would mbuna work?

[evelyn80]

well as most of you know im fighting ick and losing the battle... may look at mbuna if i fail completely. i was thinking mabye turn my 35 to a mbuna tank. my proposed stock for my tank is:
1 female auratus(much prettyier than males IMO)
1 red zebra
2 yellow labs
1 blue johanni

my tank is 30x12x18 i believe

thanks for any help in advance!

also how do you pronounce mbuna?

 

[severum mama]

I wouldn't attempt mbuna in that tank. IMHO you'd need at least 55 gallons to stock in the appropriate M/F ratios to curb aggression. Also, mbuna are extremely active fish and need space to swim and claim territories. I just don't think your tank would afford them enough space to do so.

If you are able to keep a larger tank for mbuna, I would suggest removing the auratus from the stock list. They have a reputation for being quite ill-tempered.

 

[snoopy65]

X2 maybe apistos or shell dwellers or some other kind of dwarf cichlid, but not mbuna.

 

[evelyn80]

ehh figured as much but figured id ask anyways thx guys

 

[AfroCichlid]

im-boona

 

[7itanium]

35 is WAY to small for most cichlids.. especially mbuna

also.. I would work on getting your ich under control before looking into restocking lol

 

[efors]

I would work on getting your ich under control before looking into restocking lol

I agree totally with this. But, this tank has the same length of a 20gal long or a 29gal; so, what about adding 6 dwarf mbunas of a single species in it? Pseudotropheus saulosi may be the best for this, in a sex ratio of 1 male and 5 females with plenty of rockwork. Pittbull is trying it and I think it is really possible.

 

[Pittbull]

So far my 20gal long P. Saulosi are fine and are doing well no fatalities no aggression but i do consider myself a novice in the hobby with 23 years of fish keeping experience..

With a less than experienced new hobbyist these smaller tanks could really test a new hobbyist in the sense there could be no slacking in care and feeding with no other tankmates..

 

[7itanium]

I agree totally with this. But, this tank has the same length of a 20gal long or a 29gal; so, what about adding 6 dwarf mbunas of a single species in it? Pseudotropheus saulosi may be the best for this, in a sex ratio of 1 male and 5 females with plenty of rockwork. Pittbull is trying it and I think it is really possible.

Dwarfs should be fine in those ratios

 

[Coler]

If you like Africans you could do a really nice Tanganyikan tank in there...leilupi, calvus...other stuff