Stocking Help Please

[chongwho]

Just wanted to check if these would be suited/compatible with each other in a new 55g tank.

3 x Pseudotropheus saulosi

3 x Labidochromis caeruleus

3 x Cynotilapia afra

(if this is fine, what male/female ratio should I have for each?)

Also, what would be a good couple (or just one) bottom feeder/cat?

 

[HappyGeorge]

Well I have just set up a tank with Cynotilapia afra and Labidochromis caeruleus, not sure about the Salousi, if your buying juvenilles sexing could be a problem and you may end up with a lot of yellow fish if all your Salousi are females.
I asked the question about numbers a month or so ago and I have gone with 5 Labidochromis caeruleus, as I understand it male to female ratio is not too important in Labs feel free to have a look at my stock list mate

My stock list with photos,

recently set up but no aggression problems what so ever at the moment, some mild chasing by the Male Afra when his belly is full but nothing to worry about.

As for bottom feeders the Synodontis Multipunctatus is lovely have 6 of them in my 100G keep the sand very clean, and actually get to see them during the day, as they love to swim in the pump outlet current. They only grow to about 6" so mayeb you could get away with a group of 4 or 5 in your tank, they like to huddle together and at under a tenner they are good value catfish too.

 

[chongwho]

If I went say 3 or 4 Lab Caereleus - 1 male 2-3 female... could I then got 2 male 1 female salousi, (to avoid all my fish being yellow)? or will this cause problems having more males?

 

[HappyGeorge]

If I went say 3 or 4 Lab Caereleus - 1 male 2-3 female... could I then got 2 male 1 female salousi, (to avoid all my fish being yellow)? or will this cause problems having more males?

Afraid I have no experience of Salousi so will have to wait for an answer from someone better qualified than me, sorry.

 

[stryper]

If I went say 3 or 4 Lab Caereleus - 1 male 2-3 female... could I then got 2 male 1 female salousi, (to avoid all my fish being yellow)? or will this cause problems having more males?

I really wouldn't have more than one saulosi male in a tank mate. Not one of the most aggresive mbuna. But two males in a tank will only end up with one dominating the other. If you don't want all yellow or orange fish why not try Demasoni what a lovely black and blue banded little mbuna this is. And both sexes show this colour. Buy a few fish if you can't sex them although the females do tend to be smaller in size. And i found that the females colour was just a tad lighter or not as intense.


Cynotilapia are very aggresive go with the demasoni.

 

[chongwho]

Im now thinking

1 x Pseudotropheus saulosi (male)

3 x Labidochromis caeruleus (1 male / 2 females)

3 x Cynotilapia afra (1 male / 2 females)

2 x Pseudotropheus Acei (1 male / 1 female)

6 x Demasoni.

I'm probably looking at 260l tank now.


Any hints and tips with this? any changes anyone would make?

 

[dthoffsett]

Im now thinking

1 x Pseudotropheus saulosi (male)

3 x Labidochromis caeruleus (1 male / 2 females)

3 x Cynotilapia afra (1 male / 2 females)

2 x Pseudotropheus Acei (1 male / 1 female)

6 x Demasoni.

I'm probably looking at 260l tank now.


Any hints and tips with this? any changes anyone would make?

Because of their high conspecific aggression P.demasoni should be kept in groups of 12+ or a single specimen. You'd also have problems between the afra and dems as dems will go after anything that has similar coloration. If you like blue fish, why not take a look at Pseudotropheus socolofi.

Labidochromis caeruleus are much happier in groups of 5 or more and fortunately multiple males generally get along as they are difficult to sex. P.acei should also be kept in larger groups and again multiple males get along.

I apologize if I'm wrong, but I'm guessing you are new to mbuna, if so I'd highly suggest reading this article to give you a better idea of what you are getting into.

At 260 liters (approximately 68gal) you'd could comfortably keep around 16-18 adults total, I'd aim for 4 species of 4-5 individuals each. If you decided you wanted the dems you could go with 12 demasoni and 2 other species of 4 each (you get a bit more fish with dems as they are smaller than the average mbuna).

 

[stryper]

Im now thinking

1 x Pseudotropheus saulosi (male)

3 x Labidochromis caeruleus (1 male / 2 females)

3 x Cynotilapia afra (1 male / 2 females)

2 x Pseudotropheus Acei (1 male / 1 female)

6 x Demasoni.

I'm probably looking at 260l tank now.


Any hints and tips with this? any changes anyone would make?

Because of their high conspecific aggression P.demasoni should be kept in groups of 12+ or a single specimen. You'd also have problems between the afra and dems as dems will go after anything that has similar coloration. If you like blue fish, why not take a look at Pseudotropheus socolofi.

Labidochromis caeruleus are much happier in groups of 5 or more and fortunately multiple males generally get along as they are difficult to sex. P.acei should also be kept in larger groups and again multiple males get along.

I apologize if I'm wrong, but I'm guessing you are new to mbuna, if so I'd highly suggest reading this article to give you a better idea of what you are getting into.

At 260 liters (approximately 68gal) you'd could comfortably keep around 16-18 adults total, I'd aim for 4 species of 4-5 individuals each. If you decided you wanted the dems you could go with 12 demasoni and 2 other species of 4 each (you get a bit more fish with dems as they are smaller than the average mbuna).

I really do think the Afra will be your biggest trouble with aggession rather than the Demasoni. Demasoni can hold there own granted but there are far worse like P. Kingsizi i found to be very nasty indeed. I kept Pearlmutt ndumbi red tops Daktari yellow sp' and elongatus mpanga all together and didn't see anymore aggression than anything else in the tank. But Demasoni if good stock are wonderful little fish. The Acei are non aggressive so will be fine as well.

 

[dthoffsett]

I really do think the Afra will be your biggest trouble with aggession rather than the Demasoni. Demasoni can hold there own granted but there are far worse like P. Kingsizi i found to be very nasty indeed. I kept Pearlmutt ndumbi red tops Daktari yellow sp' and elongatus mpanga all together and didn't see anymore aggression than anything else in the tank. But Demasoni if good stock are wonderful little fish. The Acei are non aggressive so will be fine as well.

I agree that the afras will be more aggressive towards the other fish than the dems. However, if kept in small groups dems tend to kill each other (hence why I said high conspecific aggression) which is why I suggested keeping 12 or more.

 

[stryper]

I really do think the Afra will be your biggest trouble with aggession rather than the Demasoni. Demasoni can hold there own granted but there are far worse like P. Kingsizi i found to be very nasty indeed. I kept Pearlmutt ndumbi red tops Daktari yellow sp' and elongatus mpanga all together and didn't see anymore aggression than anything else in the tank. But Demasoni if good stock are wonderful little fish. The Acei are non aggressive so will be fine as well.

I agree that the afras will be more aggressive towards the other fish than the dems. However, if kept in small groups dems tend to kill each other (hence why I said high conspecific aggression) which is why I suggested keeping 12 or more.

I suppose you can only put how you have found a fish to be. But as i stated no real aggression or should i say no more than anything else i kept in the same tank. Kept them in a 54x18x18 with other smaller Mbuna and they never really caused that much trouble to each other or others. I did keep them in other tanks as well. I may just have been lucky i guess lol.