Proper tankmates Yellow Lab and Cobalt Blue

[Lydia]

OK guys - I am really having troubles. I try very hard to keep everyone (as in my fish communities -could care less about PEOPLE) very happy. I am not sure where to place a yellow lab and a cobalt blue. Even though they are Mbuna, they are generally not that aggressive - can they go in with my Haps & Peacocks or I was really considering with the Parrots & Severums (they seem more aggressive than the africans!)

These are my tanks under consideration:

75g - Haps & Peacocks - all pretty peaceful
100g - Mbuna - Afra, Acei, Kenyi,Zebra
75g - Parrots & Severums

Thanks so much!!!

[magicfishy]

Not sure if this will be of help or just confuse matters more but.....I have a 75g with yellow labs, peacocks, acei, socolofi, parrots and even a silver dollar plus a few other ones. I know this sounds like a big mess and everything you read on line will tell you not to put any of these together but I've had mine for about a year now in this set up and they seem to be very happy. As a matter of fact the yellow labs, acei and peacocks have had fry several times so my thinking is that they must be ok.

Early on I read all about the perfect environment (water conditions, decorations, temps, etc). I could have probably gotten my masters in aquarium chemistry as much as I read! But finally I decided to forget it all and just see what happens. Well, this tank worked out nicely (and so did my other twenty something aquariums.) My point here is, even though there are certain guidelines you should follow no need to over analyze. Use your instincts and a bit common sense. I believe your yellow labs would be fine in any of these tanks. You can always watch them for a while after you put them in the tank. (I got rid of our TVs and now watch aquariums instead. Very fascinating! No need to flip channels. When I get tired of one tank I move on to the next! )

Sorry, I know nothing about cobalt blues.

[freespool]

I have yellows and Haps and more all mixed together. some have said i should not have mixed a few of them, but so far so good. It is still a relatively new tank though and most the fish were introduced to the tank withing a few weeks of each other. you can check out my population here...

http://www.houstonfishbox.com/vforums/showthread.php?36645-110gal-African-Journal

[armthehomeless]

OK guys - I am really having troubles. I try very hard to keep everyone (as in my fish communities -could care less about PEOPLE) very happy. I am not sure where to place a yellow lab and a cobalt blue. Even though they are Mbuna, they are generally not that aggressive - can they go in with my Haps & Peacocks or I was really considering with the Parrots & Severums (they seem more aggressive than the africans!)

These are my tanks under consideration:

75g - Haps & Peacocks - all pretty peaceful
100g - Mbuna - Afra, Acei, Kenyi,Zebra
75g - Parrots & Severums

Thanks so much!!!

Lydia - Are the yellow lab and cobalt blue not working out in the 100g? Generally speaking, cobalts get fairly aggressive. Google " Maylandia callainos " to make certain we are talking about the same fish. I've heard several different fish be called 'cobalt blue'.

I'm going to assume that most fish are the same size.

Each individual fish has its own temperment. I've had a friend whose molly picked on his adult male green terror. I like to not think that there are rules in fishkeeping, but rather guidelines. Guidelines would say that the two cichlids in question should go into the 100g tank. With that said, there is nothing wrong with them in your peacock/hap tank. I've had several yellow lab peacock tanks in the past with no aggression issues. Plenty of people have put these fish in with parrots and severums before; that should be fine as well. There are no definite DON'Ts amongst the three tanks that you have mentioned. Try out whatever you like, and be certain to report back.

Remember when you add new fish to any established cichlid tank that you will want to feed the existing fish first, then re-arrange the decoration/layout, and lastly introduce the new fish.

Good luck!

[wesleydnunder]

Lydia - Are the yellow lab and cobalt blue not working out in the 100g? Generally speaking, cobalts get fairly aggressive. Google " Maylandia callainos " to make certain we are talking about the same fish. I've heard several different fish be called 'cobalt blue'.

I'm going to assume that most fish are the same size.

Each individual fish has its own temperment. I've had a friend whose molly picked on his adult male green terror. I like to not think that there are rules in fishhkeeping, but rather guidelines. Guidelines would say that the two cichlids in question should go into the 100g tank. With that said, there is nothing wrong with them in your peacock/hap tank. I've had several yellow lab peacock tanks in the past with no aggression issues. Plenty of people have put these fish in with parrots and severums before; that should be fine as well. There are no definite DON'Ts amongst the three tanks that you have mentioned. Try out whatever you like, and be certain to report back.

