I would not have loaches in with mbuna- mbuna need a much higher ph than the loaches. The pictus may also become fair game to get picked on in a 55 african tank. Loaches can fend for themselves generally, but tankmates as aggressive as m. crabo, auratus, and what looks like a female kenyi, would not be much fun for the loaches. Loaches like to be in groups of five or more. If you had a centerpiece fish like a blood parrot or severum, the loaches would be no problem. However, mbuna basically need to be kept in a species tank. They may not seem aggressive now, but wait until they get 2-3 inches!
Watch out for signs of bullying or stress: ripped or missing fins, a hiding fish (I had a zebra who got bullied so badly that he hid under the filter at all times- I had to return him), a fish that constantly has red/shredded lips (they will get that from mouth locking, but sometimes it can be a serious sign of excessive bullying), or simply nonstop harassment of one fish. Mbuna will display aggression normally, so just be on the lookout for those signs, and do not be overly concerned with flaring, shimmying, and the occasional (by occasional I mean daily!) lip lock. This happens more often in the pecking order stage, when they are fully mature the aggression should slow down a bit due to dominance establishment. You will be rewarded in your efforts should you have a male and female pair up. The mating dance is quite beautiful. Just watch for when the female is holding her eggs- :headbang2:
They also need a ton of 'real' rocks, not store bought. Some people do not recommend collecting your own, but in my former mbuna tank I had a gaggle of rocks I procured from one of the mountain rivers here in the NW. And no, it was not illegal for me to collect them as they were found in an unincorporated section of the mountain- not a state park. I tested them with a vinegar soak to watch for any unusual fizzing or noise. I washed them well and gave them a bleach over and a day of drying in the sun. I used no jagged, broken or odd looking rocks- they were all the same type of granite stone from the Cascade Mountains. Certain natural ocks can do wonders with keeping the ph at a higher level. I also used a layer of sand under my gravel substrate. I had a successful 55 gal mbuna tank for five 1/2 years, but I ended up breaking it down about 9 months ago after I returned to college. When I move to the east coast I plan on setting up an 80 gal mbuna tank, they are terribly exciting!
