Thinking Of Changing From Tropical Community To Mbuna Or Tanganyikan

[elisew]

Well I`m stepping into truly unknown territory in this forum but here goes.....

I currently have a 380L community tank, stock consists of Corys, Danio, rummys, celebes, neons (blue, black and green) harlequins, penguin tetras, a pair of Apistos and some Rams.
I haven`t had much luck keeping these kinds of fish to be honest, (apart from the danio, rummys and neons) and I`m seriously contemplating changing the stocking. The water in my area (Poole) is pretty hard and despite buying an RO system I still seem to be having problems (without using any RO my ph is 7.6 ), I`m now at the point of either changing stock and looking for a hardier setup or I`m going to end up giving up keeping fish all together (which I really don`t want to do.
I know that I`ll probably have to completely change the scape of my tank which is currently quite heavily planted with large pieces of bogwood.

So far the fish that appeal to me most are the Mbuna and some of the Tanganyikan because of the wide variety of colours more than anything to be honest and would like to ask those who are experienced with either to please give me some advice on which are likely to be the most compatible and interesting fish?
I have 3 bn plecos and 1 clown pleco in the tank at the moment and wondered if these plecs could stay with a change in stocking?

 

[bullit]

well im going for a tang setup soon over mbuna, because it will less aggressive, less stock and the fish will all look different, plus im just more intrigued with them. ive not kept either yet (apart from my shelldwellers) so cant offer you lots of advice but with tangs you could have shellies, cave dwellers and some open water swimmers so the tank is varied. i like the tang colours aswell although you can get some cracking looking malawi, haps etc.

i see your interested in bigger CA ciclids aswell. Well im selling mine

 

[Carlovel1]

Well I`m stepping into truly unknown territory in this forum but here goes.....

I currently have a 360L community tank, stock consists of Corys, Danio, rummys, celebes, neons (blue, black and green) harlequins, penguin tetras, a pair of Apistos and some Rams.
I haven`t had much luck keeping these kinds of fish to be honest, (apart from the danio, rummys and neons) and I`m seriously contemplating changing the stocking. The water in my area (Poole) is pretty hard and despite buying an RO system I still seem to be having problems (without using any RO my ph is 7.6 ), I`m now at the point of either changing stock and looking for a hardier setup or I`m going to end up giving up keeping fish all together (which I really don`t want to do.
I know that I`ll probably have to completely change the scape of my tank which is currently quite heavily planted with large pieces of bogwood.

So far the fish that appeal to me most are the Mbuna and some of the Tanganyikan because of the wide variety of colours more than anything to be honest and would like to ask those who are experienced with either to please give me some advice on which are likely to be the most compatible and interesting fish?
I have 3 bn plecos and 1 clown pleco in the tank at the moment and wondered if these plecs could stay with a change in stocking?

NO!!
Stay on the community side lisa, keep some discus instead, anything but the cichlids tank

 

[elisew]

well im going for a tang setup soon over mbuna, because it will less aggressive, less stock and the fish will all look different, plus im just more intrigued with them. ive not kept either yet (apart from my shelldwellers) so cant offer you lots of advice but with tangs you could have shellies, cave dwellers and some open water swimmers so the tank is varied. i like the tang colours aswell although you can get some cracking looking malawi, haps etc.

i see your interested in bigger CA ciclids aswell. Well im selling mine

Thanks bullit, I appreciate the info but I`m thinking Mbuna or Tanganyikan because I`m not overly keen on the 'chunky' look of some of the CA and SA cichlids (if chunky makes sense?). The look of the CA and SA aren`t really what I`m after to be honest.

I have quite a bit of reading to do and I`m lucky to have a local MA that are very honest and great with giving advice when I ask anything but my main concern will be getting fish that are low on the aggression side and also not too big, possibly the yellow labs for example
I`ll have to remove most if not all of the planting that`s in my tank at the moment as well as try and either sell the fish I have or perhaps trade them in at MA so it won`t be an overnight change

NO!!
Stay on the community side lisa, keep some discus instead, anything but the cichlids tank

lol Carl if the community side was a bit hardier and easier then I might have considered it BUT it`s not and much rather than give up on keeping fish all together and wasting the money we spent on the tank and unit I`d rather look at changing the stocking. I`m not a discus fan to be honest sooooo a change is needed.......simples!

 

[doresy]

Tanganyikan Cichlids get my vote (obviously)

I kept community for years then wanted something different. I looked at Mbuna but they all looked much the same to me, just different colours. Having said that, still a lot more appealing than what I had.

Then I realized Tanganyikan Cichlids were harder to find as LFS don't stock too many so, loving a challenge my quest was set.

No fish interact so beautifully with a rock-scape than Cichlids which make them so interesting to watch.

I found that my lfs 'condition' their stock in the local water which makes it easier when you get them home (well worth looking out for)

 

[elisew]

Thanks doresy

I`m still undecided on making a decision between the Mbuna or Tanganyikan but I feel pretty sure that I don`t want to go down the CA/SA cichlids route. I feel that I`m definitely at the point where the community tank I currently have isn`t working for me at all
I have lots of reading to do as there seems to be a lot of info out there on species, compatibility and requirements

 

[Carlovel1]

What about a nano fish stock. Maybe 10 pairs of Badis. 100 Emerald Dwarf Rasbora, 100 Clown Killifish

 

[elisew]

What about a nano fish stock. Maybe 10 pairs of Badis. 100 Emerald Dwarf Rasbora, 100 Clown Killifish

Nice try Carl

 

[Carlovel1]

What about a tank of weird fish/Oddballs!

