New 160L Malawi Tank

[gunman]

I am looking for any advice you can give me about stocking my first malawi tank. it is a 3ft 160l tank, I realise it's on the small size but it is all I physically have space for as I also have a 4ft 210l community tank in the living room. Tank is set up with ocean rock along the back.

I have a breeding pair of yellow labs to go into the tank and would like maybe 2 more females. I am also looking for ideas on other mbuna or possibly Hap to stock. Due to the size of the tank I'm looking at species that grow to around 5". some ideas thus far:

Blue cobalt

Rusty Cichlid

I imagine I would be better sticking to 3 species in 1M - 2-3F.

Would there be any other suggestions? Would any Hap be suitable in the tank?

I am visiting a local guy tonight that is selling loads of malawi's etc so I am wanting to get an idea of what to look for before I go, I don't want to end up making another mistake.

Cheers

 

[Squidward]

Blue cobalt

Rusty Cichlid

I imagine I would be better sticking to 3 species in 1M - 2-3F.


Cheers

Hi,
If you are going to an experienced breeder, he should be able to advise you.
Rusties are nice and should be ok. They are also relatively less aggressive.
Not familiar with "blue cobalts". Do you know the latin name?

The smaller species are what you are after.
I liked:
sp Polit "lion's cove"
socolofi
Cynotilapia afra

Anyway, those are just off the top of my head, something for you to think about.

demasoni get mentioned a lot. As a beginner I feel these are best avoided. They are highly aggressive and need to be kept in groups of 10+

Good luck!
Squidward

 

[gunman]

I believe they are Maylandia callainos.

I'm not sure if they guy is an experienced breeder or not, I answered a local classified ad:

http/belfast.gumtree.com/belfast/07/68284107.html

He says he has loads of malawi's and young fish in an 'endless amount' so I am hopeful. I told him I'm lookimg for smaller malawi species. We'll see what tonight brings, not rushing in anyway.

 

[Squidward]

I believe they are Maylandia callainos.

I'm not sure if they guy is an experienced breeder or not, I answered a local classified ad:

http/belfast.gumtree.com/belfast/07/68284107.html

He says he has loads of malawi's and young fish in an 'endless amount' so I am hopeful. I told him I'm lookimg for smaller malawi species. We'll see what tonight brings, not rushing in anyway.

Large frontosa 6-7''Will get much too big for your tank
blue moori large breeding group 2 male 2 female too big
red/blue peacock breeding pair too big
convicts breeding pair not malawis
yellow labs large pair will be ok
cichlasoma sajica large breeding pair not sure what these are, but he does say large
large electric blue (lovely fish must see) jack dempsey not malawis

many hongi, should be ok - very nice
labs,not sure which ones he is refering to looking at the photo
demosoni I would avoid. Should be in a large group
,lombardi known to be very aggressive

To be honest I am not sure there is much that is suitable for you in this list. Just my opinion.

 

[gunman]

Yes, I'd agree, but when I e-mailed he says he has loads more that he hasn't listed (he has more than 1 tank), he's not far away so I'm calling round for a look and a chat. I'd ruled out most of what you have there anyway, I realised there's more than malawi listed and looked up frontosa and realised they are way too big.

I had looked up the peacocks (Aulonocara hansbaenschi)and from what I read they grow to a max of 5" so I'm slightly surprised you say they'll be too big (unless they are a different species from what I looked up). I was more concerned about mixing mbuna with them.

I wasn't even sure what Hongi were, so that gives me something to research, Thanks.

 

[gunman]

I actually just googled 'Hongi' and found this: http/belfast.gumtree.com/belfast/02/66060502.html

It's the same guy with an ad from 1 month ago, seems he is a breeder, maybe a hobby as well so hopefully he will turn out to be a great help.

are they mbuna?

 

[Squidward]

Yes, I'd agree, but when I e-mailed he says he has loads more that he hasn't listed (he has more than 1 tank), he's not far away so I'm calling round for a look and a chat. I'd ruled out most of what you have there anyway, I realised there's more than malawi listed and looked up frontosa and realised they are way too big.

I had looked up the peacocks (Aulonocara hansbaenschi)and from what I read they grow to a max of 5" so I'm slightly surprised you say they'll be too big (unless they are a different species from what I looked up). I was more concerned about mixing mbuna with them.

