prefer haps and peacocks or mbuna?

Since the OB is half mbuna and a hybrid, his dominance may be causing the Copadichromis to color down...I would not assume those are all female.

 

[NeonRabbit]

Good to know about the copadichromis, I was assuming I would see some amount of color change in 9 months. If it is unlikely for them to color up in the presence of my OB then maybe I need to rethink rehoming them as well...

My original plan was just going to get rid of the female rubescens and flametails and keep the others. I do prefer the haps/peacocks over the mbuna in general but added the electric yellows due to the lower aggression.

 

[DJRansome]

With mixed genders among haps and peacocks, you want females for none or females for all. Think in terms of 4 females for every male. If you do females for all then limit to one species of peacock/tank.

Then when choosing species among haps and peacocks, try to go with more timid selections like Copadichromis and Flametail and rubescens OR more aggressive selections like OB peacock.

I always had to remove the more aggressive haps and peacocks to get a lot of color from my favorite timid ones like Copadichromis, Flametail and rubescens.

 

[NeonRabbit]

If I was going down the Mbuna route, could I find a new home for the haps and get some acei yellow tail and additional yellow labs?

I was planning on redoing the aquascaping using shale like rock and would need to remove most of the fish anyways. I have a bit of a size different as the male OB is about 3.5" and a bit of an aggressor. How close in size do I need to get?

 

[DJRansome]

If you are going mbuna then 1m:4f yellow labs and acei would work, and you would still have room for 2 more species. Or you could do 1m:9f of each of the yellow labs and acei.

The OB is not a mbuna...would you be getting rid of him and all your other fish?

If you are going mbuna, then fill the tank with rocks. Is shale flat? I would use something 3D.