Amanda

I only have the 6 cichlids in my 55 gal. right now. I know I need to add more, but they're all getting along really well right now. I (hope) I have a male & female red zebra - maybe some fry when they get older! What else would get along with my cichlids? The peacocks are beautiful, so are the labs. I'll probably just get one of whatever else I buy. Unless the store can guarantee me a male/female pair (or 2 females). But since they're young, it's hard to tell.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/a....cfm?c=830+831

FishFolk

Amanda,
Sort of feeling like you. I have a 55 thst I can add more to but am worried about upsetting the aggression balance. I have three yellow labs that need a home - I'd like to put them in the 55 and use the 20 for breeding....

I am still new to tocking and mixing fishes, but don't get anything the same color. Try to stay with the same lake origin -has to do with water requirements and different behaviors/signals of fishes from different areas.

Are all of your fish red zebra?

Slug

For the record, Liveaquaria's pictures do the species NO justice.

Generally as a loose rule of thumb, i like 15ish fish in a 55gal. Mbuna wise. In my 55gal i had 14 Msobo, a peacock male, a male Labeotropheus trewavasae, and a male Brichardi (had no where else to put him). And the tank did great. I found that if the peacock is large enough he can usually hold his own against the Mbuna....however peacocks are usually a lot more mild mannered then Mbuna so you never know.

More Zebras would be fine as well.

Amanda

I was interested in getting a peacock. And my lfs has gorgeous bumblebee cichlids. As long as they're all from lake malawi, and stay under 6", they should be okay right?

FishFolk

I don't know - I wish Allie weren't busy with sick fish. She is very good at stocking questions. Maybe if you pm...

Try this part of the site:

Which African Cichlids to choose?

There's oodles of info on stocking.