will this work?

[Swifterz]

let me start off by saying that i have made some hasty decisions with my stocking. some people here have been pretty frustrated with me and rightfully so. if i were starting over today i would just do an all african cichlid tank, but...

i currently have a 55 gallon tank with 3 bala sharks, 10 tiger barbs, and 1 rainbow shark. just the other day i added in two firemouth cichlids, about 2" and they mix perfectly fine. no aggression at all. but these little guys fascinate me, and i started thinking about (and looking at) other cichlids.

i realize the ones i really, really like are Acei's, Electric Yellow Labs (Malawi) the Haps from Lake Victoria. now i would return the firemouths... i don't want to mix south american cichlids with africans.

my question is, if i rehome the Bala Sharks, can i put Acei's, Electric Yellow Labs, and (possibly) Victoria Haps with my Tiger Barbs and Rainbow Shark. I would be purchasing them on the smaller side, maybe 3" max.

my rainbow shark is somewhat aggressive and territorial, but i know he would be no match for cichlids should they decide to get into a scuffle. the tiger barbs would be much too small to be eaten, but maybe they could be attacked and/or stressed out.

my tank has play sand for substrate with lots of slate rock, some sandstone and two huge pieces of driftwood. i can create a lot of areas for hiding/territory.

i would appreciate any thoughts/opinions on this matter. thanks!

[bigbad-ratman]

so what exactely are you asking? imma little confused, because it seems you have several fish that arent suitable for your tank and are wanting to switch them with fish that arent suitable for your community. if i am wrong i apologize, but you say the rainbow has aggression issues to some degree, and are taking about getting fish that might have aggresion issues and seem willing to sacrifice your barbs for a somewhat more ambitious project. do i have this right?
my opinion is: if you want a community, get suitable fish for that and for your tank size. if you want a cichlid tank, get rid of your community fish and go cichlid.

[KingFisher]

so what exactely are you asking? imma little confused, because it seems you have several fish that arent suitable for your tank and are wanting to switch them with fish that arent suitable for your community. if i am wrong i apologize, but you say the rainbow has aggression issues to some degree, and are taking about getting fish that might have aggresion issues and seem willing to sacrifice your barbs for a somewhat more ambitious project. do i have this right?
my opinion is: if you want a community, get suitable fish for that and for your tank size. if you want a cichlid tank, get rid of your community fish and go cichlid.

I agree. Have you considered setting up more than one tank to accomodate all the fish you like?

[Swifterz]

so what exactely are you asking? imma little confused, because it seems you have several fish that arent suitable for your tank and are wanting to switch them with fish that arent suitable for your community. if i am wrong i apologize, but you say the rainbow has aggression issues to some degree, and are taking about getting fish that might have aggresion issues and seem willing to sacrifice your barbs for a somewhat more ambitious project. do i have this right?
my opinion is: if you want a community, get suitable fish for that and for your tank size. if you want a cichlid tank, get rid of your community fish and go cichlid.

sorry i realize it's confusing the way i wrote it out. what i'm saying is this...

bala sharks removed, rainbow shark removed...

stocking: Electric Yellow Labs, Acei's and perhaps one other Malawi species (Rustys or other suggestions) with the tiger barbs.

tiger barbs would be fast enough (and maybe tough enough since the cichlids would be only slightly larger) to get away or hold their own. they school together and don't look for territory.

if raised together, maybe they could get used to eachother and coexist. i fully expect my barbs to reach 2.5", maybe even 3" eventually. the bigger they get the better as far as not being a threat to get eaten.

[Swifterz]

I agree. Have you considered setting up more than one tank to accomodate all the fish you like?

unfortunately i don't really want to do that. i have this tank right in the middle of my living room in the perfect spot. i don't have the space or the want to set up another tank large enough for cichlids. but if neccessary i am willing to make hard choices to get the fish i really want.

[bigbad-ratman]

i am not a cichlid expert, so take my advice with a grain of slat if you will. but it is kinda a cichlid trademark that they are aggressive at some point. either territory, or when breeding, or just plain buttheads. in 55gal i would put in maybe four and last two to pair up would get a new home. and i would leave it at that. two pairs or cichlids that i am assuming you want to breed might not even like sharing with each other much less a school of barbs, who are active and prolly wont make best use of hiding places and such. also i believe that of the ones you suggested the barbs have a good chance of being the smallest. fish generally dont care how much smaller their enemies/meals are. if they are smaller at all, they are fair game. i would be prepared to loose the barbs or have stressed cichlid that are trying to take out the all the barbs.
good luck with what you decide.

