Few Questions About Mbuna

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Glenbo1981

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Ok one day I would like to do a big Mbuna tank and wanted a thread I could book mark so i could just check back and find out what i need to know.

Ok heres my questions...

1. The thing that always put me off Mbuna is that I was told you have to add every fish in your tank at the same time...or the fish that were added first will kill all newcomers :S is this true? I have a over filtered 100g and I assume I could add quite alot...which means ££££ in one go...which isent so appealing.

2. How many fish can you add to a 100g tank which is filtered by 2 large mature external filters (4ftx26"x22" footprint)

3. Are pebbles suitable as decor for Mbuna or is Ocean rock a must? or can i use both?

4. Can marine coral sand be used? (I have loads in my shed)

5. Can my clown loaches and Bristlenose remain in my Mbuna tank? or would they have to be sold along with my Severums,Festivum,Geophagus,Blue Acaras and Rainbowfish?

6. I like fish that are solid bright colours...the only one i can think of it the Electric Yellow Labachromis species,I have heard of Electric Blues but never seen them....what other fish are like this and compatiable?

7. When the Mbuna breed, do you have to do anything in particular? will they survive if I don't intervene?

8. What is the ideal temp + PH to keep Mbunas? (I assume its 26c and 8.4?)

9. Any other particular equipment that i need? (I use 2 externals,2 heaters,spray bar)

10. Do they live off flake and bloodworm or do they need anything in particular as a staple diet (not talking about treats)

11. Can any tougher CA's be mixed with Mbuna? like Convicts,Firemouths or other Africans like Kribensis or jewel Cichlids?

12. Can you give me a mock up very colourful stock list of fish that you think I should add? (I want to keep my Clowns,Bristlenose and maybe get a Syno to go with these)

13. Can Frontosas be mixed with Mbuna? or is it best to keep them as Mbuna only?

Thanks guys :)
 
LOL wow this is kinda freaky as I was reading through my back issues of Pratical Fishkeeping lastnight and saw a stunning tank in this year may issue. Also there was a article on how to start up a Mbuna tank. So it kinda thrown a spanner in the works for tank I was planning lnext year.

So far from what I can concern from my research so far..

1. They do not all have to go in at once but will be need to be big groups. To spread aggression amongst many newcomers.

2. 20-24in of Mbuna for ever sq ft of tank bottom.

3. Ocean rock is not a must and it okay to use any aquarium-safe rocks.

Pretty much sums up my research so far LOL so be interested in others anwsers for my own reference as well :). I read something about if entirely coral sand it can cause gil/skin irritations and not to feed worm type foods as it can cause bloat. I'm also interested in getting the Electric Yellow Labs and knowing what other fish would go. I particularly like blues, oranges and there a nice black and white zebra pattern fish i still aint found out teh name for that I like. So be interested in possible tank mates.
 
I can not answer all of your question, but I can tell you that Crushed coral does cause skin and gill irritation. Argonite sand is better asw it buffers the KH. You could put some of the crushed coral in your canister ffilters. The fronts are fron lake Tanganyika. So I would assume that they are not Mbuna. I do not know about the species, or anythink about the fish other than shell dwellers. Live rock is not a must, you can use slate, cobble stone, Texas holey rock, lava rock, anything really. People keep bristlenose in African tanks, but since it is use to a lower pH, I would rehome them, the clown loaches too. The ideal ph is 8.2 if I am correct, but anything from 8.0-9.0 seems okay to me eventhough I have no expirence. Alot of people use the recipe of 1 tablespoon of epson salts, 1 teason of baking soda, and one teaspoon of aquarium salt per every 5 gallons of water. It raises and buffers the pH, GH, and KH. I hope AI helped you. I am going to miss seing you around in the new world forum, and looking at pics of your spotted severum, that was my favorite fish of yours, lol.

P.S. Glenbo, why are you planning on taking your Cichlid communty down? I really liked it the way it was, without the firemouth though.
 
naw its just info for the future i can bookmark and go back to :)
 
1. The thing that always put me off Mbuna is that I was told you have to add every fish in your tank at the same time...or the fish that were added first will kill all newcomers :S is this true?

