Suggestions on other fish to go with Melanochromis Auratus and Kenyi

My 55 gallon aquarium is finally cycled. The first additions to the mix are
2 Melanochromis Auratus, a Kenyi, and a pleco. They are all the same size,
very small, and there is ample rock cover and caves for them to hide in. My
question is what other fish would you suggest? I am looking at 2 bumblebee
cichlids, just want to make sure I can find them the same size as the
others. Would you keep it at that? Add more cichlids, what kinds and how
many? Perhaps some giant Danios or Austrailian Rainbows? How many of them?
I want something that will bring color and motion, but, I don't want it to
look like the feeder tank at the local petstore. Any suggestions are
greatly welcomed.

Sean

"N, TXArmadillo" wrote in message ...
: My 55 gallon aquarium is finally cycled. The first additions to the mix are
: 2 Melanochromis Auratus, a Kenyi, and a pleco. They are all the same size,
: very small, and there is ample rock cover and caves for them to hide in. My
: question is what other fish would you suggest? I am looking at 2 bumblebee
: cichlids, just want to make sure I can find them the same size as the
: others. Would you keep it at that? Add more cichlids, what kinds and how
: many? Perhaps some giant Danios or Austrailian Rainbows? How many of them?
: I want something that will bring color and motion, but, I don't want it to
: look like the feeder tank at the local petstore. Any suggestions are
: greatly welcomed.
:
: Sean
:
:

Sean,
In a 55 gallon tank, I'd keep more Mbuna to mix with your M. auratus and P. lombardoi. Consider getting a few trios
of Labidochromis and Cynotilapia species. Try to find species that have different colors and patterns. Also consider
sexing your Kenyi and Auratus and getting a ratio of 1 male to two or three females. I'd load up the tank with rockwork.
This will make your fish feel more secure. In my experience, I've found no need for dither fish in my Malawi tanks. The
fish will recognize you and hope it's feeding time when they see you come towards the tank. I've only had problems with
shy fish in my Tanganyikan tanks. Good luck with your fish.
Amateur
www.amateurcichlids.com

I am thinking about going with a couple of Pseudothropheus crabro , aka
Bumblebee cichlids. Any potential problems with them and the Kenyi and M.
Auratus? They are very small at this point, maybe 1/2 inch if that, so, I
figure same size they will do ok. I got of a pair of Labidochromis
caeruleus. I set the tank up with cichlids in mine, so, I put plenty of
rock work, flowers pots, "fake" driftwood caves, etc in there. Everyone
seems to have found his/her own spot. I have a couple of java ferns for
good measure.

How can you sex the Kenyi? It is very small right now, and I am sure not
mature. I would love to have a few more of them in there though since I
have a whole lot of yellow at the moment.

My wife likes the look of Hemichromis bimaculatus. Are there potentially
any problems if I added a couple of these?


"Amateur" wrote in message
digy.com...

"N, TXArmadillo" wrote in message
...
: My 55 gallon aquarium is finally cycled. The first additions to the mix
are
: 2 Melanochromis Auratus, a Kenyi, and a pleco. They are all the same
size,
: very small, and there is ample rock cover and caves for them to hide in.
My
: question is what other fish would you suggest? I am looking at 2
bumblebee
: cichlids, just want to make sure I can find them the same size as the
: others. Would you keep it at that? Add more cichlids, what kinds and
how
: many? Perhaps some giant Danios or Austrailian Rainbows? How many of
them?
: I want something that will bring color and motion, but, I don't want it
to
: look like the feeder tank at the local petstore. Any suggestions are
: greatly welcomed.
:
: Sean
:
:

Sean,
In a 55 gallon tank, I'd keep more Mbuna to mix with your M. auratus
and P. lombardoi. Consider getting a few trios
of Labidochromis and Cynotilapia species. Try to find species that have
different colors and patterns. Also consider
sexing your Kenyi and Auratus and getting a ratio of 1 male to two or
three females. I'd load up the tank with rockwork.
This will make your fish feel more secure. In my experience, I've found no
need for dither fish in my Malawi tanks. The
fish will recognize you and hope it's feeding time when they see you come
towards the tank. I've only had problems with
shy fish in my Tanganyikan tanks. Good luck with your fish.
Amateur
www.amateurcichlids.com

"N, TXArmadillo" wrote in message ...
: I am thinking about going with a couple of Pseudothropheus crabro , aka
: Bumblebee cichlids. Any potential problems with them and the Kenyi and M.
: Auratus? They are very small at this point, maybe 1/2 inch if that, so, I
: figure same size they will do ok. I got of a pair of Labidochromis
: caeruleus. I set the tank up with cichlids in mine, so, I put plenty of
: rock work, flowers pots, "fake" driftwood caves, etc in there. Everyone
: seems to have found his/her own spot. I have a couple of java ferns for
: good measure.
:
: How can you sex the Kenyi? It is very small right now, and I am sure not
: mature. I would love to have a few more of them in there though since I
: have a whole lot of yellow at the moment.
:
: My wife likes the look of Hemichromis bimaculatus. Are there potentially
: any problems if I added a couple of these?
:
:

The Hemichromis bimaculatus are African Riverine species and would be happier in a tank with a lower pH than the Mbuna
you currently have. The P. crabro and most of the other Pseudotropheus species can be aggressive in a 55 gallon tank. I
keep my Mbuna in a 75 gallon and found that the transition from a 55 to a 75 solved a lot of aggression problems. You
can find a lot of the same colors in the smaller Cynotilapia species and they may be a better fit to your tank. Provided
you stay away from the more aggressive fish in the genus. You'll find that different mixes work for different people.
All fish have different personalities and it's just a matter of find what works for you.
AC

Personally 2 Auratus by themselves will be trouble, you should realistically
have 1 male to 3 or more females else the male will be super aggressive.
Even with this number my male tore apart 3 electric yellows and 1 peacock

Look for other aggressive little guys...Ps. Demasoni, Cyn. Afra, etc...the more
aggressive, the better chance they have...peacocks will be dead in hours.

Lord Dragon wrote:

Personally 2 Auratus by themselves will be trouble, you should realistically
have 1 male to 3 or more females else the male will be super aggressive.
Even with this number my male tore apart 3 electric yellows and 1 peacock