keeping african cichlids with rainbow fish?

[coltin]

I'm setting up a new 75 gallon tank and I've got 2 rainbow fish that need to go in. Planning to add a few more, but I'm also thinking of getting some cichlids that look pretty cool. Can I mix them with the rainbows?

You really need to double-check that water hardness - 59mg/l is way too soft for Rift Lake cichlids and most rainbowfish. Melanotaenia boesemani, for example, come from water with a GH above 300ppm.

Your pH of 7.8 is okay for rainbowfish and peacock cichlids from Lake Malawi, but they do need a GH of over 250ppm - ideally around 300-350ppm. If your water is soft, you'll need to add a Rift Lake water conditioner to increase the GH and KH. You can get this from most pet shops or online - it's usually a mix of calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, and calcium & magnesium carbonate, with a few other minerals.

If you get the water right, you can keep M. boesemani and M. lacustris with Aulonocara peacock cichlids. Just make sure your tank is at least 4 feet long and they'll be fine together. Keep the rainbowfish in groups of at least 6, and if you want to breed the cichlids, have 1 male and 3 or 4 female peacocks.

Also, make sure the rainbowfish get plenty of plant matter in their diet.

[oceanway]

You're right to recheck the GH, 59mg/l is way too soft for Rift Lake cichlids and most rainbowfish - they need a GH of over 300ppm. Your pH of 7.8 is perfect for rainbowfish and peacock cichlids from Lake Malawi, but the GH needs to be higher, around 300-350ppm.

If your water is soft, you can use a Rift Lake water conditioner to increase the GH and KH - it's available at pet shops or online. It's mainly made up of calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, and calcium & magnesium carbonate, with a few other minerals.

With suitable water, you can keep M. boesemani and M. lacustris with Aulonocra peacock cichlids - just make sure the tank is at least 4 feet long. For a harmonious community, keep the rainbowfish in groups of 6 or more, and have 1 male and 3-4 female peacocks if you're planning to breed them. Don't forget to provide the rainbowfish with plenty of plant matter.