Re: keeping mbunas and peacocks
Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2025 3:22 pm
When it comes to the Kenyis, I'd suggest trying reverse trios or 2 to 3 pairs. This can help distribute the aggression among the males, and also means the females won't get constantly harassed by the males. Some species respond well to this setup, while others don't, so it's all about experimenting and finding the right combination for your tank. At the moment, your tank seems to be in a good place, but if you do plan on adding to your current stock, I'd recommend doing so when you switch to the new tank.
I'd also consider rehoming the Pseudo Crabo, as they can grow quite large, and if it's a male, its behavior might change in the new tank. You might want to thin out the red zebras too, as ideally, you don't want the offspring interbreeding with each other.
As for mixing, I personally think it's best to keep mbuna with mbuna, and peacocks with peacocks. With a 75G tank, you could have 1 to 3 species of peacock, max, as they need the extra swimming space, and the mbuna need space to thrive too. I wouldn't overdo it with the rocks either, just a few nice, large pieces with some scattered medium to small rocks at the base. The key is to break the line of sight, and if you observe your mbuna, you'll notice they spend most of their time in open areas, grazing algae and just chillin' above their rocks.
Just keep in mind that mbuna can be quite boisterous, so the peacocks might not display their full colors.
I'd also consider rehoming the Pseudo Crabo, as they can grow quite large, and if it's a male, its behavior might change in the new tank. You might want to thin out the red zebras too, as ideally, you don't want the offspring interbreeding with each other.
As for mixing, I personally think it's best to keep mbuna with mbuna, and peacocks with peacocks. With a 75G tank, you could have 1 to 3 species of peacock, max, as they need the extra swimming space, and the mbuna need space to thrive too. I wouldn't overdo it with the rocks either, just a few nice, large pieces with some scattered medium to small rocks at the base. The key is to break the line of sight, and if you observe your mbuna, you'll notice they spend most of their time in open areas, grazing algae and just chillin' above their rocks.
Just keep in mind that mbuna can be quite boisterous, so the peacocks might not display their full colors.