Hey gang, I would love your imput on stocking my new 125 tank.

I want to have a peacock tank with a few breeding groups, if possible.

I understand about the cross-breeding possibilities, so I would need
recommendations concerning this in order to avoid this problem. I am not
intending on breeding them for sale, but just would like to have this option
if I wanted to down the road!

There is one species of peacock that I definately want to house and that is
the Alonacara Bans. (The blue and yellow one, forgot how to spell) It's the one
Derek used as his submission into that million dollar photo contest!

In addition, since I live where getting quality fish is nearly impossible, I need
some good references for breeders living here in the states.

So let me know what you guys think about stocking solutions, numbers, and so
forth!

Thanks in advance!

I hate to mention CF, but they have a good article on mixing peacocks in their peacock corner. I have thought about what I would do with a larger tank and a couple of species that I have always thought would look nice with peacocks are otopharynx lithobates and protomelas tawain reef.

It's a baenschi, preacherboy! And a very nice choice...

You can't keep more than one breeding group of peacocks without crossbreeding. And once you mix up all the females, you won't be able to tell them apart to ever separate them later...

Here's what I would do with that big tank...

I'd go all male as far as haps and peacocks go, then add a group of nice Yellow labs and Ps. acei for a bit of colour balance.

You might still have crossbreeding issues, but you don't have to salvage fry from the labs and acei, and the tank should be stunning.

I tried the all male thing, and found it very dull and boring after keeping breeding groups of mbuna for so long. Having some females (yellow lab and acei) will keep the boys looking their best, and it won't leave you with trying to sort out a bunch of peacock and hap females if you ever decide to change your stock.

Peacocks and haps are gorgeous, but let's face it...It's the males that look good...Females are butt ugly for the most part. Giggly

Just some suggestions!

Kim

Kim [/QUOTE]
I tried the all male thing,, whoot whoot

It's the males that look good...Females are butt ugly for the most part. Giggly Tres Bien!

That's to funny "Mrs.",,,

'Mrs.' your post is actually what I was going to explain earlier,,but I was hoping that Larry or Les would chime in here and post some pic first as I am NOT good with "proper names" for these fish. Ten years and still don't know. roll eyes

I am hoping Les shows a pic of his 125 gallon,,,it's INCREDIBLE.

What a waste of a perfect tank. C'mon Mark, I know that you can do better then that

Ouch, Klaus, where did that come from?

I know what Klaus is thinking, and I bet it's the same thing I thought when I saw 125G!

That would look really, really nice with a group of Tropheus in it! Giggly

Sure you don't want to branch out in that other lake a bit?

Kim

I have already branched out into that "alien" lake and I love
my J. Transcriptus!

However, do you know how hard it is to find quality tropheus here
in Kentucky?

I'm fortunate enough to find the common Mbunas, but special
fish are out of the question around here!

Oh well, some day I'll move to Canada and get my fish from
Klaus, Darius, Larry, Derek, and whoever else has quality fish
in Oh Canada!

pb, check this guy on on aquabid - he is in Louisville.

http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auc...eafricaaquatics

Well Kim, Tropheus would be nice but I do recognize the local availability problems. I was more thinking about a nicely decorated SA tank with some very peaceful yet lively Geophagus in it. Tres Bien!

How about it Mark????????????????

If it were me Id go for a group of at least six to eight of the following:
Placidichomis phenochilus
Crytocara Moorii
Your peacock group
Yellow tailed Aceii
Protomelas species eithet a trio of Red Empress or Taiwan Reef
Last but not least add in a group of Syno Multipunctatus to liven things up!

But then again that is my taste in fish!

Good Luck
Cheers!!!

If you want a beautiful tank mark, do the best you can to recreate tobalmans show tank. I ahve learned everything about showing fish from hong. his is a 155g with all male haps and peacocks, and yellow labs. right now im growing out my own group of all male peacock and haps with a dozen F1 (nice) labs in my 220g. Let me see if i can find his picture of his tank. When you see it you will have your mind made up.
as for quality, most breeders in the states ship. I have dealt with rudy zuniga at great lakes tropical in michigan dozens of times and his prices are very cheep and i believe he will ship to you. He has very nice fish and i bet he can through you all males if asked. greatlakestropical.com

Check this out. I stare in awe everytime i see hongs tank!
http://www.pricenetwork.ca/showthread.php?threadid=171399

Thanks everyone for the great advise!

I did a little homework today and came across some possible
peacock connections right here at home!

Yodahorn, I talked to "horseman" from CF and he recommended
"littleafricaaquatics".

Last month I email him and he told me to call him when ready. At that time,
I didn't have any info or feedback on him and his fish, but it sound good
at this point. I will let you know!

