Overstock question

[mcybyk]

Although I have read and been told that an all male mbuna tank should be overstocked, how much is o.k. versus too much? Because I was having problems adding a yellow lab to my tank, my lfs suggested adding several fish at once to see if some would make it. We ended up adding 3 yellow labs and 1 afra, thinking that I would be returning one or two of the fish within a day or two who were not fairing well in the tank. Instead, all of the fish still appear to be doing o.k. after more than a week. So instead of having what I figured would be a tank of 8 fish, I now have 11 young males mbunas.

The tank is being filtered with an Emperor 400 and a Rena XP2. I perform 40% water changes every Wednesday and Sunday.

Do I remove some of the fish now or do I wait until they grow older and larger and see what type of aggression develops later on in life? Or, do I have a what would be considered a nicely over-stocked, all male mbuna tank that I should leave alone, provided I keep the water parameters in line?

[Coler]

11 fish might be a leeetle tight at adult size...but only by a fish or 2 lol...and if you have 3 male labs, you will end up likely having to get 3 back when they get bigger, but perhaps not for a good few months, and most shops will happily take back nice africans at a good size.

I'd say in a tank like this, when everything is going well, do nothing.

[ibr3ak]

I agree with Coler if everything is fine and there's no extra aggression don't do anything. You also have 3 mbuna that grow relatively small, the afra at close to 4", same for joanjohnsonae (exasperatus) and a little over 3" for rusty.