mixing lakes...

[Rick Lindsey]

Is there any disadvantage to mixing cichlids from different rift lakes? I have my heart set on shell dwellers, while my wife loves the look of the electric yellows. Most of the information I've found on the net indicates that electric yellows are rather peaceful fish, but a compatibility chart shows them (labidochromis in general, not e. yellows in particular) as incompatible with shellies...

I can probably console her with some bright yellow n. leleupi, but my understanding is that they're predatory, and not as peaceful as some of the other fish we're considering.

Now if just I could find some cyprichromis locally... I'm sure she'd give up her dreams of electric yellows in favor of a small school of blue flash

I know, the obvious answer is : Two tanks! But at the moment finances are tight and we just bought a "large" tank (5'x1'x2' ~75 gal).

 

[Finatic_LasVegas]

Mixed-Up Geography

Rick,

I've had a lot of great luck mixing up fish geography...always being the mad scientist at heart, anyway. Even went so far as to write an article for the Pacific Coast Cichlid Assn. on the subject.

I've mixed Malawian, Tanganyikan, Centrals, etc. all together in tanks before with great success. I think part of the ease of it is that cichlid tend to be nastiest with their natural conspecifics. When you throw in a fish they have no instinctual or historical reference to, they are more apt to not find them a threat and go about their business. When you put naturally occurring fish neighbors (like Pelvicachromis, Hemichromis and Chromidotilapia) together, they will be usually be a problem...since they compete for the same territory in the wild. I've raised Archocentrus sp. "Honduran Red Points" with Pseudotropheus (Metriaclima now?) demasoni and Neolamp. meleagris (forgot what the hell they're called these days), and together in the same tank with NO DEATHS.

Part of the trick to find fish who occupy somewhat different water strata (shellies at the absolute bottom, electric yellows a little higher to mid-water, to me, would work). As long as you have sufficient shelter tailored to each species (shells AND rocks for East Africans, wood and plants for others, and believe it or not, I've mixed all elements), keep the water temp comfortable for all and feed them well, you have a good chance of success!

If you have any particular questions, please feel free to drop me an email at wendy_mckenna@hotmail.com.

You can also see pictures of a 55g that I used to have, with DISCUS, demasoni, kribs, apistos, etc. all sharing the same tank (I kept the water neutral, medium-hardness, 80 degrees, with no ill effects on anyone--but don't expect any fish love to go on in such an environment - that was for show only and to prove it could be done - on my website www.geocities.com/hylandgirl68).

Cheers,
Wendy McKenna Peters
Las Vegas' resident Cichlid Mad Scientist and ACA 2002 Survivor[/quote]

 

[Neil]

Finatic_LasVegas,

WELCOME TO THE FORUM

Wendy,
Nice to have you join us! Excellent response. I too, have no resevations about mixing types of fish from differing continents.
Did you ever have any luck with those Hemichromis sp."Guinae"? They were awesome fish. I hope that you got fry from them.
Neil

 

[Finatic_LasVegas]

Hemi. sp. Guinea

Neil,

For whatever reason, my Guinea kept spawning with no fry...the eggs seemed to be fertile, etc....*scratching my head*
They are now in the very capable hands of Kevin Korotev and he's had them spawn with no fry once already and we're all crossing our fingers. If I can't get them to do what comes naturally, Kevin usually can. :wink:

I'm now working with the group of Hemi. stellifer I got at ACA. Really nice-sized young adult group of 8. One oddball female, though, who is TOMATO red (but has the same underlying marking that the other markings as the stellifer, so don't think it's a contaminant). Kevin K. said he had a stellifer female like that last year but the color was short-lived and wasn't sure if it was breeding-readiness coloration or what. Any clue?

Cheers!
Wendy