Thanks again everyone!

Sorry Klaus, I hope I don't disappoint you too much by not choosing SA or trophs!

I can always start another tank and stocking SA's will just give me reason to do so!

Just echoing the note "don't ever combine different female Peacock's, because you'll never sort them out again." I've seen beautiful males together in LFS tanks with their females. I'd have bought a pair... except there were two species in one tank and no way to tell which female went with which mail.

How can an LFS do so many things right and then combo those fish??? Grrrr

Just wanted to chime in and agree on not mixing peacocks. Actually, don't mix in Sciaenochromis either.

I say.. just go "whole hog" and get a tank for each group of peacocks you want!

Gimme an A! Gimme an A! Gimme an A! Gimme an A! Gimme an A!

Thanks Lisa and Don and to everyone else!

Yesterday, I was able to talk with Birdman1099 and he
is going to sell me a group of Mdoka F1's at a great price!

Scott is a great guy and he is very good to deal with.

As a bonus, I am getting some Ps. Msobos as well.

Yesterday was a great day thanks to Scott and Yodahorn.

Thanks Yodahorn for letting me know about the XP3's that were
for sale!

msobo deeps or heteropictus? The deeps are my favorite mbuna!
Mdokas are one of my favorite peacocks aswell, i have a colony myself!

Oh and btw PB, I talked to tobalman and im buying all the fish in that link i posted sometime soon lol.. Its gonna be a beautiful tank!

PB, be careful what you're getting yourself into. They're an addiction.

My warning slogan is, "Beware! Msobos are the new Tropheus!"

Thanks Brad and I'm glad you found some more peacocks to add to your
collection! the Clap

BTW, I believe they are the Msobo deep; everyone knows how much
trouble I will go to get the Ps. Saulosi, but I may switch my allegiance
to these Msobos after seeing everyone else's fish! :ph43r:

Don: I agree with you about the Msobo addiction! Drooly

Well everybody, you have finally passed the disease known as
MTS (Mulitple Tank Syndrone) completely to me! blinky

Right now, I only have a 75 gallon mixed Mbuna tank and a 20 gal tang tank. Hmmmm

But this time next Tuesday, I will have added a 125 gal, 29 gal, and a 10 gal
fry tank! Wooo hoo!!

Man, this hobby is addicting, but I'm loving every minute of it! Prboy

I don't think you'll regret the Msobos...(Don't read that thread over on CF about someones male going psycho and wiping out their whole tank! Giggly )

We had the pleasure of going to Fogelhund's a couple of weeks ago, and his male is absolutely magnificent...I bet he's close to 6 inches, and just stunning. I can't wait until my guy gets that size, and I'm very pleased with the Msobo females.

I've spent alot of time trying to find nice "yellow" for a tank, and gone through alot of crappy looking yellow labs.

I honestly like the Msobos so much that I would probably give them their own tank if I had the space right now.

Kim

pb, any updated pics of the 125?

I will just add that msobo's are exactly what Kim says and more. They are beautiful. On the aggression side- yes- its very possible to get a bully male, but that's with almost any species. Its up to the hobbyist to be responsible by separating him. Not let him wipe out the tank. If that happens- shame on you (and thats directed at the CP poster)

Hey Yodahorn, I'm going to try to take some updated pics tonight!

Some things have changed, and many more fish have been added since
the original post!

Les, I'm carefully watching the Msobos and so far so good.

Thankfully, its a pretty large tank with lots of hiding places!

BTW, who is "CP" poster?

PB I love the msobo's but I think I would have to put a colony of Frontosa's in that tank.. Wow!!! I have a all male mbuna tank that has some great color to it. I am sorry to get in this so late. I just got some big Snow White Socolofi, and a colony of very large P. Demasoni. I will post some pics.

I just saw a guy on craigslist here in Louisville selling fronts cheap.

One fish species comes to mind when I see a 125-gallon tank. It still maybe a little too small for the Fossochromis Rostratus, but they are a large and impressive looking hap. http://www.akvaryum.com/foto_arsiv/262.jpg The have a nice diesel like coloration to them. This fish can get up to 12" though. For how big they are, they're a schooling fish, and don't do very poorly when kept by themselves. Another nice large hap is an Exochromis anagenys. http://i.pbase.com/u37/pschia/large/24343171.CRW_2256m.jpg They grow even larger and would look pretty cool together with the Fossochromis'. You sure you don't want to dedicate your tank to some large haps? These guys are beauties. I hope these guys are still obtainable when a get a nice sized tank, could be a while. Why you little..

I'm fairly happy with my set up right now as it stands.

I guess I prefer more fish in the tank as opposed to larger and fewer fish.

But those you mentioned would be nice to have!