I currently have a 125 gallon tank with african cichlids. I would like to add more fish, but everytime I do they are killed in about an hour. I've tried movind around the rocks and plants before adding new fish to break up the territories of the africans, but that doesn't work either. I've read online that I could add tinfoil barbs to calm down the africans. Is this true ? Or will they just be killed as well ? It seems to me that if you are going to keep cichlids you have to buy them all at the same time and the same size and add them all at once. Any advice on adding new fish to my aquarium would be greatly appreciated. Don't worry, it's a big tank, I'm not going to overstock it, that's just cruel !!!

I really would not try to add any fish other than Africans. Most likely they will not make it. Any fish you add to the tank will need to be as aggressive as the African.

"I'm not going to overstock it, that's just cruel !!!"

Actually, when it comes to African cichlids, especially Mbuna UNDER stocking is more cruel. The reason why is because with less fish, the least aggressive ones get picked on VERY badly! When you over stock the aggression is spread out so one or two fish do not get the brunt of it. That is why all the stuff about Africans say to over stock. How many fish do you have right now? If you have too few that is probably why you have such issues with adding to the tank. The territories do not overlap and even rearranging does not help. I have had the best luck with adding smaller ones than the ones in the tank. My adults do not see the smaller juveniles as a threat and leave them be.