Remember when you add new fish to any established cichlid tank that you will want to feed the existing fish first, then re-arrange the decoration/layout, and lastly introduce the new fish.

Good luck!

Ding ding ding ding!

We have a winner!

Big +1 Tim.

Mark

[Lydia]

Great - thanks to EVERYONE for their experience and insight. I try to use common sense and generally know the temperament and dispositions............but can also be a bit creative and mix fish depending on size ! Like I had a firemouth meeki in with my parrots and severum which should have been a good temperament mix, but he was SO mean that I ended up putting him with aggressive africans and he fits just fine. Weird. Thing is, my tanks are so "aquascaped" that if I have to move fish it is a major ordeal to catch the fast lil buggers in all that rock - so I really, really try to make the best "guess" the first time - even though the hobby lends itself to constant change. I agree - I think the yellow labs will go in all tanks - someone had warned against putting them with parrots and severums thinking the lab may get picked on..........go figure. Just have to try and see and do it when I have time to be home alot and more watchful for awhile. I put the cobalt blue in with the haps/peacocks right now. Even though he supposedly is more aggressive, he is the new kid on the block and WAY smaller - so hoping that will make the difference. So far so good but will see as he grows up. I just don't want any aggression in that tank. I lost my previous Blue Moori dolphin due to that and I swear I took it personal - didn't realize how protective I was of my little "Flipper". So am doing my best to protect the peacefulness of the tank but really needed to add some color. That tank is so peaceful - I love the fact that I can watch them and they just pretty much ignore each other - so nice to see africans that way! Shoot, my mbuna tank is like a war zone - one dominant male I named "Hateful". What I do when adding new fish is to first do a feeding. Then I turn the lights off while floating bags, disturb some of the rocks to ease territorial issues, and release them in the dark. I rarely have any issues. I recently added tiny red zebras and even some tiny Lake Victoria's in the tank with grown adult yellow top Afra's and the Afra's ignore everyone else but the other afra's. They act like they don't even acknowledge the ohter species - which is a good thing! Goofy fish!!!

[Lydia]

(I got rid of our TVs and now watch aquariums instead. Very fascinating! No need to flip channels. When I get tired of one tank I move on to the next! )

Sorry, I know nothing about cobalt blues.

I KNOW! I used to need sleeping pills, now I watch the fish until I fall asleep!!! Seriously, my severums and parrot tank is in bedroom............when I go in there they come to the front of tank as if to say "hello".... I feed them "treats" at night, they cuddle in my hands in the tank..............then I fall asleep watchng them swim around and play............so peaceful!

[Lydia]

I have yellows and Haps and more all mixed together. some have said i should not have mixed a few of them, but so far so good. It is still a relatively new tank though and most the fish were introduced to the tank withing a few weeks of each other. you can check out my population here...
http://www.houstonfishbox.com/vforum...frican-Journal

Wow - I would worry about my electric blue ahli with those dang auratus..........auratus will pester or kill anything other than aggressive mbunas in my experience! Best of luck!

[Lydia]

Lydia - Are the yellow lab and cobalt blue not working out in the 100g? Generally speaking, cobalts get fairly aggressive. Google " Maylandia callainos " to make certain we are talking about the same fish. I've heard several different fish be called 'cobalt blue'.

I'm going to assume that most fish are the same size.

Each individual fish has its own temperment. I've had a friend whose molly picked on his adult male green terror. I like to not think that there are rules in fishkeeping, but rather guidelines. Guidelines would say that the two cichlids in question should go into the 100g tank. With that said, there is nothing wrong with them in your peacock/hap tank. I've had several yellow lab peacock tanks in the past with no aggression issues. Plenty of people have put these fish in with parrots and severums before; that should be fine as well. There are no definite DON'Ts amongst the three tanks that you have mentioned. Try out whatever you like, and be certain to report back.

Remember when you add new fish to any established cichlid tank that you will want to feed the existing fish first, then re-arrange the decoration/layout, and lastly introduce the new fish.

Good luck!

Thanks so much - wow, a molly picking on a terror - sounds like the molly had to hold her ground by "bluffing"! Yeah, I'm ok on the yellow labs........more concerned about the cobalt blue zebra (yep, we agree) being too agressive in the hap/peacock tank. I introduced him last and he's way smaller on purpose......but still a little concerned .... how do you think he would do with the sevs/parrots?