choosing the right fish for my aquarium

[daxton6]

I've been going through your Malawi tank lists, and I've put together a list of fish I think would work well in my tank. Assuming they're compatible in your tanks, they should be fine in mine, right?

My tank's a 4ft, 1200w x 477d x 745h mm. Rock setup's not too big, see the picture below. Let me know if I need more rock or less open space.

So, here's my list:

- 4x hap sp. 44
- 4x Yellow Labs
- 4x Cynotilapia afra Jalo Reef
- 2x Pseudotropheus elongatus neon spot
- 4x Ndumbi red tops
- 4x Pseudo Elongatus Mpanga
- 2x Aulonocara Sunset
- 2x Aulonocara Orange Peacock
- 2x Horse Face Loaches - They bury themselves in the sand, which should help with gas buildup.

That's 28 fish, I think. Do you think they'll get along most of the time?

Is that too many fish for my tank?

I don't plan on adding them all at once. Which ones should I start with?

Looking forward to your thoughts.

[slyzen]

I'm not convinced the loaches will do well with the malawis, to be honest. The other fish you've listed should be alright, but it does sound like you're trying to replicate a few different tank set-ups in one go. I'd personally avoid the sp44 as they're not malawis, and I've heard the Aulonocara sunset are a bit of a poor-quality fish - I wouldn't bother with them. The other Aulonocara you've mentioned are line-bred and might not colour up as well with all the mbuna in the tank. I'd shop around for them and steer clear of the usual supplier, if you know what I mean - you don't want to end up overpaying for subpar fish. Neil on here has got some really nice fish that would work well in your tank, you might want to consider reaching out to him.

[oakleyride]

I'm a bit concerned about over-hybridization, personally I'd stick to one peacock species and one elongatus variety to avoid any unwanted mixing. For the peacock, I'd go with 1 male, 3 females and do the same for the elongatus, just my two cents.

[daxton6]

I'm not convinced the loaches will do well with the malawis, to be honest. The other fish you've listed should be alright, but it does sound like you're trying to replicate a few different tank set-ups in one go. I'd personally avoid the sp44 as they're not malawis, and I've heard the Aulonocara sunset are a bit of a poor-quality fish - I wouldn't bother with them. The other Aulonocara you've mentioned are line-bred and might not colour up as well with all the mbuna in the tank. I'd shop around for them and steer clear of the usual supplier, if you know what I mean - you don't want to end up overpaying for subpar fish. Neil on here has got some really nice fish that would work well in your tank, you might want to consider reaching out to him.

I've come across some info that suggests loaches can actually coexist with malawis. Apparently, when a cichlid tries to chase the loach, it'll just bury itself in the sand really quickly and the cichlid will give up after a while. It's an interesting defense mechanism, so I'm still considering giving it a try.

The SP44s are a nice fish, and I've read that vics and malawis can be mixed. I've seen them in malawi tanks before, so I don't see why it wouldn't work.

I won't be rushing to get the aulonocara sunset, they'll probably be one of the last additions. I do want to get some aulonocaras, just not sure about that particular one yet. Oakleyride made a good point about only keeping one type, so I'll stick to that.

I'll be buying from Neil, as I mentioned before. He's got some great fish, so I'll pick my first lot up from him. I'll post an update soon with my final decision.

[dougmac]

I've been going through your Malawi tank lists, and I've put together a list of fish I think would work well in my tank. Assuming they're compatible in your tanks, they should be fine in mine, right?

My tank's a 4ft, 1200w x 477d x 745h mm. Rock setup's not too big, see the picture below. Let me know if I need more rock or less open space.

So, here's my list:

- 4x hap sp. 44
- 4x Yellow Labs
- 4x Cynotilapia afra Jalo Reef
- 2x Pseudotropheus elongatus neon spot
- 4x Ndumbi red tops
- 4x Pseudo Elongatus Mpanga
- 2x Aulonocara Sunset
- 2x Aulonocara Orange Peacock
- 2x Horse Face Loaches - They bury themselves in the sand, which should help with gas buildup.

That's 28 fish, I think. Do you think they'll get along most of the time?

Is that too many fish for my tank?

I don't plan on adding them all at once. Which ones should I start with?

Looking forward to your thoughts.

I've come across some info that suggests keeping loaches with malawis can work, it says that Horseface loaches can defend themselves by burying in the sand quickly when a cichlid tries to get them, and the cichlids usually give up after a few attempts. Worth a shot, I think.

I've also read that mixing vic and malawi fish can be done, and I've seen SP44's in malawi tanks before, they're really nice fish. I'm not rushing into getting the aulonocara sunset, they'll probably be one of the last ones I get, but I do want some aulonocara, just not sure which type yet. Oakleyride made a good point about only keeping one type of peacock, so I'll stick with that.

I've already mentioned that I'm planning on buying from Neil, so I'll definitely get my first lot from him. I'll post an update soon with my final decision.

[daxton6]

Thanks James, I've done some online research and I'm really keen on the SP44's now or something similar from Lake Vic.

[floriana]

I've found another great option for a bottom feeder that works well with my cichlids - Synodontis sp. cats, specifically the feathertail or upside-down varieties. They seem to coexist peacefully, with my cichlids barely acknowledging their presence.

[daxton6]

Thanks floriana, will definitely look into the Synodontis sp. cats, I've heard good things about them being compatible with cichlids.

To be honest, there's just too many great options out there, I think I just need to make a decision and stick with it. I've still got a bit of time to decide anyway, the tank's not cycled yet and that's still a few weeks away.

[bould]

I've got a victorkento4 with my Malawis, specifically a Nyeri, but to be honest, it's been a nightmare as it's grown. I'm actually looking to rehome it as soon as possible - it was never meant to be in that tank in the first place. I also have a female Brownae, but she's a bit of an exception, only having one eye and being really well behaved.

In my opinion, Victorkento4s and loaches just don't mix well with Malawis, it might work out occasionally, but it's not worth the risk, especially in a smaller tank like yours. I mean, those Malawis are going to grow into adults, and your tank just isn't that big.

I do agree with the others about keeping only one species of Aulonocara, though - they can get massive. I've got a trio of Borleyi, and while they're stunning, they've outgrown my 250L tank.

[kalevi]

I'd personally just keep one or the other, mate. Mbuna or haps/peacocks, they're two different worlds. Most haps/peacocks are shy fish, so they may not colour up as well with mbuna around. Plus, they need different tank set-ups and stocking. It's just easier for you and the fish in the long run. If you do mix them, 3 to 4 species in groups can look great, but you'll need more hidey places for the fish.