[Swifterz]

i am not a cichlid expert, so take my advice with a grain of slat if you will. but it is kinda a cichlid trademark that they are aggressive at some point. either territory, or when breeding, or just plain buttheads. in 55gal i would put in maybe four and last two to pair up would get a new home. and i would leave it at that. two pairs or cichlids that i am assuming you want to breed might not even like sharing with each other much less a school of barbs, who are active and prolly wont make best use of hiding places and such. also i believe that of the ones you suggested the barbs have a good chance of being the smallest. fish generally dont care how much smaller their enemies/meals are. if they are smaller at all, they are fair game. i would be prepared to loose the barbs or have stressed cichlid that are trying to take out the all the barbs.
good luck with what you decide.

i honestly don't care whether they breed or not. any which way i can arrange it... be it how many or what sex, etc. that might make everything coexist better is a direction i will choose.

[robflanker]

why set up an appropriate sized tank for the cichlids? Im sure there is a perfectly good vase around here somewhere.

KF has the best idea - you ought to do separate tank. mixing species and communities and environments can be problematic

[Swifterz]

i should have just asked "can i put yellow labs and acei's with tiger barbs?"

that would have been a lot easier than trying to explain everything haha.

[robflanker]

and it would have been misleading and you would have gotten the advice you wanted to hear, instead of the advice thats accurate

[bigbad-ratman]

i should have just asked "can i put yellow labs and acei's with tiger barbs?"

well if we are going short and sweet: no, i wouldnt if it was my tank.

[Swifterz]

well if we are going short and sweet: no, i wouldnt if it was my tank.

thank you.

can i expect the yellow labs and acei's to coexist pretty peacefully? i know there are no guarantee's but these two species are commonly mixed right?

[Little Embers]

let me start off by saying that i have made some hasty decisions with my stocking. some people here have been pretty frustrated with me and rightfully so.
I seems like they still are!

unfortunately i don't really want to do that. i have this tank right in the middle of my living room in the perfect spot. i don't have the space or the want to set up another tank large enough for cichlids. but if neccessary i am willing to make hard choices to get the fish i really want.
I mean no offense, but it doesn't sound as if you are willing to do anything except what you want to do, or care about the fish you have now.

[Sharon]

Some of these comments aren't really very helpful....

Swifterz...you sound like you are honestly trying, and I appreciate that you like fish that can't coexist together. That's how I ended up running nine tanks! :hmm3grin2orange: I have an African tank, and believe me, the tiger barbs won't last long. Africans are aggressive on a different level, and the barbs will be no match. The Labs are more aggressive than the Acei...you may get away with it, but I really think there will be problems. I know it's hard but try to stock the tank with compatibility in mind. You won't enjoy a tank where there's always trouble and dead and stressed fish...

[Little Embers]

Some of these comments aren't really very helpful..
I'm sorry Sharon, I know my comment wasn't helpful....but sometimes being blunt is necessary when members don't wish to take/listen to the advice that was given previously.

unfortunately i don't really want to do that. or the want to set up another tank large enough for cichlids.
With respect Sharon... that doesn't sound to me as if Swifterz is prepared to take the fishes needs into consideration or is honestly trying IMO. No offense meant again Swifterz, but just trying to be honest and that is how it feels to me anyway....If I have misintrepreted your posts, I apologise!

[Swifterz]

I'm sorry Sharon, I know my comment wasn't helpful....but sometimes being blunt is necessary when members don't wish to take/listen to the advice that was given previously.


With respect Sharon... that doesn't sound to me as if Swifterz is prepared to take the fishes needs into consideration or is honestly trying IMO. No offense meant again Swifterz, but just trying to be honest and that is how it feels to me anyway....If I have misintrepreted your posts, I apologise!


how am i not taking advice or trying? i asked a few questions and haven't decided anything yet. i don't think you are following me.

when i said if neccessary i will make hard choices, i meant giving up my bala sharks because they need a bigger tank. they are my favorite fish. read my original post. i wouldn't even want anything else but i feel like they deserve a better home, and it's easier to do it now than later when they are already too big. and i know there is no way they can coexist with cichlids.

and then if i don't have the bala sharks, i would want some fish that i will enjoy and they will do fine in my tank, meaning not get too large... some acei's and yellow labs. these fish would be appropriate for my tank.

and i'm trying to make arrangements to get another small tank for my 10 tigers and rainbow shark.

