8ft 240 stocking question

[RichE]

I am going to be setting this up as a show tank with Male peacocks/haps

There will be a lot of rock work and driftwood, is there any other male Africans I can put in to add some "life to the tank"

Are Mbuna's and fronts out of the question?

Any other fish you would suggest, as this is a lot of tank to fill

[linuxrulesusa]

Personally, I would go with bigger fish like Fronts.  Species only, or mix them with smaller fish from the same area like some Synos and maybe a few egg-layers.

See something like this for ideas: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=259289

I would not mix fronts with mbuna and/or peacocks/haps.   

Mixing peacocks/haps with mbuna might work in a tank that big but you'd have plenty of room for some nice bigger species. 

Just make sure that what you pick for the mix will color up nicely if you get the peacocks because some species stay drab when mixed with certain other species - others can answer better than I can as to which ones.

[Sean]

I'D THROW IN A COUPLE NICE MBUNA (MY CHOICE WOULD BE WILLIAMSI NORTH) ALSO AND MAYBE A FEW TANGANYIKANS (CYATHOPHARYNX FOAI/FURCIFER) NOT SURE HOW IT WOULD WORK OUT AS IVE NEVER STOCKED THEM TOGETHER LIKE THIS BUT IT WOULD LOOK NICE

[jcunningham0295]

I would stay away from mixing tangs and malawi fish.  Espically Fronts and mbuna together.  I would either go one direction or the other, just my opinion.  You could setup a great tank with either groups.

[lilscoots]

I've got a 180 all male that has peacocks/haps/and a couple of labs, tried a victorian but he was too aggressive, tried a more aggressive lab (mbamba) and he beat the crap out of the white and yellow labs.

Stocklist of my 180 (target of 30 fish though some have 2,3,even 5 juveniles at the moment until I find the male I like)

Peacocks
Aulonocara stuartgranti - usissya
Aulonocara stuartgranti - cobwe island "blue regal"
Aulonocara stuartgranti - Ngara "flametail"
Aulonocara korneliae
Aulonocara kandensis
Aulonocara - some sort of red variant
Aulonocara - hybrid that looks like a "bi-color"
Aulonocara - hybrid that looks like an otter point

Haps
Copadichromis trewavasae  "Mloto Likoma"
Copadichromis sp. "Mloto Fluorescent"
Copadichromis borleyi  -- Kadango
Dimidiochromis compressiceps
Fossorochromis rostratus
Otopharynx lithobates (Domwe Is.)
Placidochromis electra "deep water"
Placidochromis electra "yellow makonde"
Placidochromis sp. "Jalo"
Placidochromis johnstoni
Placidochromis milomo
Placidochromis phenochilus "Tanzania"
Protomelas insignis
Protomelas kirkii
Protomelas sp. "Steveni Taiwan"
Protomelas spilonotus -- Mara Rock "sulfur head"
Protomelas taeniolatus "tangerine Tiger"
Protomelas taeniolatus  "Red Empress"
Sciaenochromis fryeri
Tramitichromis sp. "Intermedius"

Mbuna
Labidochromis caerulus
Labidochromis palidus

Other
Longfin bristlenose pleco

With this stocking, I've got issues at the moment with the P. taeniolatus "red empress" who is very aggressive towards both the C. borleyi, and the P. taeniolatus "tangerine tiger".....the tiger is pretty wimpy, but the borleyi without the empress is pretty strong.  still deciding who will go in the end.

Just thought I'd give you an idea of my stocklist as you work on yours.

[RichE]

all male  peacocks/haps/and a couple of labs

This is where I am heading, plus a few petrocolas and my wifes 2 bala sharks and a few plecos

[Regalblue]

I would stay away from mixing tangs and malawi fish.  Espically Fronts and mbuna together.  I would either go one direction or the other, just my opinion.  You could setup a great tank with either groups.

Definitely!

I'd say center it around a nice Frontosa group & go from there.

[RichE]

I would stay away from mixing tangs and malawi fish.  Espically Fronts and mbuna together.  I would either go one direction or the other, just my opinion.  You could setup a great tank with either groups.

Definitely!

I'd say center it around a nice Frontosa group & go from there.

So would the peacocks and haps that I have and want to use be ok with a few frontosa's?

All the male peacocks/haps I have and want are the on the mild side and have been living together for 9 months plus. I like the idea of having frontosa's as the center pieces since they get big

[Regalblue]

I would stay away from mixing tangs and malawi fish.  Espically Fronts and mbuna together.  I would either go one direction or the other, just my opinion.  You could setup a great tank with either groups.

Definitely!

I'd say center it around a nice Frontosa group & go from there.

So would the peacocks and haps that I have and want to use be ok with a few frontosa's?

All the male peacocks/haps I have and want are the on the mild side and have been living together for 9 months plus. I like the idea of having frontosa's as the center pieces since they get big

re-read Josh's post.... one way or the other.

[djlamonica]

I would do a massive colony of some awesome trophs, then do a group of petros, Mastiff man has a tank like this and it is really neat. 

Maybe something like this

10x    Petrochromis sp. "Texas" (Mabilibili)

40x Ikola kaiser

Your options are endless but why do a male show tank when you could do that with basicly any 6' tank I'd do something a little more unique with such a unique tank.

[RichE]

I would do a massive colony of some awesome trophs, then do a group of petros, Mastiff man has a tank like this and it is really neat. 

Maybe something like this

10x    Petrochromis sp. "Texas" (Mabilibili)

40x Ikola kaiser

Your options are endless but why do a male show tank when you could do that with basicly any 6' tank I'd do something a little more unique with such a unique tank.

Dan

I agree with your saying, but I have all these fish already. If I was able to trade 30+ fish for a decent group of trophs, I would in heart beat. I want this to be a HOLY SH** tank but I have a ton of fish from all different tanks, and I would need to get rid of them

[linuxrulesusa]

You can do what you want.  It's your tank.  You know what you can afford with it.  But I agree with Dan.. it's worth some extra planning and even expense vs trying to make previous plans fit into this unique new and larger space. 

I would personally be looking at something other people didn't have like a tiger datnoid or some other big fish (group of fish) that is 'worthy' of the space.

[Regalblue]

A "holey $h1t" tank , eh?     If that's the case.... Dovii or an Umbee pair.

[kodyboy]

If you want to try something different that looks cool in a large, long, tank think about larger shoaling species and placid or more placid cichlids like most peacocks, yellow labs, sevrums, angels, some haps etc.  For larger shoaling fish that are pretty tough and very colorful red line barbs are awesome.  A shoal of 24 red lines in an 8 foot tank would look spectacular.

[four_by_ken]

I just want to add a general statement , peacocks and mbuna do not mix

I am stubborn, I tried.