I'M GOING CICHLID

[jwalser18]

1 day off a week.. 12 hour days :/

but, i plan on being there the moment they open

[Regalblue]

Buy some books. I'd recommend the Malawi Cichlids Barron's book, it's $10 & has a bunch of beginner info & decent species profiles.

[Sean]

Most of the ones i listed are pretty common, the white knights might be a little harder to find, but if you post on here that you're looking for all of those you should be able to find them no problem. I would worry a little bit with the rusties because they are so passive, but you could give it a try. 4 of each would be fine, as long as there's no conflicting colors or they'll fight for dominance and one will lose color

[Sean]

And i would try to sex the fish before buying, so that males of the same species dont fight. your best bet is to do 1m/3f of each species that you pick. with the monomorphic species, you will have to vent them to tell if they are male or female, look it up on youtube. it's pretty simple

[jwalser18]

And i would try to sex the fish before buying, so that males of the same species dont fight. your best bet is to do 1m/3f of each species that you pick. with the monomorphic species, you will have to vent them to tell if they are male or female, look it up on youtube. it's pretty simple

is this crucial for all malawi/mbuna's?

[Sean]

It's not critical, but it would be in your best interest. If they are two males of the same or similar species, they will compete for dominance. Whichever one wins keeps his colors and gets all the females, whichever loses loses all color and gets no females. Basically, it will cause all kinds of havoc in your tank.

[Super Turtleman]

i want the blue, and orange.. and obvi yellow.

Blue - Demasoni are black with blue stripes. But you'd need 15-20. You could try to find some Maingano.

Orange - Red Zebras

Yellow - Yellow Labs

Another option could be a dozen Saulosi (blue males golden yellow females) and some Red Zebras.

You wouldn't want to breed out of either of these tanks though.

[African cichlid Keeper]

I just want about 12 fish, that can live together peacefully that are colorful I'm not to worried about them breeding, but I plan on purchasing them all small and just want to make sure that the sex doesn't matter.

Then you want a all male peacock tank. My 55 gallon has 10 peacock all get a long perfect and soon they are going in to a 90 gallon.   

[Regalblue]

I just want about 12 fish, that can live together peacefully that are colorful I'm not to worried about them breeding, but I plan on purchasing them all small and just want to make sure that the sex doesn't matter.

Then you want a all male peacock tank. My 55 gallon has 10 peacock all get a long perfect and soon they are going in to a 90 gallon.   

+1 I think that would be best also.

[jwalser18]

i want the blue, and orange.. and obvi yellow.

Blue - Demasoni are black with blue stripes. But you'd need 15-20. You could try to find some Maingano.

Orange - Red Zebras

Yellow - Yellow Labs

Another option could be a dozen Saulosi (blue males golden yellow females) and some Red Zebras.

You wouldn't want to breed out of either of these tanks though.

i'll have to look into that! I don't want to cramp peacocks/haps into a 55.. seems they get to big

[Sean]

Some peacocks would be fine and a couple of the smaller haps. As long as u keep up on your maintenance

[Regalblue]

i want the blue, and orange.. and obvi yellow.

Blue - Demasoni are black with blue stripes. But you'd need 15-20. You could try to find some Maingano.

Orange - Red Zebras

Yellow - Yellow Labs

Another option could be a dozen Saulosi (blue males golden yellow females) and some Red Zebras.

You wouldn't want to breed out of either of these tanks though.

i'll have to look into that! I don't want to cramp peacocks/haps into a 55.. seems they get to big

Haps - Yes, Peacocks - No (OBs & Jacobfreibergi being an exception )

[jwalser18]

thank you everyone who has been helping! so far I'm looking at doing
5-yellow labs
5-saulosi
5-rusty

this should be fine correct? I'm going to try and get only 1 male of each!

Thank you everyone who has been helping me! again, I appreciate all of the knowledge that's on this forum

[Sean]

Sounds like a nice tank to me!

[jwalser18]

I'm hoping so! I can't wait until saturday! It's like being a kid on christmas, lol.