Dark Side Planning

[Davey_8313]

After looking at Tony's videos on Youtube I kind of want to do an African setup. I was looking at various fish and came across some Aulonocara Firefish and my wife loved them. I don't know if that is their correct name or not though. She also loves the Aulonocara Baenschi. Would I be able put these fish together? If not what kind of tankmates could I put with them? Thanks.

 

[Tony]

I'm flattered.

If you do only males, you can mix peacocks. If you are looking to do breeding groups, the general consensus in the hobby is that most peacocks will interbreed, regardless of tank size.

What size tank are you looking to set up? This will dictate what you can do.

 

[Davey_8313]

Yeah I remember reading something about them interbreeding. The tank will be a 150.

 

[Davey_8313]

I wouldnt mind having a breeding group or two maybe. Mostly just want something with nice colors as that would please the wife also.

 

[Davey_8313]

Come on people, help me out please lol. :jumpy:

 

[Tony]

You can do one of two ways - 5 or so breeding groups of haps/peacocks that will not interbreed or you could go with all males.

If you try to do both, then you will end up with strange aggression issues and hybridization between the single males and the females from the groups.

So if you want more than one type of male peacock, I would recommend an all-male setup. For an 18" deep tank, avoid large predators or any fish that gets over 10" as well as larger, more aggressive mbuna (crabro, large zebras, etc).

 

[Davey_8313]

Thanks again Tony. Anywhere I can find out what haps/peacock will interbreed? Or a way to figure out myself?

 

[Tony]

Some will say otherwise, but I say that any peacock will breed with any peacock.... and that's coming from me, who mixes a lot of stuff that others won't.

I'll give you a starter suggestion for multiple breeding groups in that tank. I'd go with a single group of each - start with 6-8 of each as juveniles and pull extra males as aggression becomes an issue. Pick 4-5 of the following:

-A robust peacock (manmade/linebred, jacobfreibergi, benga)
-Protomelas (Taiwan Reef, spilonotus, taeniolatus, etc)
-Open water swimmer/Utaka (Copadichromis or Nyassochromis)
-Blue-type Placidochromis or Cyrtacara moori
-Otopharynx (tetrastigma, lithobates)
-Maybe a Nimbochromis (venustus, polystigma or livingstoni - not fusco)

Given plenty of females, odds are that these fish will not interbreed in a 6' tank (though you need to still watch them).

That's where I'd start.

BTW, I have a bunch of fry/juveniles from a few of these genus. Shoot me a PM if interested.

 

[SubMariner]

Dude, Auloncara's are not the Darkside. The Force is with The Great Lake Malawi! Lake Tang is the Darkside.

 

[verbal]

I think Tony's suggestion is a good one.

Here is what I have in my 150(5'x2')
Sunshine Peacock trio
Red Empress trio
Livingstonii trio
Yellow lab 3(likely all males)
Zebra Obliquens 4(all males)

I have 6 young Copachromis I might add at some point(would probably take some fish out).

 

[Davey_8313]

Dude, Auloncara's are not the Darkside. The Force is with The Great Lake Malawi! Lake Tang is the Darkside.

I've always been a CA/SA person so they are all the dark side lol.

 

[Tony]

Sorry... is your tank a 4' 150 or a 6' 150?

 

[Davey_8313]

Sorry... is your tank a 4' 150 or a 6' 150?

I actually have one of each. But will probably use the 6 footer.

 

[Tony]

I actually have one of each. But will probably use the 6 footer.

Definitely a better option for larger open-water haps.

 

[Davey_8313]

Hoping to find a 180 this weekend though.

 

[Davey_8313]

I'll give you a starter suggestion for multiple breeding groups in that tank. I'd go with a single group of each - start with 6-8 of each as juveniles and pull extra males as aggression becomes an issue. Pick 4-5 of the following:

-A robust peacock (manmade/linebred, jacobfreibergi, benga)
-Protomelas (Taiwan Reef, spilonotus, taeniolatus, etc)
-Open water swimmer/Utaka (Copadichromis or Nyassochromis)
-Blue-type Placidochromis or Cyrtacara moori
-Otopharynx (tetrastigma, lithobates)
-Maybe a Nimbochromis (venustus, polystigma or livingstoni - not fusco)

BTW, I have a bunch of fry/juveniles from a few of these genus. Shoot me a PM if interested.

Thanks again Tony and everybody.

PM sent.

 

[Davey_8313]

What about a group of Aulonocara Baenschi? Wife really likes those. Or anything similar that would work?

 

[Tony]

What about a group of Aulonocara Baenschi? Wife really likes those. Or anything similar that would work?

Any more aggressive peacock would be fine.

 

[Davey_8313]

What about OB Mustardi?

 

[Tony]

I wouldn't put any aggressive mbuna in that setup, including zebras.