Mbuna Tank Diary

[nicelights]

Hi All,

After years away, we have saved and saved and saved and now we have a 330l (75Imp Gallons) tank with an Aqua One 1200 external filter (came with tank)and an Aqua One 300w heater. I have coral sand substrate and piles of ocean rock. Shock horror I also have a couple of pieces of bogwood for reasons shown below....

I have a list and the fish we want to have are as follows...the tank has only been setup for 4 days so I am waiting for a while before adding some fish...All fish below are paired up apart from those indicated cos they're too darn expensive.

Melanochromis johannii
Metriaclima greshakei
Pseudotropheus Saulosi
Cynotilapia afra 'Cobue'
Yellow Lab (Labidochromis caeruleus)
Rusty Cichlid (iodotropheus sprengerae)
2 types of Synodontis paired up Multis and another...
Imperial Plec (1)
Peppermint plec (1)
Tropheus duboisi (1)

I have attached a pic of the tank for you to tell me what you think...

Cheers

Gordon

 

[adambrum]

Really like the tank but (sorry) your stocking list wont work.

Melanochromis johannii
Metriaclima greshakei
Pseudotropheus Saulosi
Cynotilapia afra 'Cobue'
Yellow Lab (Labidochromis caeruleus)
Rusty Cichlid (iodotropheus sprengerae)
2 types of Synodontis paired up Multis and another...
Imperial Plec (1)
Peppermint plec (1)
Tropheus duboisi (1)


The johanni,greshakei and afra need to be at least a 1m-3f ratio and the yellow labs do best in groups of at least 6 the synos i would up to 3 also if the singles are expensive i would not mix them with cichlids some plecs do ok but most get killed and at a guess it would be the johanni.

What about.

6 yellow labs
4 greshakei
4 rustys
4 afras
3 synos

I would leave out any melanochromis there nasty fish.
also remove the bogwood as it can lower your ph.

 

[nicelights]

The johanni,greshakei and afra need to be at least a 1m-3f ratio and the yellow labs do best in groups of at least 6 the synos i would up to 3 also if the singles are expensive i would not mix them with cichlids some plecs do ok but most get killed and at a guess it would be the johanni.

What about.

6 yellow labs
4 greshakei
4 rustys
4 afras
3 synos

I would leave out any melanochromis there nasty fish.
also remove the bogwood as it can lower your ph.

To be honest, the more I research the Johanni, the more likely it is that they will get canned...the tropheus is also likely to get the boot, until I can afford a species tank, and then they'd be behind a South American setup in the wish list...that frees up some cash to do as suggested with the proportions of m to f....I do notice that you have omitted the Saulosi, any particular reasaon for that?

The plecos are there to stay, as she who must be is a catfish fiend...and if she likes catfish, then so she shall have...then I can get another tank....

 

[Druchii]

must have been a typo error - SAULOSI ROCKS

btw - as adam says, Malawi are not 'paired' fish so go with more numbers of less species and you will be fine,

BTw - you will only need a tiny peice of bogwood in the tank to keep your plecs happy, a tip is to hide it away our of site

Apart from that - Nice looking tank...can not wait unti lyou fill it up


DON'T forget the Saulosi

 

[adambrum]

No reason for not adding the salousi ( sorry dru ) you could add 4 of those aswell. she who must be insisted i had some morrii in my tank so in went the morrii within 1 month all were fish food.

As i said they might be ok i know some who have had sucsess with plecs, I do like the thinking behind getting another tank.

I take it the Imperial Plec is the same as the zebra plec if so where did you find one of those.

 

[nicelights]

No reason for not adding the salousi ( sorry dru ) you could add 4 of those aswell. she who must be insisted i had some morrii in my tank so in went the morrii within 1 month all were fish food.

As i said they might be ok i know some who have had sucsess with plecs, I do like the thinking behind getting another tank.

I take it the Imperial Plec is the same as the zebra plec if so where did you find one of those.

My lfs (Maidenhead Aquatics in Hare Hatch) has a stock of them....and I'm not sure that it is the same L number, and I can't remember what one it is...It does look very similar tho which was why i have reserved one...

