Breeding Compatibility?

[jred]

Hey everyone,

So I wanted to pick everyone's brains about haps and peacock compatibility for breeding set ups. In an ideal world we would have species only tanks and be able to ascertain pure genetics through tank separation, however given limited space I was curious if it is possible to combine certain species with minimal chance of hybridization? I recently picked up a group of Placidochromis sp. "Phenochilus Tanzania" and Otopharynx Lithobates and wondered if I could do them together? I also have a group of Lwandas growing out that I could place with either hap group, but not sure if the peacock would be better?

In addition, I have tried combining mbuna and peacocks together and have had limited success (bi-colour have bred several times) but would haps and mbuna be fine?

Again I know the ideal world situation but I wanted to just get people's experience and whether it has worked for them in the past? Thanks and have a great afternoon.

[Ron]

IMO, phenos and lithobates in the same tank would be alright, provided that there are adequate males and females of each species.

I think you could mix peacocks with phenos, but would not do so with the lithobates.

Haps and mbuna are generally fine IME, in terms of not crossbreeding. Typically you'd want a calmer mbuna species in this scenario. I wouldn't mix aggressive mbuna (melanochromis sp., etc) with haps.

I've found some good articles online over the years, typically scientific papers, that explore how african cichlids came to be and how they choose mates. Most often it's actually the female choosing the male. When it comes to what is more likely to crossbreed with something else, it's often a matter of similar body shapes or patterns driving the choices the female makes.

[kodyboy]

I have had no issues with less aggressive mbuna such as yelliw labs, rusties, saulosi, afra hara, demasoni (they fight each other but not other species ime) and haps/peacocks as long as the haps aren't big enough to each them.