Mbuna 55 gallon tank

[Angry_Platy]

If you are going to get the Pseudotropheus don't get acei and saulosi....pick one of the two and keep them....not both types together. Reason....they interbreed....as will all african cichlids if keeping more than one of the same type in the tank at the one time.

You could replace one of the Psuedos with Aulonocara. In my tank they are slightly aggressive with each other but leave the other fish alone

 

[vantgE]

Don't no if it''l fit you'd have to look into it but think about a third syno you'll get much more activity out of them they are schoaling fish two is a small amount

 

[Mobern]

How's this sound?

3-4 Labidochromis caeruleus (1m/rest female)

3-4 Pseudotropheus acei (")

3-4 Iodotropheus Sprengerae (")

Plus 2-3 Syno multis

Thanks everyone so far for your help

 

[freddyk]

I really wouldn't worry about the interbreeding of the to pseudo's. The chances are slim between these very different ones, and even if they do, who says the fry must be reared?

 

[Angry_Platy]

How's this sound?

I like that mix....it will make a great african tank

The chances are slim between these very different ones, and even if they do, who says the fry must be reared?

Female Psuedos are pretty much all the same colour so chances are that they will interbreed. As foir the fry not being reared, cichlids, especially fry, have a very good ability at hiding from the adult fish hence they WILL survive on their own.

 

[freddyk]

Female Psuedos are pretty much all the same colour

What are you basing this extremely inaccurate info on?

In this case Female acei are like the male Acei - bluish/violet, sometimes with a yellow tail. Female Saulosi are yellow-orange. They look absolutely nothing alike - not body shape, not color, not size, and not even behavior.

I understand that pseudos tend to cross breed, even though the females do not usually look alike, but Acei are different. Generalizations lead to errors.

 

[Mobern]

Well, I'm probably not going to get two different species of Pseudos anyways...

I'll probably go with the following

4 Labs
4 Acei
4 Iodos
3 Multies

 

[vantgE]

one male and three females for each is ideal, if that's what your looking for but it won't be overly important except with the souliosi
goodluck

 

[Mobern]

Yeah, I'm getting 1 male and 3 females of each.

Do you suggest porous rock or holey rock or some other type of rock??

What sand do you recommend as a substrate?

thanks
M.

 

[Mobern]

Could I trade out the Acei for Maylandia callainos?

What Mbuna are either green, black, red, orange or white that are compatible with labs, callainos, and sprengerae?

Is there such a thing as a Ps. Black Acei? Could you give me a link to some pics if there is such a thing?


thanks,

M.

 

[vantgE]

Since else answered i'll say what I can

Rocks and sand is up to you it all works whatever you like best and can afford, I used playsand and rocks i found near a construction site, total cost was about 4 dollars

I don't know of green or black mbuna closest to red is rusty i think the sprengae, and there are a few orange I have male lombardoi but they wouldn't go great with your other fish, white the psedotropheus scofoli will come in a white varient, but what you said som far really is a great combnination no need to really change it.

 

[Mobern]

I think I'll go with slate and grotto rock. Substrate will be silica sand. BTW, how do you clean sand???

I might add 4 Red Zebras to my mix if I'm up to the water changes because that would bring my tank to a total of 16 Cichlids and 4 Synos.

thanks,
Mobern

 

[keane]

I think I'll go with slate and grotto rock. Substrate will be silica sand. BTW, how do you clean sand???

very tediously!!!

1. quarter fill a bucket with your sand.

2. place under a tap (or place a hose in the bucket) and let it start running through your sand, whilst continuously stirring and mixing the sand.

3. After about 20 mins++ the water should be running clear out of the bucket.

4. Empty bucket of sand into tank.

5. Repeat above process all over again.

Took me over 2 hours to clean enough sand for my 55 gallon!!!

By the way...noticed you were looking for black/white Mbuna. I was looking for the same when I was setting up and the only ones I could find were Cynotilapia Afra (Jalo Reef spec.). See the link below....

http/www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1733

I fell in love with them . The only problem is...wherever I have looked I could never find any. You may have some luck ordering from somewhere online.

steve 8)

 

[Mobern]

thanks

 

[Mobern]

thanks

useful information on cleaning sand... guess I'll start now...

also, once the sand is in the tank, can I siphon it like with gravel or how is it cleaned like regularly?

Are there any pure black Mbuna's?

thanks again,
Mobern