 

[elisew]

Carl.....behave!

Ok I`ve done a bit of reading and would like to ask for opinions regarding compatibility and aggression levels of the following Malawi`s, (hopefully I`ve got the names right as I`ve copied and pasted) :

Labidochromis Caeruleus (yellow)
Red Zebras/Blue
Pundamilia nyererei
Tropheops sp ‘yellow chin’
Aceis
Aulonocara sp. "walteri" - Blue-faced Peacock

 

[Carlovel1]

Oh Lisa, I'm disappointed in you for leaving community fish!

 

[kiriyama]

Hi I can only say I'm very biassed, I started a tropical community in August last year, then I dsicovered shell dwellers, these were ideal as I only have a 20 gallon tank, Mbuna or Malawi are nice for the colours, I don't know anything about them other than you put a lot in to cut down on aggression and to me they all look the same, there I have said it, I can here them shouting "burn the wickerman" as I type this, Tanganyikan have much more subtle colours but they make up for this by much more interesting behaviour.
Like you I knew nothing about cichlids but I have found them very easy to keep, I could go on all night recomending this ona and that one, I am very envious that you have such a good sized tank to set up with, I just have 95ltr, sand bottom, some ocean rock, have shell dwellers, rock dwellers, and next year looking into Paracyprichromis Nigripinnis and Xenotilapia bathyphilus (hoping you google these to spark interest ) along with Altolamprologus Compressiceps "Sumbu Shell" (very rare), I have 30+ fry in my tank, (and yes I would love to see some in yours ),, sorry for going on, I did say I was biassed,, I'll stop now but if you want I can send you lots of very interesting and useful links.

"kiriyama out"

 

[elisew]

lol kiriyama!

Would you be biased by any chance, I can`t quite grip if you are or not

I actually do like the Xenotilapia bathyphilus, they`re quite pretty, I know I`m not familiar with all kinds of different fish but I think they`re similar to the Brichardi (sp?) which I do like. I`m not sure on the Altolamprologus Compressiceps, they`re too 'chunky' looking for me and dare I say it.....I don`t want to cause any offence to you at all but they strike me as 'ugly' fish (*cringes*)
Trouble is that I like the yellow labs and cobalts and I must admit to swaying that way more

My local MA has a huge tank with a lot of different Tanganyikan fish in it and I like the look of some of them so I think a trip over there tomorrow to ask some questions and get some ideas. I`m beginning to get that swimming head because theres so many different fish that I like and I`m getting a bit confused

 

[kiriyama]

lol kiriyama!

Would you be biased by any chance, I can`t quite grip if you are or not

I actually do like the Xenotilapia bathyphilus, they`re quite pretty, I know I`m not familiar with all kinds of different fish but I think they`re similar to the Brichardi (sp?) which I do like. I`m not sure on the Altolamprologus Compressiceps, they`re too 'chunky' looking for me and dare I say it.....I don`t want to cause any offence to you at all but they strike me as 'ugly' fish (*cringes*)
Trouble is that I like the yellow labs and cobalts and I must admit to swaying that way more

My local MA has a huge tank with a lot of different Tanganyikan fish in it and I like the look of some of them so I think a trip over there tomorrow to ask some questions and get some ideas. I`m beginning to get that swimming head because theres so many different fish that I like and I`m getting a bit confused

It is very confusing, probably because there are so many species to choose from. If only we had bigger houses and infinate budgets
Brichardi are nice , when thet breed though will become territorial, they raise the fry in groups with each generation looking after the next. The Xenos are sand dwellers I'm picking up a trio in january and that's my xmas present
Your tank could hold a nice mix, the secret is not to many different species, as a rule only one type of shell dweller, I have seen it done woth more though. A typical mix (I don't know your tank dimensions) is shell dweller at one side, rock dweller at the other and if tank is suitable an open water species.

Neolamprologus Multifasciatus (shell dweller) - great starting point and very easy to keep, interesting in that as they breed they build a small community of there own in the shell bed.
Julidochromis (rock dweller), I have only kept the Dickfeldi variant, brown with electric blue highlights through the fins, a cylindrical fish , lovely to watch it climb all over the rocks.
And tank size permitting propably cyps in the open column - Cyprichromis leptosoma , very nice, not sure of info as I have never kept them, only having 20gall\95ltr
As for the Alto Comps , ugly ? hell yeah, prehistoric, the ones I have only grow 3" (male), 2-2.5" (female) , hide on the rocks, spawn in the shells, side by side with the Multifasciatus
If you need any links give me a shout, be great seeing another Tang tank on here, look out in Jan/Feb, 3 footer whoo whoo, the mrs is caving , might be a 4 footer

 

[elisew]

The bigger house and budget would be great!! I`m lucky that hubby is pretty chilled about what fish I have, as long as I`m happy then he`s happy, he`s as good as gold about it all

Cyprichromis leptosoma appears quite 'pike' looking to me and not my idea of a nice looking fish to be honest but I do like the Brichardi, Neolamprologus Multifasciatus and Julidochromis.

Any links you can share to help me make up my mind would be appreciated

As I would also have to look at changing the whole concept of the tank do you have any links to Tanganyikan setups as I wouldn`t know where to start really?
The dimensions of the tank is 55" length X 16" depth X 27" height and working that out on the forum calculator its a bigger tank than I thought, 389L, 103USG