Haps VS Mbuna

magakitty

magakitty

Normal people scare me
Apr 5, 2007
846
0
0
66
Palm Springs
mysobrietyspace.ning.com
Can someone explain to me - or direct me to a post, article, or website which would - why you can't put haps and mbuna together? Or if you can, which ones can you put in the same tank? We are getting our new 55 gal ready for ciclids, and hubby likes the Lake Malawi ciclids, especially the Electric Blue (which I think is a Hap, but I'm not totally sure. I think it is marked as a Hap at the LFS. We are dealing with a Mom and Pop store now, after our horrifying experience at the hands of Pet Smart...

Is there a particularly good book on ciclids which we should get?

We are set up for africans (High PH) - ciclid substrate (shells and such), lots of rocks and caves, no LIVE plants, 2 Emperor filters (400 and 280), high grade heater, 55 gal tank. We seeded the tank with media from a fully cycled 1 gallon (useless) tank, and a almost cycled 20 gallon tank (in the Nitrite spike)

Any advice and/or information will help

thanks
 
magakitty said:
Can someone explain to me - or direct me to a post, article, or website which would - why you can't put haps and mbuna together? Or if you can, which ones can you put in the same tank? We are getting our new 55 gal ready for ciclids, and hubby likes the Lake Malawi ciclids, especially the Electric Blue (which I think is a Hap, but I'm not totally sure. I think it is marked as a Hap at the LFS. We are dealing with a Mom and Pop store now, after our horrifying experience at the hands of Pet Smart...

Is there a particularly good book on ciclids which we should get?

We are set up for africans (High PH) - ciclid substrate (shells and such), lots of rocks and caves, no LIVE plants, 2 Emperor filters (400 and 280), high grade heater, 55 gal tank. We seeded the tank with media from a fully cycled 1 gallon (useless) tank, and a almost cycled 20 gallon tank (in the Nitrite spike)

Any advice and/or information will help

thanks
Click to expand...

The main reasons for not keeping Haps and Mbuna together is that Haps are more open water fish, while Mbuna are rock dwellers. In some tanks, you can accommodate both by having rocks and an open area. Another reason is that most Mbuna need a low protein, mainly plant based diet (all are herbivores except Labidochromis), while Haps are piscivores and prey on small fish, so its hard to feed each of them the diet they need in a mixed tank. They can be kept together, if you can provide for their individual needs.

Electric blues (S. fryeri) are aggressive Haps that can reach 7-8 inches. In the article posted above, cichlidforum suggests 75g+ for these guys. You could possibly keep a group in a 55g, but I personally wouldn't try it.

You should choose either Haps or Mbuna. I wouldn't try to keep them together. Its easier to take care of the needs of just one group IMO. There are tons of Mbuna that would go together in a 55g. :)
 
Think we are going with Mbuna - Mylandia estherea, Labidochromis caeruleus. There is a blue mbuna with faint stripes - what is it called? The female is drab grey blue, and the male is bright blue.
Mbuna don't eat worms and shrimps? I was just going on line to see what to feed Mbuna. the ones we are looking at get about 4-6 inches.
 
Cobalt blue cichilds (Metriaclima callainos) look very similar to the Blue Red Zebras. The males and females look the same though, I think.

Blue Maylandia estherae are hard to find. When you can find them, they are hard to distinguish from Cobalt blues.

Have you looked at Cynotilapia afra? C. afra Jalo reef are very nice looking fish (well the males...). Females are brownish. Also C. afra Cobue are very nice looking (again the males...). Females are grey purple for the Cobue.

I'm not sure of the fish you are describing, as with Cobalts and Socolofis the males and females look identical, I believe.

The fish you are looking at will go well together. I suggest having a larger group of Yellow Labs than the other 2 because they are less aggressive.

As for food, Mbuna need a mostly plant based diet. I feed mine mainly Veggie flakes from http://www.kensfish.com. If you click on flakes on that site and scroll down just a little ways, you'll see the Vegetable flake. It is excellent for Mbuna. Any flake that is mainly spirulina or vegetable based will work though, as will spirulina wafers. Another favorite of Mbuna keepers is New Life Spectrum cichlid formula, although I wouldn't feed this exclusively. You can also feed them vegetables like zucchini, cucumber, peas, and spinach. Frozen bloodworms and brine shrimp can be fed to them occasionally, but only as a treat....don't feed them regularly. I believe most people prefer to feed brine shrimp over blood worms as the occasional treat.
 
I have an electric yellow, acei, bumblebee,melanochromis auratus (mbuna also),psuedotropheus demasoni in with a Hap Livingstoni. They are fine. I have open water though in the center of my tank. I have a 55
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom