MALAWI ADVICE!!!!

the guy at my lfs said they would be fine... but i don't really go on his advice exclusively!

so my plan is to maybe start 7-10 demasoni, and maybe 4 labs and a syno or two???

lots of hiding spots tho right?



Sand or gravel?
 
We have an upside down catfish. And he pushes the cichlids around. They don't bug him one bit, and when they see him coming they move out of the way. The upside down is twice his normal size for when we first got him.:)
 
I wouldnt do any of those fish in a 30 gallon! I would wait till you get your 55 gallon.

I agree. :) Wait until you get the bigger tank.
 
Don't start with less than 10 demasoni, they really are THAT conspecific-aggressive. Yellow lab's aren't as bad, but they're difficult to sex as juvies. If you get 1m/3f you'll be fine, but the odds of that happening are slim to none...
 
Depends on the type of 30g. If it's a breeder than it is 36" x 18", which is a larger footprint than a 55g tank and thus arguably better suited to mbunas. They aren't interested in up and down swimming, nor in volume. The volume is certainly desirable; that's why I chose a 40g over a 30g. But it doesn't do much for anything else except making the tank's chemistry more stable. Mainly the mbuna like territory, which is provided by the tank's area.

30g and 40g breeders = 4.5 sq ft

55g = 4.08 sq ft

More space for territory = less beating the crap out of each other.
 
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