Hello... new (previously lurking) member

I'm finally looking to post and share. I've got a 55 gallon tank for the past couple of months which has been growing out some Yellow Tail Acei juveniles. They've been sharing the tank with some community fish (some neon and black skirt tetras, a golden wonder killifish, and an albino bristlenose pleco). The tank is about to be dedicated to the cichlids as we've set up a tank for the community fish my wife likes to collect off craigslist.

I'm hoping to maintain this one tank with a few cichlids from the more peaceful range that also happen to be semi-OK with plants in the tank.

I'm currently filtering this tank using two canisters from Eheim, a Pro II 2026 and a classic 2215. I've got a Finnex 24/7 planted plus LED. I've filled the tank with some good sized Texas holey rocks, a small drift wood piece, and I'm using CaribSea Eco Complete substrate.

Love to hear any suggestions for what to stock the tank with, have had fun watching the current juveniles grow out from about 3/4 of an inch to start.

welcome, and we're glad to see your post!

Sounds like you've got a great mbuna tank started. Are you hoping to leave the Acei in there and add some different but compatible fish?

Welcome to the forum.

i was thinking the same, I haven't really finalized what I'd add, but I like to try to get a nice mixture of colors while finding a selection of perhaps 4 species that can share the tank. Off the top of my head, two others I had been considering were yellow lab and white top hara.

I suppose I'm still looking for a mixture that could be "boring" to some, but it is my first steps into keeping cichlids so I don't really need to tackle the rarest of breeds or a combination that is excessively challenging to maintain.

Up until this past week I also maintained a 50 gallon marine tank, that was pretty fun but I didn't really have ideal equipment and finally found someone who was interested in taking it off my hands. Sometime I'll probably expand into a second, larger tank but would like to keep things simple for a little while longer.

Welcome!


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Welcome

Welcome aboard!

Can't go wrong with Yellow Labs (Labidochromis caerelus). Super colorful, non-aggressive, plentiful (cheap) and can take a whooping.

Rusties (Iodotropheus sprengarae) are another easy, non-aggressive staple.

Hello and welcome

Welcome!

Yellow-Tail Acei are very mellow and contrast well with brightly colored Yellow Labs.


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I've got a 55 gallon tank with yellow-tailed acei, yellow labs, rusties, a red-tail shark and white top hara. Great combination!