Can Anyone Object?

[zaman]

Hi, i have a 46g tank and i kept M.auratus, and i got them to breed. So i'm thinking that since i got them to breed can i get some yellow labs and get them to breed? in the same tank but without the auratus.
i will be replacing the auratus since they are aggressive so how many labs should i stock? should i buy them as adults or young juve. Should i keep 1 or 2 males (if im able to sex them.) or buy them randomly.
thanx.

 

[fish are friends....]

I'd add 1 males 4 females to start with. Getting them as juvis is best because they are more likely to form nicer pairs, but it's not eccential I don't think!

 

[kribensis12]

Yes, sounds like a good idea to me. I would recommend getting atleast 3 females. I would only get 1 male or you will have fights.

 

[dthoffsett]

First I'd ask if your tank is a 4ft? Mbuna really do best in at least a 4-ft tank, though you could probably get away with a 3-ft since labs are a little less aggressive.

Labs, like other mbuna, are harem breeders, so it's recommended to keep them in a ratio of 1m/3f. However, with a larger group, multiple males will generally get along, I'd probably aim for a total of 8 fish. Also be aware that they are slow growers compared to most mbuna fry, so it can take several months to get them to a sellable size. They are also one of the most stocked at lfs, so I'd make sure you have somewhere to sell/rehome them before you start breeding.

 

[kj23502]

Well, for a 46 gallon tank I'd say 12 fish at the most. Like dthoffsett said, make sure you have a home for your fish before you start breeding them

 

[zaman]

i am thinking about adding Pseudotropheus socolofi. will that affect the breeding for both(the labs and the socolofi?
or should i just stick with the labs?

 

[kj23502]

you could try both if you wanted to

 

[zaman]

ok thanx.

 

[cowbla1]

Both would work if you got 1:4 with both of them.