Malawi are turning my head...

[OnlyGenusCaps]

Pseudotropheus sp. 'acei ngara'

The males of those are wonderfully striking. Especially with black rock and white sand as you have noted. I have thought about doing a tank with just them as a pure black and white. Then I realized... Algae. But in concept, it's amazing in my head!

 

[Wills]

The males of those are wonderfully striking. Especially with black rock and white sand as you have noted. I have thought about doing a tank with just them as a pure black and white. Then I realized... Algae. But in concept, it's amazing in my head!

Thats interesting! Its something I've wondered about Mbuna as they are typically herbivores and algae eaters? Do their tanks get much algae? A lot of the ones I see are often pretty clean, even the questionably stocked ones?

Do you think the stripes of the Acei and Saulosi would cause any problems?

 

[OnlyGenusCaps]

Its something I've wondered about Mbuna as they are typically herbivores and algae eaters?

They do eat algae. And if it is there, they will graze all day off the rocks. They don't seem to like diatoms and other thin films in my experience though. And even a thin green sheen would ruin aesthetic of a fully black and white tank. That's why I quickly discounted it.

Do you think the stripes of the Acei and Saulosi would cause any problems?

So, I come to aquariums originally from a reptile and amphibian background. I mean, it's been a long time, as I worked part-time in an aquarium store in the late 90's in my youth. But I still tend to hold the herpers ethic, and don't really "co-hab" species. I know co-habing species, or community tanks, is the norm for aquarists, and I pass precisely zero judgement one way or the other. But, I say this to make it clear, my experience with compatibility for co-habing species of fish is all second hand.

My experience is that both of those are pretty low-key species/types, so that should help. The saulosi are a bit smaller though, if memory serves. Were the saulosi the more aggressive of the two (and it might just be down to individuals between them to be honest), then I would think if you got the really nice black nagaras it might help reduce aggression. But if it turns out the larger acei are more aggro, then it may not matter as they may still recogonize the patterning on the saulosi males as a threat. If I wanted to do any mixing of species with different sizes, I would likely try to mitigate potential conflict with rockwork design. Have rockwork that has spaces too small for the anticipated largest males to enter. It offers a respite from their shenanigans for the smaller fish. Honestly, I do this anyhow because I like to increase fry survivorship (in that case it's like large gravel hides for them).

 

[Wills]

They do eat algae. And if it is there, they will graze all day off the rocks. They don't seem to like diatoms and other thin films in my experience though. And even a thin green sheen would ruin aesthetic of a fully black and white tank. That's why I quickly discounted it.



So, I come to aquariums originally from a reptile and amphibian background. I mean, it's been a long time, as I worked part-time in an aquarium store in the late 90's in my youth. But I still tend to hold the herpers ethic, and don't really "co-hab" species. I know co-habing species, or community tanks, is the norm for aquarists, and I pass precisely zero judgement one way or the other. But, I say this to make it clear, my experience with compatibility for co-habing species of fish is all second hand.

My experience is that both of those are pretty low-key species/types, so that should help. The saulosi are a bit smaller though, if memory serves. Were the saulosi the more aggressive of the two (and it might just be down to individuals between them to be honest), then I would think if you got the really nice black nagaras it might help reduce aggression. But if it turns out the larger acei are more aggro, then it may not matter as they may still recogonize the patterning on the saulosi males as a threat. If I wanted to do any mixing of species with different sizes, I would likely try to mitigate potential conflict with rockwork design. Have rockwork that has spaces too small for the anticipated largest males to enter. It offers a respite from their shenanigans for the smaller fish. Honestly, I do this anyhow because I like to increase fry survivorship (in that case it's like large gravel hides for them).

Thats interesting! Good approach really, I couldn't do it personally as I know I'd get bored I'm 2ish years into a puffer fish tank now and finding that a bit restrictive in my 60cm cube, but I can't decide what I'd want instead...

I think its a good point that they are both less aggressive species and that Saulosi stay smaller so I can hopefully work that into how I set the tank up. The Acei are only a recent addition to the list so if I did it and they didnt work out I think I'd be ok with three species. Tough choices between the 2 Chindongo and Metriaclimba species though... think I change my mind everytime I look at them.