Mbuna Tank Nearly Cycled

[GRJ]

I have just set my mbuna tank up and i think its the same as yours! I am having Yellow Labs, Red Zebras, Bristlenose Plecs and 2 Purple Apple Snails in there. I innitially didnt get enough rock so ended up getting more, and even now may be getting a bit more rock as these fish love little hidey holes! Here is a pic of mine, still a little cloudy though.LOL! GRJ

 

[dthoffsett]

I am having Yellow Labs, Red Zebras, Bristlenose Plecs and 2 Purple Apple Snails in there.

I'd think twice about the appple snails. Mbuna are very good snail hunters, especially labs, and will continually pick at larger snails until they kill them, then eat what's left. I occasionally throw malaysian trumpet snails in my mbuna tank and they love ripping them out of their shells, the snails rarely last 10 mintues.

 

[GRJ]

I am having Yellow Labs, Red Zebras, Bristlenose Plecs and 2 Purple Apple Snails in there.

I'd think twice about the appple snails. Mbuna are very good snail hunters, especially labs, and will continually pick at larger snails until they kill them, then eat what's left. I occasionally throw malaysian trumpet snails in my mbuna tank and they love ripping them out of their shells, the snails rarely last 10 mintues.

Thanks for telling me that. I can put them in ymy community tank and they will be fine in there! GRJ

 

[typhoon]

tank luks small for mbuna cud b wrong tho ?

 

[morph]

Hi all,

GRJ tank looks good, is it a vision 180?

Anyone got any advice on moonlight lighting, got a coupe of old AC30 units was thinking of attaching them to the lid and running daylight bulbs for approx 10 hrs / day and then switching over to moonlight for 4 hrs / day, then lights out.

Any thoughts greatly appreciated.

Went to LFS today, they will call back tomorrow to let me know if their wholesale company can sex the fish I want, if they can looks like I will be stocking next friday

 

[typhoon]

ive got moonlights in my 260 but tbh if i had the choice again i wouldnt bother jst because u cant raelly see and chances are ure in bed wen there on but at the same time they do look good =]

 

[morph]

Cheers Typhoon,
I have to say the only real reason I want them is to look good, didn't think any beneit for fish

LFS rang today, cant get hold of the Metriaclima callainos, so anyone got any ideas about a replacement, want to put all fish in at the same time so i either change selection or wait two more weeks before i can stock.

A Single species tank is starting to look more and more attractive at the moment.

 

[dthoffsett]

Cheers Typhoon,
I have to say the only real reason I want them is to look good, didn't think any beneit for fish

LFS rang today, cant get hold of the Metriaclima callainos, so anyone got any ideas about a replacement, want to put all fish in at the same time so i either change selection or wait two more weeks before i can stock.

A Single species tank is starting to look more and more attractive at the moment.

Are you wanting another blue color, or are open to a different color? Metriaclima estherae are a red/orange color and have similar personalities to m.callainos.

 

[morph]

I am open to suggestions my main concern is the aggression, colour not as important (love the colouration of the demasoni, but i know they are way too aggressive unless in a species tank) and there is the dilemma.

so dthoffsett, what did you have in mind??, I really appreciate your advice.

 

[morph]

OK Went to the LFS today,

have decided to go for demasoni species tank so have ordered 15, will arrive next friday so i will post some pics.

cant wait

 

[dthoffsett]

OK Went to the LFS today,

have decided to go for demasoni species tank so have ordered 15, will arrive next friday so i will post some pics.

cant wait

Excellent choice, labs and demasoni look especially good together. Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner, my phone's been down the last couple of days and I couldn't get online (I have DSL).

 

[morph]

OK Went to the LFS today,

have decided to go for demasoni species tank so have ordered 15, will arrive next friday so i will post some pics.

cant wait

Excellent choice, labs and demasoni look especially good together. Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner, my phone's been down the last couple of days and I couldn't get online (I have DSL).

Hey, no problem, have had a bit of a scare for the last couple of days, up until saturday ammonia & nitrites been processing from 5 to 0ppm within six hours, put ammonia in on saturday, ammonia gone in six hours, nitrites shot up to 5ppm and didnt come back down, nitrates sitting at 80ppm. All other stats on water ok.

This morning nitrites started to come back down again, currently at 2ppm, whatever has happened it better sort itself out within next 48 hours, fish arrive Friday.

Water Stats

Temp 32C
PH 8
Ammonia 0ppm (5ppm to 0ppm within 6 hours)
Nitrites 2ppm (Used to convert all nitrites to nitrates within 6 hours)
Nitrates 80ppm

 

[morph]

Phew,

Tank stats behaving again, one more day of adding ammonia tomorrow, will turn temperatures of heaters down at the same time.

Friday morning will do 80% water change, spend a couple of hours making sure everything is set, collect fish 2:30 friday afternoon , can't wait

 

[adambrum]

A bit late now but the long pelvics are great fish one of the only ones i have not had problems with also had the mbenji blue
a little more aggressive but not to bad.

I also have these for sale as well there about 1 1/2 inch and i even have 2 holding at that size !

 

[morph]

A bit late now but the long pelvics are great fish one of the only ones i have not had problems with also had the mbenji blue
a little more aggressive but not to bad.

I also have these for sale as well there about 1 1/2 inch and i even have 2 holding at that size !

Hi Adambrum,

Its never too late , I am actually starting to cycle another vision 260 for my partner probably take about 2 - 3 weeks, now she has seen my malawi tank setup, she is thinking of malawis for this tank so i'll show her some pics of what you have, who knows she may be interested