Grouping Cichlids?

[fishlover500]

Hi, I have just finished cycling my 60 gallon tank and have added fish a few days ago.

I have:
1 pseudo acei
1 male kenyi
1 yellow lab
1 cherry red zebra
1 electric blue maingano
1 female blue peacock


Should I buy more of the same species? If so which ones should I buy more of?

Are there any other mbunas that would do well with this group?

Is there a way to tell gender other than venting??

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Most all cichlids are sexed by the male having a more pointed dorsal and anal fin than the female except of course angels and discus....

 

[fishlover500]

thanks. Does anyone know what other cichlids I should add?

 

[Ferris]

Most all cichlids are sexed by the male having a more pointed dorsal and anal fin than the female except of course angels and discus....

Whilst that is very true for many New World cichlids - it is not relevant to the vast majority of African cichlids. Venting is generally the only certain method of sexing most African's.

Egg spots can be an indication with Mbuna as can behaviour but neither are especially precise systems.

 

[darrel69]

If you want to avoid potential future problems, id ditch the kenyi, they're way too aggressive. You may have trouble with the 'electric blue maingano' also, as with any other of the Melanochromis genus. Just to name one of many fish you could have, what about the C.Afra species ? They're nicely coloured and not overly aggressive. Or turn the singles you have into groups.

 

[fishlover500]

I think next time i'm at the fish store I'll take back the kenyi. Then maybe I'll just keep my one specimen of the electric blue.

I'm thinking about trying to have a few groups and is there any way to encourage breeding? The yellow labs would be the most likely to breed.

Maybe I'll buy 2 more pseudo acei
2 more yellow labs
2 more cherry red zebras

would this work?

I've read the blue peacock doesn't do well with mbuna so I'll just leave him in there. (I don't want to buy more and have them get injured)

I figure the electric blue will do okay by himself?

thanks guys for all your help so far.

P.S. How big do they have to be for me to accurately vent them?

 

[darrel69]

Personally, id overstock with quite a few more. But even if you dont want to overstock, you could still fit a couple more in.

A couple of reads you may be interested in..

Getting Your Cichlids To Breed
Determing Your Cichlids' Gender

 

[fishlover500]

Okay but why is overstocking good with mbuna?

 

[dthoffsett]

Okay but why is overstocking good with mbuna?

Mbuna are aggressive, and if you overstock, the less dominate fish have a chance of getting lost in the crowd, instead of being bullied.

 

[fishlover500]

thank you for all your help