Who Gives A Fish Forums

Shotgun wrote: ↑Wed Jul 12, 2023 9:50 pm I've got a 27 gallon tank, filter does 10x turnover. I've got a pretty sweet mix of fish - 1 fire mouth, 1 red zebra, 2 female jewel chilcid, and 1 opaline gorami. Everything's good except for the fire mouth... Gorami's the boss, no one messes with him. Zebra's second in command, he chases the jewels a bit but doesn't bother them. The jewels are super pretty, they never cause any trouble. Then there's the fire mouth, he just hides in the caves all day. I picked the calmest one at the store, thinking it'd be a good fit. Should I swap him out for a more energetic one?

You still don't seem to grasp the issue here. A firemouth cichlid with jewel cichlids might just work out, but the red zebra is a completely different story. It's a huge mistake to mix an African Rift Lake cichlid like the Metriaclima Estherae with a South American species. They're just not compatible.

As for your water parameters, come on, give us the full picture - what's your GH and KH? Your pH of 7.8 is a bit on the low side for a Malawi setup, but it's manageable.

And when you say your nitrates and nitrites are in the safe zone, what exactly are the readings?

A 27-gallon tank is just too small for a Malawi setup. Your Metriaclima Estherae is going to grow to 5-6 inches and needs to be kept with 3-4 females. And as for the other cichlids, they'll be fighting for space when the aggression kicks in.

You asked for help, so don't get defensive about the answers.

I'm gonna take out the red zebra today at Petco. So what type of cichlids would be good to add with my opaline gourami and jewel cichlids? Should I stick with South Americans or can I mix with others?

Shotgun wrote: ↑Wed Jul 12, 2023 9:50 pm I've got a 27 gallon tank, filter does 10x turnover. I've got a pretty sweet mix of fish - 1 fire mouth, 1 red zebra, 2 female jewel chilcid, and 1 opaline gorami. Everything's good except for the fire mouth... Gorami's the boss, no one messes with him. Zebra's second in command, he chases the jewels a bit but doesn't bother them. The jewels are super pretty, they never cause any trouble. Then there's the fire mouth, he just hides in the caves all day. I picked the calmest one at the store, thinking it'd be a good fit. Should I swap him out for a more energetic one?

African Rift (Malawi) need to be with their own kind, species only. Your tank is too small for them, trust me.

New World Cichlids, I'm not sure, some mix, some don't. It's all about compatibility.

What about your water stats? Give me the details.

That tank's just too small for most Mbuna, I agree with lintel. Some Cynotilapia stay relatively small, around 3-4 inches, but they still need plenty of hiding spots to escape aggression. Rock and caves take up space, leaving little room for them to roam. Honestly, you need at least a 55-gallon tank for a community of Mbuna. Sorry.

Lintel, chill out, I got the message. You still didn't answer my question though. Thanks for that.