# ust a few questions



## dette21 (Jun 3, 2012)

Hey guys I just have a few questions. I just got my first batch of 6 lake malawi african cichlids from a local breeder. He told me to buy 4 to 6 at a time and he helped me pick out a beautiful beggining bunch and I've had little aggression and now there getting along great. He had a disaster ( not diesease) anyways he lost all of his fish. He knows what's he's talking about and has been doing it a long time my questions are: Do I have to buy cichlids just from lake malawi or will most africans do ok? I now have to buy some from my lfs and want to quantine them for two weeks which means I have get them soon and any ideas which ones would be good? I have a pair of vics, a pair of yellow labs, a blue cobalt, and a blue zebra one I have the scientific name but can't find a common name. If anyone was any help or suggestions id appreciate it


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## RonB (Nov 7, 2011)

You should keep all Lake Malawi. Their best kept with 1 male to 4 or 5 females. Best to also overstock that helps keep the agression down. And filter 10 times of whatever you're tank is.


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

What's a vic?


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## RonB (Nov 7, 2011)

Was wondering that also?


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## dette21 (Jun 3, 2012)

He called them vic or victorians there red and yellow and black


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Victorians are from a different lake and different needs, not as aggressive as Malawi and shouldn't be mixed.


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

also mbuna and non mbuna malawis shouldnt be mixed.


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## dette21 (Jun 3, 2012)

Ok thanks guys


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## Jonbon11 (Jul 2, 2012)

Most African should be fine together but you have to remember you can't put a shell dweller (very small) and something like a full grown livingstonii together. You have mbuna cichlids Sooo f I were you I would try to get more of the same species just to try not to crossbreed. And I would stick with just cichlids from lake Malawi!


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

Jonbon11 said:


> Most African should be fine together



im sorry but im going to have to say your wrong, i had a mix of africans from different lakes and rivers and they ripped each other to pieces! its like putting lions, tigers, leopards and cheetas togeather, they'll be fine when young but when they grow up........


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## Jonbon11 (Jul 2, 2012)

Yeah I've heard many people say that but I've also had many different kinds living with eachother for many years now! I guess it all depends on your luck if you overstock over filter and have many of hiding places you just might succeed!


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## dette21 (Jun 3, 2012)

Well that I do lol have lots of filtration lots of caves and I've talk to many people and they said the same thing so thanks for you imput jonbon!


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## navigator black (Jan 3, 2012)

They are all great creatures, but they take some fun work. Get the species name of each, and look it up, ideally in books and on serious cichlid sites. Do some reading. A johanni from Malawi is a psycho, a Labidichromis from the same huge lake is a sweetheart. Iodotropheus sprengerae, the rusty cichlid, is a natural with Labs, but can be slaughtered bu johanni or kennyi. I'd consider a Victorian cichlid with a lab or rusty, but not with some of the other mbuna.
Every species is a distinct entity, and by generalizing, you can create problems. It's worth learning. African Lakes cichlids have a history that has made many a fishkeeper stop dabbling and really get excited about what a fishtank can make you learn.


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