[Jerm_the_werm]

well i havebeen doing quite a bit ofresearch on african cichlids... and just about everything i have read has said that you shouldnt mix cichlids from lake malawi with lake tanganika or lake victoria... i am not sure if this is true but you should probably do some more research..

[Lab_Rat]

Yellow labs and acei should be totally fine. As far as mbuna go they are two of the more mild mannered species. The more aggressive species you should avoid are the auratus and kenyi, and the crabo get too big for a 55g. Demasoni are also aggressive little guys but many people do a yellow lab/demasoni tank. Look at the mbuna profiles and see what you like. Most of the zebra types should go well with labs and acei also.

I would not mix the africans with your tiger barbs. Rehome the tiger barbs and do a mbuna tank if that is what you are interested in.

[MonkeyPox]

Swifterz,
I would suggest collecting your thoughts and making a new thread with direct questions in them.

[Little Embers]

how am i not taking advice or trying? i asked a few questions and haven't decided anything yet. i don't think you are following me.
Fair enough!...I don't know you (just I don't know anyone here), so I should not jump to conclusions and make assumptions/judgements about you....just as I would not like members to make them about me.....

[Swifterz]

no harm, no offense taken i was just trying to see what i had said to make you think that.

if i get some cichlids, it will be an all cichlid tank. i won't be mixing any of the fish i have in there now with them.

i really like the acei's , rusty's and the yellow labs, which someone just said would work great and they are some of the least aggressive species. that sounds great for a beginner.

so if i did it, i am thinking 3 of each species, 1 male and 2 females.. 9 fish total? does that sound good?

that would give me 3 varieties (a lot of color) and hopefully a chance at a peaceful group.

[Sharon]

Swifterz....I just want you to understand what the tank will be like. You will have to have a LOT of rockwork, to give fish hiding places. Even with the less aggressive Mbuna, you will have a dominant fish, who will keep the others in check. It may not be as active as you would like, in regard to actually seeing the fish swim and interact. Take your time, do some reading, and then decide....:ssmile:

[Lab_Rat]

I would actually go with 4 of each species (1m/3f) so there are more fish to distribute and diffuse the aggression. Like Sharon said, lots of rock work with caves is needed for these fish. Make sure you overfilter your tank and are willing to commit to a rigorous maintenance plan, especially if you slightly overstock (generally recommended with mbuna).

[Lady Hobbs]

Slow down and do some reading about fish before buying them. Decide if you want community and what size they will become as adults OR South American cichlids OR African cichlids (from the same lakes.)

Africans are very active, aggressive and several to a tank holds down aggression so tanks are generally rather heavily stocked. Lots of rock work for caves. The firemouth does not like to be crowded, like rocks and plants but is a mild cichlid and will be tormented by the africans.

Take some time and do your research and check your compatiblity charts. There are many articles about fish in the left hand column here as well on in other sites that will help.

Firemouths are S. American and don't belong in an African tank.

[Swifterz]

i'm not mixing the firemouths or any other fish. i already said if i do it it will be an all malawi tank.

i know i will need lots of rocks. i have all the limestone i could ever need and get get others as well if neccessary.

[Lab_Rat]

Limestone is great for the africans, it will help add hardness if your water isn't hard already. It's great that you're researching everything you'd need for a malawi tank before just buying fish and putting them it. It shows you're becoming a fish keeper instead of a fish haver! thumbs2:

[Swifterz]

yeah, i was asking whether or not the tiger barbs would work. it seems like people were thinking i had already mixed them with the cichlids or was going to do it no matter what. that's not the case.

if/when i do it, i will do it the right way. i have a couple of friends who have cichlid tanks and i know about the pH they need, the shelter/territory they need, etc. for me it was just more about learning compatibility, size, temperment, etc. of each individual species. and since i'm a beginner, i don't want to at least start out with some of the more peaceful species.

it really is the lack of space, not the lack of funds that is keeping me from a 2nd tank. cooincidentally, i met with some people and they have 55 gallon tank that was just recently used as an african cichlid tank... with huge rock formations and it comes with a stand, heater, filters, etc. they mentioned they want it out of the way and i could have EVERYTHING for $100. i just do not have the space!!

[Lab_Rat]

I'd be finding a way to make the space, that sounds like a good deal! Plus then you can keep your tiger barbs and have africans.