72g Bowfront Mbuna Tank

So I have been MIA for a while now and today I got some new additions to the tank so figured it was a good time to pop in!

First of all in regards to the whole jerk on Ebay, I have been in contact with numerous people that are having the same issue, but still no negative feedback for some reason! I am just SO thankful to pitbull for sending me a couple of the missing parts and getting that guy out of my life, Thanks again pitbull! Moving on....

I have been having some trouble with red/brush algae (I think) in the tank, mostly on the anubias. I have cut back lighting to only a few hours a day and only 55 watts of 50/50 as well as increased water changes (50% every 4-5 days) and there seems to be a small improvement. Only time will tell I guess. The fish have not grown in well over a month, hopefully some extra water changes will jump start that again too.

BIG/GOOD NEWS time! I have at least one .5" baby yellow lab (out of 6 different holdings) It is only 1 but it is a start. And I picked up some new additions today, 1 red-tail shark (beautiful!) and 2 skunk botias. I went in with the intentions of buying 1 featherfin (syno eupterus) and a few pictus (Pimelodus pictus) catfish. They did not have any pictus and after discussing it with my buddy at LFS I decided against syno cats (they are not the prettiest cats and they hide all the time). I am super happy to be a loach owner! Although I think I am gonna go back a get a few more since they like groups.

I will take pictures later and post because everyone wants pictures not my rambling!

I have got to get a new camera! Not being able to zoom (because it would not focus) was bad enough but now it just won't focus. Here are the best ones I could get.

Start with one of my fav types in the tank. Not the dominant males but still pretty! (the same fish)




My rustys finally have some nice colors to them! Down farther is a good shot of their colors.

In this one you can see my holding Maingano popping her head out too. (top right)


If I had to pick 1 single fish to keep it would be this guy...



I didn't get any good pics of the labs but one of the moms wanted to say Hi!


And the Acei together as always! One of them is significantly smaller than the others though.



Took a long time to get a decent pic of the albinos


And the baby! Of course the camera does not zoom or focus but this sadly was the best out of the 10 pics I tried to take of it.

And then mom said no more!


The view from the couch


And a sort of random one, notice the great colors the rustys in the back have though.


The QT tank for the shark & loaches with my new java fern mat which is most likely replace the anubias (not doing to well with algae)


No pics of the new guys yet though, I did not want to bother them but you can see the red-tail's tail in the shot.

Looking at some older pictures really shows how much they have not grown. Some of course have grow a lot (certain aceis & rustys) but not others, not at all. The yellow labs have been in the tank for nearly 6 months and have grown an average of a 1/2 inch, is that normal?

Thanks for the welcome & the complement!

Good point about slow growing. Some of them did double in size (OBs) within a couple weeks then stopped. Guess I reached a growth spurt limit.

Why are you afraid of adding the red-tail and the botias?

The current stock load is just for sexing purposing. Once they are big enough they will be sexed to a 1:4 ratio, most likely less depending on what I actually end up with. So the total will be no more than 30 mbunas.

From what I have researched and been told no matter what fish I add to the tank there is a chance they may be too aggressive or too timid so I have to try to add something. (every experience is different from tank to tank, fish to fish.)

I know a couple people that have RTBS & skunk botias in with mbunas (1 has nearly an identical stock list) and have had great success. "What works for one person may not work for another" of course that is why I will add them with caution just as I would any other additions. It will be a month before they go in the big tank anyways (QT time) so by that time I should have a better idea of how they will do.

I am certainly giving it second thoughts now though, (more like 102nd thoughts) thanks for your concern. My research/other's experience indicated these guys would do well in a Mbuna tank.

Thanks BoCoMo!