It can be tricky to add new mbuna to an existing tank of adults, it's much easier if they are all juvies. However, you should stock in order from the least aggressive to most aggressive species. It's also a good idea to rearrange your rock work right before any new addition (a PITA in a big tank) and feed the exisiting fish before releasing the new ones.

2. How many fish can you add to a 100g tank which is filtered by 2 large mature external filters (4ftx26"x22" footprint)

I'd say you could comfortably fit 25-30 adults, you'll want a total filter/pump/power head turn over of 8+ times per hour.

3. Are pebbles suitable as decor for Mbuna or is Ocean rock a must? or can i use both?

Ocean rock or holey limestone is great for buffering your water but aren't necessary.

4. Can marine coral sand be used? (I have loads in my shed)

I've had great luck with aragonite sand, crushed coral doesn't look as nice and is harder for them to dig in. In the year or so I had it in my tank I never had a problem with the crushed coral irritating their gills.

5. Can my clown loaches and Bristlenose remain in my Mbuna tank? or would they have to be sold along with my Severums,Festivum,Geophagus,Blue Acaras and Rainbowfish?

The bristlenose should be fine, I'd be worried that the mbuna would pick on the clowns.

6. I like fish that are solid bright colours...the only one i can think of it the Electric Yellow Labachromis species,I have heard of Electric Blues but never seen them....what other fish are like this and compatiable?

There are quite a few sold colored mbuna or ones with solid bodies and different colored fins. Off the top of my head I can think of Labidochromis caeruleus, Pseudotropheus acei, Pseudotropheus socolofi, Pseudotropheus socolofi (Albino), & Metriaclima estherae.

7. When the Mbuna breed, do you have to do anything in particular? will they survive if I don't intervene?

You have a couple of choices when they breed, move a holding female to a separate tank to allow her to spit the fry, this will give you the highest fry survival rate. Or, let the female spit in the tank and if you're lucky a few will survive.

8. What is the ideal temp + PH to keep Mbunas? (I assume its 26c and 8.4?)

77 - 79 degrees and 7.8+

9. Any other particular equipment that i need? (I use 2 externals,2 heaters,spray bar)

You've got the basics. :good:

10. Do they live off flake and bloodworm or do they need anything in particular as a staple diet (not talking about treats)

The vast majority of mbuna are herbivores and should be fed a diet high in spriulina and low in "meaty" proteins. Spirulina enhanced frozen brine shrimp, frozen daphnia, fresh (blanched) veggies and algae wafers sold for plecs are good treats.

11. Can any tougher CA's be mixed with Mbuna? like Convicts,Firemouths or other Africans like Kribensis or jewel Cichlids?

They shouldn't be mixed with New World cichlids for several reasons. Differening water requirements, diet differences, and since New World and Old World cichlids don't ever mix in the wild they are unable to "read" each others body language. Because of that, what might be a minor spat often turns into a blood bath.

13. Can Frontosas be mixed with Mbuna? or is it best to keep them as Mbuna only?

They shouldn't be mixed, the frontosa will be harassed by the mbuna while young, and if they survive into adult hood they will turn the tables by eating the mbuna. :lol:
 
^ now thats what i'm talking about :)

If you look at my video in my sig you'll see im using powerheads in my tank and i find even with 2 externals in my tank i dont create enough water flow so the powerheads do the rest :)

When i said Crushed coral and i actually did mean argomnite,i have a load left over from my marine tank.

I think i'll keep it to Mbuna only and get about 30 in spats of 5-10 at a time.

That being said I love my Severums so either this will be a future thing or another tank.
 
Decided to go through with it, I'm going to keep my Green Terror,Bristlenose and Clown Loaches with them for the time being in a neutralish PH (around 7.6)

Once i start getting a large amount of Mbuna and robbed enough pebbles off of the beach I will start rehoming.

The Green Terror is only 4" and very placid still so he wont be big enough to eat any of the Mbuna (for now).
 
Sold everything today and started my Mbuna tank properly...will add pics when its settled down a bit.

i bought 14 diff Mbuna, kept my clown loaches and Bristlenose.
 
Sold everything today and started my Mbuna tank properly...will add pics when its settled down a bit.

i bought 14 diff Mbuna, kept my clown loaches and Bristlenose.

I just thought of this, but you were always wanting more fish, and with Africans, you can have a LOT more fish than New worlds.
 

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