75 gallon cichlid stocking ideas

75 gallon tank
Most fish are 5-6 months old... some of the newer ones are younger
This is my stocking
1 Red Zebra male
2 Electric yellow lab male
2 dragon blood peacock male
1 male sulfur head peacock male
1 female star sapphire
1 electric blue hap
2 electric blue johanni male
1 OB peacock male
1 sulfur head that I can’t figure out if it’s male or female
1 saulosi Mbuna male
1 eureka red peacock male
I have a Snow White mbuna and blue zebra in my grow out tank. So I think once I add those the total would be 17.
I do not have much of any aggression issues. I am just looking for 2 or 3 showcase fish that will really pop in color.
how many more should I put in there? The biggest is the hap. He is about 5 inches I am guessing.

 

Im glad you're not having any aggression issues, how long has the tank been set up? They are pretty small so I guess time will tell. Personally, I am not a huge fan of mixing Mbuna with peacocks and haps. It's too hard with feeding IMO. Just curious what are you feeding them? Regardless, I think 17 for a 75 gallon is a solid number. Your fish have a lot of maturing and a lot more growing to do. Your biggest fish is 5 inches, eventually your smallest fish will be 5 inches haha.

I think the best thing you could do is keep the number of fish you're at and start slimming the herd as aggression and maturity reach full on African cichlid. Then you can trim the tank according to the species you want to keep. If you're looking for showcase, go male peacock. The Mbuna aggression is going to be too much for your peacocks anyway. In my opinion they're an easier tank just off and would look amazing in a 75 gallon.

During that time of trimming the tank down to what you want, you can research and save money to really go all out on your showcase fish. In the process your tank will become more sustainable and your fish will just thrive. Plus going male peacock will cut down on crazy Mbuna breeding. I know you said you have mostly male, but sometimes those guaranteed males aren't what you expect when they hit maturation. It happens. One day you could have 17 fish and the next, congratulations your Mbuna just had 25 more fry haha.

 

Im glad you're not having any aggression issues, how long has the tank been set up? They are pretty small so I guess time will tell. Personally, I am not a huge fan of mixing Mbuna with peacocks and haps. It's too hard with feeding IMO. Just curious what are you feeding them? Regardless, I think 17 for a 75 gallon is a solid number. Your fish have a lot of maturing and a lot more growing to do. Your biggest fish is 5 inches, eventually your smallest fish will be 5 inches haha.

I think the best thing you could do is keep the number of fish you're at and start slimming the herd as aggression and maturity reach full on African cichlid. Then you can trim the tank according to the species you want to keep. If you're looking for showcase, go male peacock. The Mbuna aggression is going to be too much for your peacocks anyway. In my opinion they're an easier tank just off and would look amazing in a 75 gallon.

During that time of trimming the tank down to what you want, you can research and save money to really go all out on your showcase fish. In the process your tank will become more sustainable and your fish will just thrive. Plus going male peacock will cut down on crazy Mbuna breeding. I know you said you have mostly male, but sometimes those guaranteed males aren't what you expect when they hit maturation. It happens. One day you could have 17 fish and the next, congratulations your Mbuna just had 25 more fry haha.

Ok. Thanks man. I was thinking about a male fusco for showcase fish... I’ve been told they don’t get overly big for a hap. And it could show the mbunas who’s boss. Still no aggression issues tho. When those arise I’ll probably give em back to the LFS

 

Yeah I believe you can expect about 7 - 8.5 inches with the Fusco. Possibly 10inches if its a real monster, but haven't seen one that big in person. Best of luck! Have any pictures of your tank?

 

Yeah I believe you can expect about 7 - 8.5 inches with the Fusco. Possibly 10inches if its a real monster, but haven't seen one that big in person. Best of luck! Have any pictures of your tank?

Picture doesn’t do all the colors justice. Some other experts told me that I would eventually have to change them out for some limestone or something to make for more territory and caves.

 

That OB and Dragon blood look solid. Solid choice with the mainland HOB filters; I use them too. They have a lot of extra room for more filter media if you don't do that already. On my 75 I ran two marineland 350s and a fluvial canister underneath. A201 take a look!

 

Suggesting a limestone hardscape is simply just that, a suggestion.
There's nothing wrong with the artificial coral reef. Looks good to me.
Limestone would likely bump your PH to 8.2 or 8.3 & buffer against a PH crash. Africans thrive in the elevated PH. plastic decor won't do that.