Mbuna tank

[Mogurako]

So here is a picture of my current set up.

It is a 55 US gal Perfecto. There is currently a Fluval 304 running in the tank and i will so also add a magnum 350 pro with in the next couple of weeks. The lighting is also temp, i will upgrade to a perfecto glass top with a double tube striplight. The fish currently swimming around in there are my sword fry, they are helping the cycling process. I would greatly appreciate any comments, questions, suggestions and concerns.

{Note: sorry about the picture that was my first attempt on taking a picture of my tank.}

thanks

Jesse

 

[fufanu360]

looks good, can we see some closer up pics?

 

[Mogurako]

Ok so here's a lil bit closer pic, sorry about the quallity im still a nube when it comes to taking pictures.

 

[Mogurako]

come on everyone, some feed back would be nice.

 

[aberdeen aquarist]

OK, a few bits of info would be good from you : what kind of fish do you want to keep? please don't say africans, narrow it down a little!!
what are your water parameters?
what do you want to see when you look at the tank, a colourful community of mbuna or an all male aulonocara tank?
other than that, you tank may need re jigged depending on what you decide to keep.

 

[Mogurako]

-The fish I was planning on keeping are cichlids from lake Malawi.
-Ph is 8.0, not sure of the k/h
-I was hoping to go for a colourful community of mbuna.

 

[glolite]

Yellow labs? cobalt zebra? Shame you're in the states or you could have mine, they're outgrowing their tank.

 

[Mogurako]

Yellow labs? cobalt zebra? Shame you're in the states or you could have mine, they're outgrowing their tank.

ya, to bad those are some of the ones i was looking at.

 

[G_Sharky]

nice tank dude...just my advice to you in terms on lighting is don't get a really bright light, africans would have better colour if your lighting is somewhat subdued and put a dark background on it.....it your getting 2 strib bulbs get a flourescent lighting and a aktinic bulb(blueish)....

 

[Mogurako]

nice tank dude...just my advice to you in terms on lighting is don't get a really bright light, africans would have better colour if your lighting is somewhat subdued and put a dark background on it.....it your getting 2 strib bulbs get a flourescent lighting and a aktinic bulb(blueish)....

Thanks! . I have a backgroud that i will put on later just didnt get to it befor i took the picture. That lighting sounds good thanks.

 

[aberdeen aquarist]

if you want mbuna, then maybe add more rocks, depending on how heavily you stock the tank. Try and make a stocking plan and stick to it, and no matter how tempting the fish you see are, don't buy them without researching them.
one addition can upset the whole balance of your established community.

 

[Mogurako]

if you want mbuna, then maybe add more rocks, depending on how heavily you stock the tank.

Ya, i was planning to add more rocks when i move in a few months.I was going to leave the tank fairly understocked untill then and build more caves once i get the tank to its final resting place.

 

[G_Sharky]

For mbuna it's best that you overstocked so the agression of the dominant male could be spread and not one fish is isolated, well so long as you have sufficient filtration....I have 2 filtering system in my 75 gallon(AC300 and Rena filstar xp2) and i'm pretty overstock right now, but no real agression and injuries have occur, I"m even planning on getting 1 more auloconara and maybe another bristlenose plec to combat algae in the future....

 

[Mogurako]

Oh?! ok thanks, G_Sharky

 

[aberdeen aquarist]

you don't have to overstock to have a succesful tank, i have 2 7ft tanks that are understocked (even by community fish standards) one has only 9 fish in it, the amount of hiding places is far more important in my experience.