[LesEdwards]

Hello, my wife & I are new to the Cichlid World and have a 30 gallon setup with 6 in it right now and picking up 4 more tomorrow. We also have a 60 gallon which is cycled and ready. We plan to put 20 in it. We picked up the first 6 at our local pet shop but the names they gave us don't seem to match photos we have seen. I am trying to get a handle on whether they are males or females and exact names and common names.
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

 

[DJRansome]

What are the dimensions of the 60G? I'm guessing 48" or even 36"? Stock by length, not by gallons.

All male mbuna is not an easy tank, and you may only want 8 individuals unless you have a 72" tank.

 

[LesEdwards]

These six are in a 30 gallon. We where told there was four males and two females. The 60 gallon is 48" x 24" x 12". I guess we are not going to see any breeding in the 30 gallon. Can we put some females in with the six that are in there now?

 

[DJRansome]

30G is too small for mbuna, so move the ones you are going to keep to the 60 gallon now. Is the 12" the measurement from front to back and the 24" is the height?

I would do something pretty dramatic. I would take back all the fish except the first one. I am assuming that is a yellow lab or Labidochromis caeruleus. If they did not sell this fish to you as Labidochromis caeruleus, don't assume it is just because it looks like one.

Assuming your tank is 48x12 you could do 3 species and 1m:4f of each.

I don't see any fish in your pics that would be great for a 48x12 tank and/or a beginner.

Get 4 more yellow labs for now. Males and females look alike, so just get 4 more.

 

[LesEdwards]

Wow now I am majorly confused. I am going to meet with a guy tomorrow that has been in the Cichlid business for over 50 years and has done many trips to Africa to scuba dive and bring home his own Cichlids. Found him this week but we had already bought the six we have in the 30 gallon.

 

[DJRansome]

Sounds like Larry Johnson. Enjoy!

 

[LesEdwards]

Either that was a lucky guess or Larry is very well known. I live basically 1/2 hour from Larry.

 

[DJRansome]

Number two...a well known speaker in the African Cichlid world. Plus...Canada.