Lake Malawi

[beux]

Hi,

I've always been very interested in Malawi Chichlids, I don't have any, and probably never well, but I always end up doing bits of research, seeing how feasible it is etc.

I keep reading that it is best to understock a Malawi tank to avoid fighting etc...

However, I went to London Aquarium the other day, and looking over all their tanks, everything seemed to be appropriately stocked, massive tanks only having a few fish in them - plenty of space (except the shark tank which seems grossly overstocked!). They have a room for Malawi Chichlids...which just as one massive tank off the floor...but this one tank was SO packed with fish that you could barely see the water through them. Seriously, there must have been hundreds, they were just -everywhere-. Now looking at the way they had appropriately stocked all other tanks, this made think this had been done on purpose, rather than a mistake made by the staff there.

I'm confused? Have London Aquarium done this wrong? Why would they seriously overstock a tank like that without reason?

 

[jayjay]

Malawi cichlids are generally overstocked to cut down of aggression in short.

 

[beux]

Malawi cichlids are generally overstocked to cut down of aggression in short.

Thanks!

 

[Ferris]

Overstocking is the norm for most Malawi cichlids, especially Mbuna. These fish have an extremely aggressive nature and overstocking helps to spread this aggression around.

If you are interested in keeping Malawi's or just researching them, take a look at the pinned articles and general posts in the African Cichlid section.