[Lupin]

Hi and welcome aboard, jlynch76.:wave:

Your stocking list seems to be a mix of Tangs and Malawis. I would advise against it particularly that they are from different origin and have different requirements. Moreover, Malawians tends to be more boisterous than Tangs.

If you still don't have catfish, you can try the Synodontis species.:thumbsup: Synodontis petricola, multipunctatus and eupterus are the few ones I would suggest. Multipunctatus' breeding method may work on Malawian mouthbrooders. I've never tried that but one article done by a fellow Filipino in a magazine tried it and claimed that the cuckoo catfish used Malawi mouthbrooders for breeding purposes. The Malawians were never aware of the fact that the fry could be catfish more than their own species. If it works for him, it may probably work for you. With the yellow labs, it probably will. But you have to deal with the compatibility issue first between the Tangs and Malawians.

By the way, I'll move this topic to the Cichlids section.

Good luck with the fishkeeping.:thumbsup:

 

[Lupin]

Never too bad to try.:thumbsup: They're great especially in Rift Valley tanks. Plecs are also suitable but the only thing that ticks me off is it's too unnatural that plecs and Rift Valley cichlids would mixed. Not to mention, plecs like soft water better. Synos on the other hand, can readily handle higher pH the Tangs would even need.

 

[Lupin]

im not blue :lol:

I was sure a punch would easily make a knockout on you.:frustrated: For trying to pretend you're not.:tongue: But then you're not indeed.:wink2: :checkedout:

Good luck to jlynch.:thumbsup:

 

[Lupin]

On top of that, releasing fish in the wild would also decimate wild stocks due to diseases from captive-bred fish which they may not be immune against.