how much is enough

[Knuc dog]

Hey all, just have a few questions about getting more fish.

the current set up is a forty gal us with:3 cynotylapia afra
1 yellow lab
2 zebra obliquidens
2 flame backs
1 rock krib

i was jsut wondering if you think that i have any room for more oh yeah the filters i am running are two aqua clear 200s?
let me know what you think.

 

[G_Sharky]

You could still stock it, but how's the ratio between M&F on the afra, cause if you more than one male, only one will color up.....I'm pretty well overstock too(check my sig), but i've never had any problems regarding the water condition....

 

[Knuc dog]

yeah i have a problem with the ratio but i was thinking of trading them in ( not to jsut any lfs, but to a good private breeder) and getting something similar just with a bit more yellow. but other than that the rations are fine for the others i was also wondering how my filtration is, i can't really afford any more right now so how many more fish do you think i could fit in there?

 

[freddyk]

There is no right or easy answer to this. Looking from the view of the mbuna, you can cram them in and they'll do well. Looking from the view of the haps, you don't want too many - they need more space.

From your point of view - well, it depends on how clean the tank is keeping. When your filtration and maintenance routine can no longer keep up with the mess of the fish, you've got too many. Ok, maybe not the answer you were looking for, but nobody can accurately spout off numbers without having hands on experience with your tank.

Your filtration is fine biologically speaking, but you really can't have too much mechanical filtration with mbuna. Heavy water movement keeps debris off the sand bed and suspended in the water until the filters can suck them up, making for a cleaner and easier tank.

Either way, I'd add a a couple more Labs, they're social fish - almost colony fish in the wild. You may find problems in the future between the haps and mbuna, maybe not - it's a chance you're taking. Labs are insectivores, they do great with haps. Cyno's have a pretty diverse diet too. Most other mbuna should be getting a primary diet of spirulina though, making the mix difficult.