looking for combinations of fish

**vegas2k** · 11-30-2010, 06:19 AM

Originally Posted by Lab_Rat

Glad to see you're considering cichlids! An all male peacock tank is nice, make sure to get differently marked ones. I just recently lost my nicest when the subdom decided to challenge him. I also keep Astatotilapia latifasciata with my peacocks, seems to work well.

I can't think of any schooling fish I'd put with peacocks. Even though they're mild mannered for malawi cichlids, they still are malawi cichlids. You could do some syno lucipinnis or petricola as a bottom dweller. Some people keep clown loaches, but they'll outgrow a 50g and idk if I'd trust africans with them. I keep BN plecs with mine as well. Plus, the clown loaches need to be kept in groups.

I would not recommend mixing continents, too much can go wrong. Stick with either african or american.

Definitely getting differently marked ones. Besides, to me, it works to my advantage, since the more different they are to each other, the better the tank looks. I saw your posting about the one you lost. sure was a beauty...hopefully with them all looking very different, I won't run into that problem, but I do understand Cichlids, even mild ones, can turn evil overnight.

Astatotilapia latifasciata sure is a good looking fish! I definitely would consider one of them!

That's a shame about Clown loaches. I like the Bristlenose plecos as well anyways, so that would work :)

if I have a pleco, and that Astatotilapia latifasciata, how many peacocks would be comfortable in there? When you say I should stick to one continent, aren't all peacock cichlids from the same lake/continent?

thanks!

**vegas2k** · 11-30-2010, 07:05 AM

what do you think about getting my peacocks and plecos from this guy? I am a bit concerned that he says he hasn't done a wc in 4 years according in another Craigslist post of his below(second link)

http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/for/2077725928.html

http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/for/2016019918.html

I wonder how much I should offer for some of his peacocks and pleco. And if they are adults of decent size, would I need to be concerned about a mini cycle occuring? I am currently putting a decent amt of ammonia into my now empty 50G tank trying to keep the bacteria alive and hopefully multiplying to be as ready as I can be for adding 5 fish or so.

**Demjor19** · 11-30-2010, 02:24 PM

In a tank that small, you will have to either go with some CA/SA dwarfs (Apistos, Rams, etc) or some of the smaller Africans. You could also always go with some other types schooling fish like Tetras, Barbs, Rainbows, White Clouds, etc. That would probably be your most peaceful/versatile option and can be very rewarding. I wouldn't add Clown Loaches unless you have a larger tank lined up for them (they would last for quite a while in a 50, but not for life), they also require to be kept in groups to thrive.

**Lab_Rat** · 11-30-2010, 05:45 PM

All the peacocks are from Lake Malawi. That comment about not mixing continents was in regards to the firemouth.

No water changes in 4 years is kinda scary, but evaluate each fish for it's health. I'd take a bucket and bring home some of his tank water to slowly acclimate them to your clean water (drip acclimate, make sure the water temp doesn't get too cold while dripping). Depending on the fish, I'd offer between $5-20, depending on size and coloring, how much you want it, and most importantly, health. Of course if you are taking several, you can negotiate more. Adult male peacocks are expensive; if I were to replace the one I lost with a similar specimen from my LFS it would be about $45 for the one fish.

From that list, I'd get only male peacocks. Avoid the Red Empress and electric blue (haps and get too large for your tank). I wouldn't get too many, don't want to overload the biofilter. Monitor closely, and since the tank has been established for a while the biofilter should catch up rapidly.

I would aim for a total of about 8 peacocks. I only have 4 peacocks in my tank right now, and unlike mbuna, there is not as much aggression where you need to hugely overstock. Just get the different looking species.

**vegas2k** · 12-01-2010, 02:13 AM

Originally Posted by Lab_Rat

All the peacocks are from Lake Malawi. That comment about not mixing continents was in regards to the firemouth.

No water changes in 4 years is kinda scary, but evaluate each fish for it's health. I'd take a bucket and bring home some of his tank water to slowly acclimate them to your clean water (drip acclimate, make sure the water temp doesn't get too cold while dripping). Depending on the fish, I'd offer between $5-20, depending on size and coloring, how much you want it, and most importantly, health. Of course if you are taking several, you can negotiate more. Adult male peacocks are expensive; if I were to replace the one I lost with a similar specimen from my LFS it would be about $45 for the one fish.

From that list, I'd get only male peacocks. Avoid the Red Empress and electric blue (haps and get too large for your tank). I wouldn't get too many, don't want to overload the biofilter. Monitor closely, and since the tank has been established for a while the biofilter should catch up rapidly.

I would aim for a total of about 8 peacocks. I only have 4 peacocks in my tank right now, and unlike mbuna, there is not as much aggression where you need to hugely overstock. Just get the different looking species.

is it difficult to tell if the peacock is a male or female?

ok, I guess to prevent the water from getting too cold I will heat up the aquarium they will go to to around 80 degrees or so, so the water slowly going into the bucket with the new fish should keep it from getting cold.

looks like of the fish he had, and of the ones left, the ones I like are :

Aulonocara Gold
Aul Baenschi
sunset peacock
hansbaenschi
aul lwanda

look ok? I'll be looking for a BN pleco, and will be on the lookout for some more peacocks in the future.

Now due to my lack of knowledge of these, something seems odd. Hansbaenschi looks like the sunset peacock from my googling around. are they similar...or the same fish?

Vegas water is pretty hard, so I guess that works out, since I read these guys like hard water.

**Lab_Rat** · 12-01-2010, 02:22 AM

There are a ton of different strains of some peacock species, and common names can be difficult to navigate which strain a species is. Aulonocara stuartgranti Maleri Island strain looks like a baenschei. Both are referred to as sunshine peacocks. I've never heard of a sunset peacock.

You'll know the males from the females if the fish have any size on them. Males are extremely colorful, females are a dull grey/brown. Your list should be good.

**vegas2k** · 12-01-2010, 03:13 AM

great, well I look forward to picking some up this weekend. I suppose if there are just a few that I like or whatever, I can always add more peacocks later :)