Well...after a stint of keeping mostly Tanganyikan cichlids, I'm wanting to do a large Malawi hap/predator tank...Big stuff like Buccochromis, Tyranochromis, Dimidiochromis...what suggestions or experiences do you all have? The tank will be 200+gallons (I'm looking at my options right now, I think "GlassCages" is going to be a good choice)

I remember reading about a couple of larger Malawi haps that fed similiar to Geophagus species, I think they had "lenthriops" somewhere in there genus name...Do you think they would be a suitable fish for the lower portions of the tank while the big predators swam above?

Any suggestions, or recomendations for obtaining these fish? I'm thinking about getting large groups of F1 fry of the species I'm considering and letting them all grow up together....Eventually I'll also acclimate my fire "eels" and Mastecembelus plagiostoma (Tanganyikan Banded "eel") over to that tank as they start growing out of their current haunts...

So, you all think I'm needing to go at least 8 foot to do what I'd like to do? (breeding groups of predatory haps) That is still not going to be out of budget (shoot, and it's still cheaper than setting up a 75 "reef") Smile

I'm thinking groups of Champsochromis species, Nimbochromis "fusco", Buccochromis species, Protomelas ornatus, possibly throw in some B. microlepsis if I'm allready gonna be at 300 gallons...possibly even see if a Cichla or three will handle it...Am I just insane thinking I can pull this off? I know it's not a "recommended" type mix...but then again, this won't exactly be my "first tank" Evil

Oh yeah...and the genus I was thinking of was not Lenthriops itself, but another genus with Lenthrips in it...can anybody figure out what I'm thinking of? I'm can't seem to remember...I think it has a species profile here though...

I've also been led to believe that once you start getting into this size of tank, a lot of the "rules" about what is possible for species compatibility get thrown out...(I still can't get over the aro's, Tyranochromis, and Pbass tank I saw online)...

and you better believe that my only "buffering" will be through substrate, filter media and limestone aquascaping...*I couldn't imagine how much money I'd be giving to Seachem to buffer/salt that size tank consistently...fortunately the water out here is liquid rock, and if I have enough limestone/coral/arogonite in the tank/sump I think I can hold a steady pH around 8....