Mbuna Tank

[ICEEGRL]

I bought a 55g tank. I have reg fluorescent lighting hoods. I understand that I will need 2 large filters. I am working on that.
I have been reading and looking at different rocks trying to find something that I like. I am not having much luck. I want it to look nice but different. I guess I will go with white sand of some kind.
The real issue I am needing help with is which kind of fish to get.
I want bright colors. There are so many different kinds out there. Which go together well?
What all colors do they come in?

Help me fill my 55g with bright cichlids! Make suggestions for stocking my tank please. I don't know where to start. I have never had cichlids before.
Will they bite me while I am cleaning the tank? How hard do they bite? I see they have lots of teeth...

Thanks for helping!

 

[dthoffsett]

Welcome to the wonderful world of mbuna! Here's a good link for stocking suggestions to get you started.
http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/cookie_cutter_55g.php

You can also go to your LFS and write down the mbuna they carry, then research them, and post on here and we can help you with compatability.

Here's another good link to read if you haven't already.
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=27706

And here's a good place to check for inspiration on tank set up.
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=169788

As far a biting, they may nip at you every now and again, but their teeth aren't large enough to hurt or do any damage, it just feels weird.

Feel free to ask anymore questions you have.

 

[ICEEGRL]

I can't make the last link work. It could be my computer. It is moody.
I did find some kinds that I like though.
cynotilapia afra (cobue)
labidochromis sp "pearlmutt"
labidochromis caeruleus
pseudotropheus sp "acei" (msuli)
pseudotropheus saulosi
metriaclima estherae (red)
altolamprologus calvus (black) ~ really cool!
neolamprologus cylindricus
aulonocara masoni
aulonocara sp. "turkis"
"ob peacock hybrid" ~ really cool!

With these... what would make a good combination? Are any of these not compatable?
Are these fairly common/ easy to find?
I really like the odd ones.

Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

 

[dthoffsett]

I can't make the last link work. It could be my computer. It is moody.

The last link is in the stickys for this section. It's titled Members African Tanks I believe.

cynotilapia afra (cobue) - Mbuna
labidochromis sp "pearlmutt" - Mbuna
labidochromis caeruleus - Mbuna
pseudotropheus sp "acei" (msuli) - Mbuna
pseudotropheus saulosi - Mbuna
metriaclima estherae (red) - Mbuna
altolamprologus calvus (black) - Tanginikya cichlid, generally not best to mix lakes
neolamprologus cylindricus - Another lake Tang.
aulonocara masoni - Hap
aulonocara sp. "turkis" - Hap
"ob peacock hybrid" - Peacock

Due to their differing dietary requirements and temperments, it's generally not a good idea to mix Lake Malawi (mbuna, haps, and peacocks) and Lake Tanginikya cichlids. And again, mixing peacocks and haps with mbuna isn't a good idea for beginners (although it can be done with care and a large enough tank). Haps and peacocks are mostly carnivores while mbuna are primarily herbivorous. Peacocks in general don't stand up well to the mbuna's bullying, and while small haps are also bullied, but will often turn the tables on the mbuna when they get larger.

So, all of the mbuna you listed sound fine, they are harem breeders where males will breed with any available females, so it's best to keep 1 male to several females of each species. So for your tank, I'd pick 3 species and get 4 of each (1m/3f). The only exceptions would be the l.caeruleus and p.acei, it is extremely difficult to sex them, and fortunately they are peaceful enough that multiple males can generally coexist.

 

[ICEEGRL]

How do I tell male from female when they are young?
If I can only have 3 kinds... That makes it hard.
I guess if I get dimorphic ones that would give me a more varied look.
I will have to do some thinking so I can make sure what I really want. If I can't have but 3 I would hate to get one that I am not sure of.
What kind of algae eater works for mbuna?
Also I read that you can put certain corys in with them. Are there other fish that work in this type of set up?
Thanks for helping!

 

[swallowscott]

corys should not be mixed with malawi's, plecos make good algae eaters, such as the bristlenose which stays small at around 5 inches or the common pleco which can grow very large up to about 18 inches. I would recomend going for bristlenose plecos due to their smaller size..

 

[ICEEGRL]

The kind that is found in Lake Malawi gets huge. I have spent so much time on google...
I am trying to find what all kinds are out there so I can try to get the best combo possible.
I wanted a lot of blue, yellow, orange, and white. The problem is I have found black and white ones, peach ones, and multi colored ones that look really good too.
I also thought that they stayed smaller than they do too. The ones at my doctors office were several years old and never got big. I think they must have a different kind. Theirs are about the size of cardinal tetras.

I also read that I will need to add some marine salts to the tank. Is that true?

Thanks for helping!

 

[dthoffsett]

You don't need to use salt with them. Mbuna typically stay in the 4-6 inch range.

If you want blue, yellow, orange and white, you might see if you can get these.

White - Pseudotropheus socolofi (albino) http/www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1786
Blue/Yellow - Pseudotropheus Saulosi http/www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1
Red/Orange - Metriaclima estherae - http/www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1730

 

[ICEEGRL]

I really like the second 2. They are dimorphic which gives me 2 colors in one kind of fish. That is helpful. The problem is that with each kind I get 1 male and 3 females. That only gives me 1 blue fish. Is there one where the female is blue?
That white one is really pretty, but I think I am going to have to give up the white in order to get more blue in there.
The other 2 are already on my list. They are really cool.
Is there a cichlid similar to these that stays around 2 inches? (or do they just grow really slow?) The ones at my doctors office stayed really small for over a year when I was going there. I am now really curious about what they were.
I read that they need algae on the rocks to graze on. Does that mean that I shouldn't have an algae eater in the tank? Do they eat the brown or green algae?
Thanks for helping!

 

[dthoffsett]

They'll eat both kinds of algae, at least mine do, they don't really NEED the algae (tank algae isn't all that nutritious), but they'll spend a lot of their day grazing on it, since that's their primary food source in the wild. Many mbuna keeps have plecos as well, so having one is simply up to the keeper.

If you really like blue, you might check out metriaclima callainos, both the females and males are blue with the males a light blue and the females a darker gray/blue. I have 6 of them and they are definately personable fish.
http/www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=787

The only mbuna I know of that stay small are pseudotropheus demasoni.
http/www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=849

 

[ICEEGRL]

Thanks! That is my third one. I love the lt. blue one. That is beautiful, and with the female being a different shade of blue that is great!
Is the females a washed out grey or is it a pretty color?
Do you have pics of the male and female together? I would love to see them.
Thanks again.

Now I need to start picking what kind of rocks and substrate to get... Any suggestions? (I have soft water)

 

[dthoffsett]

I have some pics of both males and females (more of the males though, they are stunning).

Though it is a little more expensive, I highly recommend aragonite sand (mostly marketed for saltwater), it has done an excellent job of buffering my water. The nice thing is with a ton of rocks in the tank, you don't need that much sand. I only have 30lbs in my 75gal at a depth of 1" or more. Rock wise, use what you like, landscaping places are great for picking up rocks cheap, just avoid anything that has obvious metal deposits or rust (which is an indication of metal).

Ok on to the pics

male in the foreground, two females behind.

female

male

female