I'm now in the impatient stage...a large tank needs fish, and having waited so long to get a tank, to now have to wait even longer is pure frustration, but yes, it will be worth it in the end...

 

[Tattoodfishfan]

Hypancistrus zebra is NOT a suitable tank mate for mbuna of any kind really, their left behind @ feeding time and will not thrive as well as they would in a species tank all of their own.

Please reconsider putting them together.

 

[nicelights]

Hypancistrus zebra is NOT a suitable tank mate for mbuna of any kind really, their left behind @ feeding time and will not thrive as well as they would in a species tank all of their own.

Please reconsider putting them together.

Hi,
I am aware of the timidity of the Zebra, as well as it's price...I do not wish to harm any fish i put into my setup, which is why I am getting as much help from people like yourself prior to splahing the cash (literally! ). I have no intention of wasting possibly £100+ of my hardearned on something that will be unhappy and unwell in a tank setup as I am proposing. I would rather spend that kind of money on fish that work well together. I will speak to my lfs tomorrow and double check the number to put this debate to bed...If it is not the right sort, then I will look at adding something else, like more synos...the fish are not in the tank yet, they are merely reserved....

 

[Druchii]

personally i would not put any plec in a malawi tank, apart from a BN plec at mid size (4" about £10)

if you want other fish in the tank as well as malawis, then you can do a lot worse than spending the rest of your money of synodontis petricola or similar, but petricolas are the best imo

 

[nicelights]

I have double checked and the Imperial has been erroneously named...according to the shop it is....L134...the stock they have look very similar to the top 3 pics shown at the link below...

http/www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/speci...?species_id=213

So that's that one answered....And judging by the space requirements detailed by Planet Catfish, I think I'll be just fine for territory...

As for more synos...I am now bound by the limits of savings and so must cut this according to the cloth remaining. We'll just have to wait and see how the tank develops...

 

[pmdf]

I have double checked and the Imperial has been erroneously named...according to the shop it is....L134...the stock they have look very similar to the top 3 pics shown at the link below...

http/www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/speci...?species_id=213

So that's that one answered....And judging by the space requirements detailed by Planet Catfish, I think I'll be just fine for territory...

As for more synos...I am now bound by the limits of savings and so must cut this according to the cloth remaining. We'll just have to wait and see how the tank develops...

That's what is often called a Leopard Frog pleco... I thought that you may be referring to L134 when you mentioned your lfs was Maidenhead Aquatics, as they have them in our local Maidenhead labelled up as "Imperial Tiger" plecs for some reason. Lovely fish, I have one in my South American tank. However I wouldn't keep it in my African setup. If you're hoping it will manage the algae in your tank then you'll be disappointed as Peckoltia are mainly carnivorous and pay little, if any, attention to the green stuff. They also like soft water and are very shy fish so you'd likely only catch the odd glimpse of him before lights out. They are great characters though.

 

[Tattoodfishfan]

I just don't think they understand what a starved pleco looks/acts like, their more interested in doing it their way instead of listening to expierenced advice.

so be it, as sad as it is some must learn the hard way

 

[nicelights]

Hi All,

First fish have gone in the tank ...10 black mollies to get the cycle working properly. I have a friend who said he'll take them off me when the Mbuna start to arrive (and they'll look after any fry! ). In the meantime, there were 10 very timid fish upon safe release....but having chucked a bit of of food in for them, they are all happy as. They are a bit small mind you, so I'm not gonna hurry the stocking of more expensive fish.

It's just a joy to actually have some fish in a tank again after such a long time.

My problem now is I want to add a bristlenose to the equation as well...is this a good/bad idea?

Cheers

Gordon

 

[Cheffi]

Bristlenose work well with Mbuna, I have two of them in my tank and apart from my Pulpican chasing them on the odd occasion it works very well.

 

[jollysue]

I was going to suggest a BN to replace the other plecs. Would that satisfy she who must be along with the synos?

I really doubt that she that must be is going to love your Africans if her plecs are eaten.