Mbuna In A 30 Gal?

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CAC

Formerly: Catfish Are Cool
Joined
Apr 30, 2006
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Location
Cheshire, UK
i am hopefully getting a 30 UK Gal setup, and wanted to keep Mbuna.
How many mixed species do you think i could have and how many of each:
Metriaclima Estherae (Red Zebra)
Labidochromis Caeruleus (Yellow Lab) Dominant male, 3-4" long
Melanochromis Johannii, 3" long
Melanchromis Auratus, Male, 4" long
Haplochromis Obliquidens, both 4" long
Nimbochromis Venustus (Giraffe Cichlid)
Pseudothopheus Acei
Auratus Juvies, at least 1" in length.
Pimelodus Pictus, 4" long

How many of each (unless not compatable for a 30 gal aquarium do you think i could keep?
what do you think, please let me know
:thanks:
 
Hey catfish, if you are looking for great information about starting up a mbuna tank. I would recommend that you give these pages a good read through. They will give you the basics and an outline of what fish you can stock and how many.

I found it very informative when I was starting out.

Mbuna at Cichlid-forum

tanks

I hope this is some help.
 
catfish, i have kept mbuna for a few years now, and i have auratus, and ob zebras and i have had venustus, and caeruleus. i had all these fish at one time in my thirty gallon tank, and they did not get along well at all. the zebra killed a lot of these fish. they are in my 55 now, and i still want to go bigger. also, you really dont want to mix species of the same genus i.e. melanochromis johanni and melanochromis auratus. the melanochromis genus is are some of the most aggressive fish i have ever seen, and they are even worse to members of their own genus. i dont want to tell you what you can and cant do, but based on my experience i can tell you that you would be unhappy with the result of putting all those fish in a thirty gallon tank. i hope this is not viewed as flaming you, i am only trying to save you from a mistake that i made myself. good luck!
 
None of the species you mention are compatibile for a 30 gal with the possible exception of the yellow labs, the P.Acei and the Pim Pictus. Even with these species you would be taking a risk in a tank that size. You really need a 40 gal or preferrably a 55 gal to keep Mbuna. :/
 

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