Mbuna Compatibility

colematthewmala

colematthewmala

AC Members
Jun 5, 2009
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Three Hills, Alberta, Canada
Okay so i have 10 yellow lab cichlids in my 30 gallon tank. I was wondering what cichlids would be okay with these.

I'm thinking that i want yellow top mbamba's because they're not really aggressive. Would these be okay? If not what similar colored cichlid would be.
Many people tell me my tank is to small by i was told by an expert himself that cichlids thrive in crowded tanks. So please don't tell me no cichlid your tank is too small. lol
 
You wouldn't want to keep all similar colored mbunas in one tank. It will create problems. Maybe you should go back and ask the "Expert" what compatible mates might be since you don't think your tank is over-stocked. I keep 6 in a 55 and they breed well with room to hide and create their own territories.
 
You have to be careful with a 30 gallon tank since the footprint is only 3'. Yes for mbuna, crowded conditions can help reduce aggression. But not all cichlids, I hope your expert made that clear. Generally mbuna do better in a 4' tank but a 3' can work if you are careful and keep species that don't get too aggressive. I would remove some of your labs to make room for a new species. I think rusties (Iodochromis sprengerae) would be a good choice. Normally I would recommend Acei as well but they get a bit larger and I think you should stick to dwarf mbuna. Yellow top mbamba will cross breed with your labs (at least there is a higher chance of it ) since they are from the same genus. There are a lot of Cynotilapia afra species out there and some of them have the same look as the mbambas. I would highly suggest white top haras. I have a group myself and they are beautiful.
 
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Your apology is accepted. And No, I am not "mad at you", only dogs go mad.

You need to be aware that your statements essentially tells us you already have the answers you want and not willing to listen to other opinions or allow others to voice it. In this hobby, no one has all the answers nor is there anyone that hasn't been wrong a time or two. IMO - there is no such thing as an expert. An expert knows all there is to know about a particular discipline. There are many unknowns and changes occurring regularly in this hobby. It is completely acceptable to have someone you trust. It is ok to run the things said here against your "expert" and vice versa; that is how we all learn. Being close-minded benefits no one and the fish suffer as a result of our actions.
 
In conclusion, we can say that:
1. It is not a good idea to have similar colored mbunas in the same tank; it can lead to more aggression problems and crossbreeding.
2. With mbunas it is wise to overcrowd the tank to reduce aggression; but due to their high level of activity, it is better to have them in at least a 55gal tank which is 4ft. long.
3. For your 30gal, 10 mbunas is enough. If you want another species, reduce your group of labs to 5 and then add 5 mbunas of a dwarf species like rusty (I. sprengerae) or C. afra (Cobue or Jalo Reef variant). For your 30gal, no more than 2 species should be recommended.
 
The labs get too big in my opinion; you'd be better off with two of the aforementioned dwarf Mbuna species in a 30. It can certainly work, but you're going to have to stay on top of maintenance ( lotsa messy fish = large weekly water changes ), and remove/ replace fish as needed to find a suitable balance.
 
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