Hi I've got a 75 gallon tank ready to set up - I had wanted to a Central American tank but after setting up an Mbuna tank in my other 75 I'm interested to stick with Malawis but want something a little different. I've kept Americans for a long time, maybe 10-15 years, and I'm about 4-5 months in with my Mbuna and just love them, its everything I wanted my Americans to be but never were (...bit of a controversial statement there I know!)
This is the tank in question, partially scaped with the Central Americans in mind. Do you think this is too much for Peacocks and Haps? I'm not worried about the wood affecting the ph or hardness of my water, its 17-20gh out of the tap and it never changes in the tank but I do know that less is much more in this kind of set up.
View attachment 152166
I think I might be best to take out most of the wood and just leave the stones before adding the substrate? I have more rock too so it fills in some space too.
In terms of fish - I've previously spoken to a few of you about a list like this
Aulonocara Stuartgranti - Ngara Flametail
Aulonocara Rubescens - Ruby Red
Aulonocara Maulana - Bi-Color 500
Aulonocara sp. Stuartgranti "Maleri" Sunshine
Aulonocara Usisya
Aulonocara Turkis
Copadichromis Trewavasae Mloto Likoma
Copadichromis Azureus
Otopharynx Tetrastigma or Otopharynx Lithobates Red Blaze
Protomelas Marginatus
Placidochromis Electra
But having looked around quite a few places in the UK some of these species don't seem that common here (if at all). A second issue I have is that some of the Malawi specialists here won't sell single males, usually just pairs or groups. There are some very good shops that I like that do get good Malawi and sell single fish.
This is from their stock list and I think these are the fish that could work - not all of them, but are there any that people would recommend avoiding in this set up?
Aulonocara aquilonium
Aulonocara ethelwynnae
Aulonocara kandeense "Blue Orchid"
*Aulonocara sp. "Lwanda Red Top"
*Aulonocara stuartgranti "Blue Orchid"
Aulonocara stuartgranti "Chilumba"
Aulonocara stuartgranti "Maleri Island"
*Aulonocara stuartgranti "Ussiya"
*Copadichromis azureus
Copadichromis borleyi "Red Fin Kandango"
*Copadichromis trewavasae "Ivory Undu Reef"
*Otopharynx tetrastigma
Placidochromis johnstoni "Solo"
*Placidochromis phenochillus "Gisseli"
Placidochromis sp. "Blue"
Protomelas sp. "Steveni Taiwan Reef"
I've put *'s next to the ones I'm most interested in but I need to research some of them more in-depth but this is my current reading list
. I want to aim to be in a position where I could go to the store and select 6 identifiable males as the initial cohort.
I had also considered doing 6 Peacocks and Haps with 6 White or Yellow Labs so that could be an interesting choice.
Wills
This is the tank in question, partially scaped with the Central Americans in mind. Do you think this is too much for Peacocks and Haps? I'm not worried about the wood affecting the ph or hardness of my water, its 17-20gh out of the tap and it never changes in the tank but I do know that less is much more in this kind of set up.
View attachment 152166
I think I might be best to take out most of the wood and just leave the stones before adding the substrate? I have more rock too so it fills in some space too.
In terms of fish - I've previously spoken to a few of you about a list like this
Aulonocara Stuartgranti - Ngara Flametail
Aulonocara Rubescens - Ruby Red
Aulonocara Maulana - Bi-Color 500
Aulonocara sp. Stuartgranti "Maleri" Sunshine
Aulonocara Usisya
Aulonocara Turkis
Copadichromis Trewavasae Mloto Likoma
Copadichromis Azureus
Otopharynx Tetrastigma or Otopharynx Lithobates Red Blaze
Protomelas Marginatus
Placidochromis Electra
But having looked around quite a few places in the UK some of these species don't seem that common here (if at all). A second issue I have is that some of the Malawi specialists here won't sell single males, usually just pairs or groups. There are some very good shops that I like that do get good Malawi and sell single fish.
This is from their stock list and I think these are the fish that could work - not all of them, but are there any that people would recommend avoiding in this set up?
Aulonocara aquilonium
Aulonocara ethelwynnae
Aulonocara kandeense "Blue Orchid"
*Aulonocara sp. "Lwanda Red Top"
*Aulonocara stuartgranti "Blue Orchid"
Aulonocara stuartgranti "Chilumba"
Aulonocara stuartgranti "Maleri Island"
*Aulonocara stuartgranti "Ussiya"
*Copadichromis azureus
Copadichromis borleyi "Red Fin Kandango"
*Copadichromis trewavasae "Ivory Undu Reef"
*Otopharynx tetrastigma
Placidochromis johnstoni "Solo"
*Placidochromis phenochillus "Gisseli"
Placidochromis sp. "Blue"
Protomelas sp. "Steveni Taiwan Reef"
I've put *'s next to the ones I'm most interested in but I need to research some of them more in-depth but this is my current reading list
. I want to aim to be in a position where I could go to the store and select 6 identifiable males as the initial cohort. I had also considered doing 6 Peacocks and Haps with 6 White or Yellow Labs so that could be an interesting choice.
Wills
