[kwirky]

I've started up a 90g tank that'll be a hap/peacock tank. I have a question about the "75 gallon cookie cutter" article. The 75 gallon hap aquarium with groups A-E (max 5 each), will each of those groups interbreed?

I've been trying to figure out what kind of haps I can keep together with them breeding together. Sounds like a difficult task.

The article's here: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/cookie_cutter_75g.php

 

[secrest]

Most likely yes. That is why it says "Pick on species from each of the four groups"

 

[Gibbs]

If you pick 1 species from any of them 4 groups of a M/F ratio of atleast 1-3 then your chances of hybrids are greatly reduced.
If you notice, all of them fish look very different which is the key.
All you need is 1 very dominant male and all will fall through but i think it is fairly safe and i would do it for sure.
Just do the right thing and pay very close attention to the fry and juvies to make sure that they are all pure. Which means keeping them for a little longer then ussual

 

[kwirky]

If you pick 1 species from any of them 4 groups of a M/F ratio of atleast 1-3 then your chances of hybrids are greatly reduced.
If you notice, all of them fish look very different which is the key.
All you need is 1 very dominant male and all will fall through but i think it is fairly safe and i would do it for sure.
Just do the right thing and pay very close attention to the fry and juvies to make sure that they are all pure. Which means keeping them for a little longer then ussual

Cool I had a feeling it would be like that. I work at an LFS and get stuff at cost so I'll start with large groups of juveniles then cull it back to choice specimens by selling the rejects back to the store. I plan on generating a profit off this tank hopefully by selling the young to the LFS I work at (along with others if I produce enough.)

Just figured I'd ask on the board here because the advice the owner gives me is usually pro-product and not really pro-hobby.

 

[Fish_Dude]

I strongly disagree with the cookie cutter. I believe haps are best kept as an all male tank unless you plan on breeding. I would do 1 male of about 10-12 species in a 75g.
Female haps are unattractive and do nothing but promote agression and hybridiation!

I love my all male setups.. I have species tanks too with 2-3 species, but I don't like it nearly as much. Thesea aren'y mbuna, they'll color up just fine without women in the tank.

 

[Fogelhund]

I strongly disagree with the cookie cutter. I believe haps are best kept as an all male tank unless you plan on breeding. I would do 1 male of about 10-12 species in a 75g.
Female haps are unattractive and do nothing but promote agression and hybridiation!

I love my all male setups.. I have species tanks too with 2-3 species, but I don't like it nearly as much. Thesea aren'y mbuna, they'll color up just fine without women in the tank.

I'm not sure if I misunderstand you, or if you've misstated your opinion. Are you saying, that you personally prefer all male Hap tanks? If so, fair enough. It appears as though you are saying that you disagree that people shouldn't keep mixed Malawian Hap tanks, because they promote aggression and hybridization.

It's true, that may Hap females are not incredibly attractive. However, some people just prefer breeding situations. In 25 years of keeping Haps, I've never had a cross breeding issue, unless there weren't females for certain males. Yes, there is more aggression, but that too can be mitigated.

 

[F-1]

Fishdude,

Give the ladies a break. Females don't spread aggression, they actually bring out the best in the males and do a good job at reducing aggression. And hydrization can be easily avioded by keeping well balanced ratios of disimilar fish. If you're into all males, that's your things but there are hobbyist such as my self that keep females not for breeding but to simply bring out the best in males.

As for Kwirky, Gibbs gave you sound advice to help you reach your goal. Good luck and keep us posted.

F-1