Tankmates & Things 4 Africans

[slickshooter]

I just bought a 75G to replace my 35G which houses 2 Kenyi's and 3 yellow labs.Seeing as these fish usually are out of eyesight can anyone recomend some colorful tankmates that might inspire them to come out and "play" more.  I have never had a bottom feeder (algae eater)  before should I look into it? I don't want to get into feeding different fish foods for the varying fish if possible although I've heard that most algae eaters do need their own food.
I plan on using pool filter sand as substrate and plastic plants and homemade caves as hiding spots.
I was wondering what type of filtration and lighting would be sufficient? I have 2 lights on my canopy should I go with one type of bulb or can I mix and match for a different effect?
Thank you in advance.

[ambushman2j]

synodontis catfish do very well with africans, and bushy nose pleco's are commonly used as well, if you want them to come out more, basically just get alot more fish, if they all have vast territory they have no need to come out

[lcoates]

There was a thread on Dither fish, fish that will help you out with this. In my fry tank I have some Zebra Danois, they have made a difference. In my 120g, they just always come out, I am really not sure why. I recently purchased a 7 inch Frontosa which hid all the time for his first owner, for the first week we barely saw him, now he's out all  the time.  My tank is in a heavy traffic area lots of kids and noise. I think I am just really lucky!!

[luvfishies]

I think that adding more Africans would help with the "shyness" you're seeing right now. More of what you have, ps acei, callainos, fuelleborni would also work. You have the room, and Mbuna do well in crowds, so research some fish that interest you, and stock slowly.

[Pisidan]

I have australian rainbows as dither fish and still I find my Africans are still extremely shy...maybe as time goes on they will get better whatseems to help is I sit in front of the tank and let them slowly come out cause they r curious I watch them they watch me and I start with slow movements and slowly work to faster im finding they r getting better doing this but im sure it will take time!!

[ambushman2j]

do you mean shy as in not active staying in their hiding spots or like you saw at my place they hide when you go near the tank and come out when they feel safe..or see food usually the first instance can be fixed by stocking your tank with more fish..as you saw in my 77 I have a good 20-30 large africans in there..

[Pisidan]

Yeah i mean shy as in not active staying in their hiding spots  Im hoping once the estherae and Salousi grow big enough they may come out more or I will have to buy more cichlids LOL I was thinking scolofi this round!! Hehehe

[ambushman2j]

lol well, hopefully I will have some!.. I noticed one of my salousi from my 1/4" had the arrow tail, after you left which strangely enough was about the same time I put the 1 socolofi fry in there..I can't see how that would have anything to do with it tho, but it is a strange coincedence since last time it happened I did have socolofi fry in there too and they were fine until I put the 1 in there. ... very bizzare..so from now on just to be sure all socolofi fry I have I will raise in their own tank

[Pisidan]

Man u just arent having any luck with fry lately huh arrow tails and all I hope your other fry do well especially your scolofi LOL

[ambushman2j]

there was only one, and I fed him to my larger fish today..then did a 60% waterchange on that tank, so hopfully it won't happen to anymore

[cichlid_girl]

I know that my danios have made a huge difference in my tank. They generally dont take up too much room and I find they move quickly and so my cichlids dont bother them at all. I personally dont recommend a bushnosed plecko though, my fish did not let him come out to eat. They constantly harrassed him and ended up killing him in the end. But, that is only my experience.