Electric Yellow Cichlid (Labidochromis caeruleus)

[Sthn75]

Hi, I love the brilliant colouring of these guys. Can anyone tell me if two males would get on ok in a 250Lt tank with guppies, neon tetra's, red blue columibian tetras, & dwarf gourami's (2 males & eventually 2 females)? Or would they cause problems?

Also, how many females to males?

I have read that they're one of the more peaceful chiclids, but i'd prefer opinions from those that have kept them before rather than articles on the net.

[AussieStar]

i really wouldnt put these fish with what u have and they need a bit more room to more and different water conditions.

Try some blue rams or gold rams, they should go well. A pair will be fine

[Robdog]

Guppy= Asian (I think) Neon=Sth American, Red & Blues= Sth American, Gourami=Asian, Electric Yellows=African.

Asian and Sth Ams can get on because some share similar water parameters but the Africans need hard alkaline water and would probably eat the smaller guppies and tetras.

[elixerb]

im not sure about the different water conditions but my boyfriend keeps them in a cichlid community tank with blue dolphin's, afra's, OB zebra's and a few others and he thinks they are one of the best fish because you don't need to worrie about the male to female ratio males get along fine and the other fish don't bother picking on them for some reason. the only other thing that i can say for sure (with out asking and starting him lecturing for the next hour :roll: ) is that he has found them to be fairly slow growing so if you started them out in that sized tank they should be ok for a while.

[Sthn75]

Thankyou all for your replies... it is very helpful...

I think it might be best if I hold off until I can get another tank :lol: :lol: Then I can have a cichlid community. Pity, as Livefish has got these guys on special this month for $3.00 each.

Also, I thought a 250lt tank would be quite big enough for them... the tank is 100cmL x 50cmW x 50cm H. I'm not sure where I could put a bigger tank than that in my place :? :?
[/quote]

[Rod]

Guppy= Asian (I think) Neon=Sth American, Red & Blues= Sth American, Gourami=Asian, Electric Yellows=African.

Asian and Sth Ams can get on because some share similar water parameters but the Africans need hard alkaline water and would probably eat the smaller guppies and tetras.

Guppies are originally from Central America.

Good idea to get another tank for a Malawi cichlid community! :wink:

[SandyLynne]

My daughter had 2 x Electric Yellow Cichlids with 12 x guppies and 1 x mystery snail

She now has 2 x Electric Yellow Cichlids only as they ate the guppies and the mystery snail

:cry:

[Robdog]

My daughter had 2 x Electric Yellow Cichlids with 12 x guppies and 1 x mystery snail

She now has 2 x Electric Yellow Cichlids only as they ate the guppies and the mystery snail

:cry:

:lol: :lol:

[Th0mas]

This is just one classic problem for those unaware. They may look pretty when mixed in the same tank, but their compatibility and whether the tank has enough capacity to host them is something most beginners caught out on. Particularly some LFS just don't have an idea on fish compatibility/requirement doesn't help.

[SandyLynne]

Hi Robdog

My daughter had the same grin as you as she dislikes guppies. She started off with six and ended up with 100's. :oops:

Obviously she didn't want to listen to her mother who advised against mixing them. :roll: Kids! Who would have em?

[Sthn75]

Thanks everyone for your replies... they are much appreciated.

Can anyone give me some ideas of other cichlids which would be compatible with the Electric Yellow? Ones that are not too agressive.

[Matt_Discus]

Other peacock cichlid should do fine but make sure you don't put alot of different typed females and cross - Breeding would occur and have alot of caves and crevices made from white rock for these fish as they like to swim in and around them also after you get them feed them good spirulina as it tends to enhance their colour more.

[k9outfit]

Electric Yellows (Labidochromis caeruleus, which is an Mbuna) would do quite well with most Peacocks (Aulonocara species), "Haps" (Copadichromis, Protomelas, Otopharynx, Sciaenochromis etc.), some Tanganyikans, and also some of the less aggressive Mbunas.

For the most part, Mbunas don't mix with Peacocks though; so keep it either Peacocks/Haps & Electric Yellows, or Haps/Electric Yellows & some less agressive Mbunas (Labidochromis, Pseudotropheus types; no Melanochromis auratus!).

With that sized tank you are somewhat restricted in numbers, especially if considering Haps, since some do tend to get large.

BTW, at an immature age, there's no way of distinguising the sexes. Ultimitely though, 1 male & 2-3 females would be a good ratio to aim for.

[mcloughlin2]

Don't go for any type of Aulonocara unles your prepared to have 2 nice colourful males in a tank with 7 or so grey/brown ugly females.

Definantly never house two different types of Peacocks together as they will cross.

For a tank your of your size i would say go for 1 male 3 female electric yellows along with 1 male and 3 female mainganos (A gorgeus blue mbuna)

Definantly do not house any type of african cichlid with a fish that does not come from the same lake as it or from a lake near by! If you attempt something like that you will end up with a tank with only your africans left.

[wldcrd26]

i had a male black sail fin molly grow up in my tank of mbuna he lived for 3 & half years i miss him lots

[peppersmom]

I agree with mcloughlin2. Keep the Malawi's and Tangs in seperate tanks. They do not normally mix well. As for tank mates, I have Red empress, electric blues, Salousi and a couple of unknowns. I have 25 fish in the 75 and they all get along well.