would mbuna work?

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evelyn80

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Aug 10, 2008
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in your house!!
well as most of you know im fighting ick and losing the battle... may look at mbuna if i fail completely. i was thinking mabye turn my 35 to a mbuna tank. my proposed stock for my tank is:
1 female auratus(much prettyier than males IMO)
1 red zebra
2 yellow labs
1 blue johanni

my tank is 30x12x18 i believe

thanks for any help in advance!

also how do you pronounce mbuna?
 
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severum mama

is a big bowl of wrong.
Dec 30, 2006
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I wouldn't attempt mbuna in that tank. IMHO you'd need at least 55 gallons to stock in the appropriate M/F ratios to curb aggression. Also, mbuna are extremely active fish and need space to swim and claim territories. I just don't think your tank would afford them enough space to do so.

If you are able to keep a larger tank for mbuna, I would suggest removing the auratus from the stock list. They have a reputation for being quite ill-tempered. ;)
 

7itanium

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Jan 31, 2009
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35 is WAY to small for most cichlids.. especially mbuna

also.. I would work on getting your ich under control before looking into restocking lol
 

efors

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Jun 17, 2008
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I would work on getting your ich under control before looking into restocking lol
I agree totally with this. But, this tank has the same length of a 20gal long or a 29gal; so, what about adding 6 dwarf mbunas of a single species in it? Pseudotropheus saulosi may be the best for this, in a sex ratio of 1 male and 5 females with plenty of rockwork. Pittbull is trying it and I think it is really possible.
 

Pittbull

ALL BOW DOWN TO THE FIN GODS
Apr 14, 2007
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So far my 20gal long P. Saulosi are fine and are doing well no fatalities no aggression but i do consider myself a novice in the hobby with 23 years of fish keeping experience..

With a less than experienced new hobbyist these smaller tanks could really test a new hobbyist in the sense there could be no slacking in care and feeding with no other tankmates..
 

7itanium

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Jan 31, 2009
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I agree totally with this. But, this tank has the same length of a 20gal long or a 29gal; so, what about adding 6 dwarf mbunas of a single species in it? Pseudotropheus saulosi may be the best for this, in a sex ratio of 1 male and 5 females with plenty of rockwork. Pittbull is trying it and I think it is really possible.

Dwarfs should be fine in those ratios
 

Coler

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Jan 30, 2007
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If you like Africans you could do a really nice Tanganyikan tank in there...leilupi, calvus...other stuff :D
 
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