Adding to an mbuna tank.

[ozgood]

I'm looking at adding some new fish to my existing/established tank. I have Kenyi/Acei/Electric Yellow that are all about 18 months old. How can I go about adding new fish? New fish from a store, or even online, are about 1.5 inch fish. Can I add them into the existing fish with them being eaten?

I don't have a second tank. Is it better than I keep looking for larger fish? I'm looking at adding either some albino socolofi, Afra (if I can find them), rusty, or perhaps just some more Acei/Electric Yellow. I really want the Afra but it's hard finding them in stores around me. Second choice are the socolofi.

As always, thanks for listening.

 

[efors]

Hi, ozgood!
I think that if you have a established tank with adult mbunas, it is easier to add juveniles than adults; because they are less likely to see juvies as a competition. If you are talking about your 75gal, I would complete groups of 5 aceis and 5 yellow labs and then you can add 5 fishes of just another species. For your setup, I think albino socolofis will do great; I have them and they look very nice in contrast with the colors of yellow labs and aceis and also behave well with these 2 species.
Good luck with your final decision!

 

[ozgood]

Thanks Efors for the vote for the Albino Socolofis. I had an opportunity to add them when I first setup the tank but didn't like their look. They reminded me of those "pinky" baby mice. I've seen them as larger fish since then and they do look nice. I think that they will look nice in the current tank as I have a black background and darker rocks. Plus my LFS has them (for now) in stock. I'll swing by Wednesday/Thursday and pick them up.

 

[blue2fyre]

There should be plenty of hiding spaces for the new fish but they should be fine. Adding them (the new fish) as a group will also help the older fish from "picking on the new guy."
I think you have some nice choices there (I personally LOVE acei). I had an albino socolofi when i first set up my mbuna tank. He was an impulse buy but he was really cool to watch. He loved to dig out all sorts of caves under the rocks and would defend them at all costs. Eventually he got a little too mean for my set up so I had to trade him in. But most likely that's because I'm still understocked and will be for a while. From what I understand having more will have them focus on each other and less on everyone else in the tank. Plus you have kenyi so they will keep the scolofi in line lol.

Enjoy your new fish and share some pictures I love seeing othjer mbuna tanks

 

[AfroCichlid]

Change the rock/ cave formations around so that your existing stock doesn't have clear territories to defend, and add the newcomers with the lights off. I agree on using juvies with an established colony, but there are still no guarantees. Mbuna are some territorial little punks sometimes.

 

[ozgood]

Thanks for the advice. I did a major rock adjustment Monday night. I'm hoping that I can get the new fish on Wednesday. Hopefully this will make a difference. Also, I'll add them with the lights of.