I wasn't even sure what Hongi were, so that gives me something to research, Thanks.

I think peacocks need at least 4ft of tank length.
And as you say, mixing them with Mbuna is not a good, especially in a small space, as they are less aggressive.

Hopefully this guy will have some interesting stuff that he hasn't listed. But don't get pressured into taking something that you aren't sure about.

I actually just googled 'Hongi' and found this: http/belfast.gumtree.com/belfast/02/66060502.html

It's the same guy with an ad from 1 month ago, seems he is a breeder, maybe a hobby as well so hopefully he will turn out to be a great help.

are they mbuna?

Yes, hongi are Mbuna

 

[gunman]

demosoni I would avoid. Should be in a large group

How big a group would you say? I have researched and found everything from 1 male or a male\female being kept to sites recommending 20-30 be kept?

Would these have to be ruled out completely? Ony other species I am 100% sure I am going to stock are yellow labs (as I have a pair).

I do like the idea of Hongi no though .

 

[Squidward]

demosoni I would avoid. Should be in a large group

How big a group would you say? I have researched and found everything from 1 male or a male\female being kept to sites recommending 20-30 be kept?

Would these have to be ruled out completely? Ony other species I am 100% sure I am going to stock are yellow labs (as I have a pair).

I do like the idea of Hongi no though .

At least 10 is the usual number quoted. Anything less and the more dominant ones will start picking off the weaker ones until there is only 1 left.

 

[gunman]

Thanks for that, they may still be an option then. I looked up the species list on this site,it says they don't mix with others well except the yellow labs, which is a bonus. Tank size may be too small according to this but other sites say a 40g is OK due to them being a dwarf species. Lots of conflicting info out there makes it hard for a beginner .

Possibly stocking:

10 x demosoni
3-4 Yellow labs

 

[Always Learning]

If you're going for Demasoni, get as many as you can fit in. They will soon be lower numbers than you started with anyway... 10 is, in my opinion, too low. I'd be looking at 16+ in there.

I'd stick with your original plan and add something like the Saulosi. Small, not too aggressive and they're pleasing on the eye. Could try some Perlmutts, Smaller Afras like the 'Cobue' etc. Peacocks have a different diet requirement to mbuna and require more swim space. I would not be putting them in a 160L tank and stick to the smaller mbuna.

 

[gunman]

I'd stick with your original plan and add something like the Saulosi. Small, not too aggressive and they're pleasing on the eye

Awh, jeez, I just googled them, the males look just like Demasoni and the females look just like female yellow labs to me How am I going to pick them out?

I like the look of the others you mentioned as well, I'll make a list of possibilities out to take with me this evening.

Cheers all.

 

[gunman]

Well, I had a very interesting visit tis evening. The guy has some lovely fish. He breeds yellow labs, hongi and demasoni (amongst other non mbuna's).

He is holding for me:

4 x yellow labs (so I can add to my 2 and figure out a decent 1m - 2 or 3F mix)
3x Hongi (trio)
2 x Cobalt blue (not sure of their sex, one is slightly larger than the other, other than that it's hard to tell)

The hongi and yellow labs are juveniles of about 1.5", the cobalts are about 2" and 2.5 -3" and he only had this pair.

He was insistant that the demasoni would be OK in the tank (as you guys said, in numbers of about 10 or more) and to be fair he said if they weren't, I could drop them back over to him. Still, I was well behaved and stuck to the plan! His prices are a tad more favourable than the LFS too with yellow labs at £1.50 and Hongi at £2.50, I cant remember what he was looking for Demasoni but I think it was a couple of quid each or less.

BTW, the peacocks are absolutley beautiful, its a good job my wife didn't come with me to see them .

Hopefully be picking them up early next week.

One thing I wasn't certain about, will the hongi cross breed with yellow labs?

 

[SlyPolak]

Shoot!! labs where I got them were $10 a piece!!!

 

[Squidward]

Well, I had a very interesting visit tis evening. The guy has some lovely fish. He breeds yellow labs, hongi and demasoni (amongst other non mbuna's).

One thing I wasn't certain about, will the hongi cross breed with yellow labs?

Sounds like you had a good evening.
Any reason you didn't take the fish home with you last night?

The hongi and labs are unlikely to cross breed. But in a tank you never know. In mine, I had all sorts of odd hybrids.