[Renaissance Dan]

I have been keeping fish for over 30 years and have several tanks with community fish and Discus. I recently set up a 125 to get back into cichlids after a decade break. I have two sun sun 3000 canisters, a corner matten filter and several powerheads. I am using sand as a substrate and have a stable PH of 8.4 out of the tap. I am looking to have an all male Hap/Peacock tank and understand the difficulty in creating the right balance of species and the time it will take to do so. Any advise with my proposed stocking list that will avoid definite conflicts is appreciated.

1. Sciaenochromis fryeri albino White Knight
2. Sciaenochromis fryeri Electric blue
3. Cyrtocara Moorii Blue dolphin
4. Placidochromis electra Deep water Hap
5. Haplochromis/Protomelas Ndiwe Fire hap
6. Otopharnyx Sp. Spot Sani
7. Otopharynx lithobates Red Blaze
8. Buccochromis nototaenia Bucco Noto
9. Aulonocara Jacobfreibergi Albino Eureka Red
10. Aulonocara Jacobfreibergi Ottor Point
11. Aulonocara stuartgranti Mdoka Ngara Flametail
12. Aulonocara sp. lawanda Red top Lawanda
13. Aulonocara sp. OB
14. Aulonocara Sp. Rubescens Ruby Red
15. Aulonocara sp. stuartgranti "Maleri" Sunshine
16. Aulonocara Jacobfreibergi Undu Lemon Jake
17. 4 Synodontis catfish
18. 3 Bristle nose pleco

 

[01722]

I had a 60g peacock/hap for two years and just upgraded to a 125g a couple weeks ago. I have two pieces of advice with my limited personal experience.
1. Buy fish big enough to confirm they are a male rather than messing with unsexed juveniles and rehousing.
2. Add most if not all the fish at once. I've had very little aggression problems despite mixing similar looking species I shouldn't have due to my inexperience at the time. I've been lucky, but I attribute the peacefulness of my tank mostly due to them all being introduced at the same time when they were only about 2.5".

 

[Renaissance Dan]

I appreciate any insight. Thanks for the tips!

 

[DJRansome]

For best chance of max color, overall, choose between wimpy fish (stuartgranti, otopharynx) and more aggressive fish (protomelas, jacobfreibergi and OB peacock). Some say one jacobfreibergi/tank.

If you want a conservative approach, choose one fryeri and choose one Otopharynx.

You have some large fish on the list so don't stock as many as you would if they were all six inchers.

 

[Renaissance Dan]

OK, great insight. This is the revision based on feedback so far. Any thoughts?

1. Cyrtocara Moorii Blue dolphin
2. Phenochilus Tanzania Star Saphire
3. Placidochromis electra Deep water Hap
4. Placidochromis Milomo VC 10
5. Oto Tetrastigma
6. Lethrinops Marginatus
7. Buccochromis nototaenia Bucco Noto
8. Aulonocara stuartgranti Chipoka German Red
9. Aulonocara stuartgranti (Usisya Flavascent
10. Aulonocara stuartgranti Mdoka Ngara Flametail
11. Aulonocara sp. lawanda Red top Lawanda
12. Aulonocara maylandi Sulphur head
13. Aulonocara stuartgranti Neon blue
14. Aulonocara sp. stuartgranti "Maleri" Sunshine
15. Aulonocara hansbaenschi Red shoulder
16. Sciaenochromis fryeri albino White Knight
17. 3 Bristle nose pleco

Joined: Fri Apr 10, 2020 9:13 am
Location: Ohio

 

[DJRansome]

VC10 too aggressive.
Lethrinops and Sulphur head don't color well in all male, even with wimpy tank mates.
Neon IME will not color with maleri and usisya.

Options to replace those?
Copadichromis azureaus
Protomelas marginatus
Aulonocara stuartgranti cobue

If you count the fish that mature bigger than six inches as taking up two slots, that would get you stocked.