Who Gives A Fish Forums

I've been keeping an assortment of African cichlids for years, but my mbunas have grown too large and aggressive for my setup. My trewavasae, kenyi, and johannis are constantly at each other's throats - it's like they're competing in some sort of underwater battle royale.

I'm thinking of trading them in for some more peaceful, yet colourful African cichlids. Yellow labs, despite being mbunas, seem like a great option as they're generally more docile. I'm also considering peacocks and haps - would these make for a compatible and visually appealing combination?

My setup's a 65g rocky tank with crushed shell substrate, so I'm hoping these new additions would thrive in this environment.

I've kept yellow labs, peacocks, and haps together in my tank and I must say, they're a great combination. The labs, although still mbunas, are indeed more peaceful than some of the other species, but they do still have their moments of aggression. The peacocks, on the other hand, are quite entertaining to watch - their antics remind me of small dogs waiting for their food, always on the lookout for the next meal. They can get a bit feisty at times, but it's all in good fun. Overall, I think they'd make a great addition to your tank, and I'm sure you'll enjoy keeping them.

I agree, Labs are generally more low-key but still have a bit of a nippy side, especially if you end up with a male-female pair by mistake. They're entertaining cichlids to keep, just keep a close eye on them. My Luwino Reef Zebra Chilumba were a nightmare, always fighting to the death. Labs and Peacocks should get along fine though, so you should be good to go.