# My new 75g mbuna/hap mix. your thoughts requested



## SirJAG (Jan 2, 2012)

Hello Forum!,

Here is my 75g mix. i have 17 fish total, here are the ratio's.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=1257 x2 (1m/1f) 
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... php?id=713 x4 (1m/3f) 
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=1730 x2 (1m/1f) 
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... php?id=855 x3 (1m/2f) 
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=1371 x4 (1m/3f)

and 2 pleco albino's for the algae...and wow did they do a good job, my algae was completely out of control on about 5 of the big sized chunks of holy rock..and after about 4 days its all wiped clean..**** its almost white like the day i put it in.

Overall the tank seems to getting along quite well.

the *Sciaenochromis fryeri (Cape Maclear)* is def. the tank alpha. he has claimed about a quarter of the floor space and one whole holy rock to himself! He only has one female that i regret buying because he just chases her relentlessly and she pretty much hides most of the day at the top of tank behind the filters..poor thing, i can either get more chicks for him or get rid of her...def. not going to get him some more females...havenÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t decided to take her back yet. i recently added more fish so i am hoping she get a break. this guy is my wife's and I's favorite though, he is beautiful and looks exactly like the profile pic i linked.

The four Labs are quite peaceful and dont bother anyone, and are still pretty small.

the Four *Cynotilapia afra (Cobue)* are just babies and spend most of their time in the holy rock when a larger fish swims by..

the two zebras are chill too, but i wonder if i have two females because they both are so VERY dark in color. but they are the exact same age and one is about 50% larger so i was hoping he is a male.

Lastly i added the three *Pseudotropheus elongatus * last because i was told they can be very aggressive. right now the three of them keep to themselves but i can tell the male is gonna be a *******, occasionally he picks a fight with either the Hap or Zebras and gets chased for several min. afterwards, its quite amusing to watch.

so i am looking for any thoughts on the mix you guys may have. i fell like its going to work out well...

thanks in advance!
Jag


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## brinkles (Jan 30, 2011)

Not too bad, I'd personally want fewer groups but more individuals in each. I like to start with 6-8 individuals of small fish. Which are your favorites and least favorites?

The red zebras and elongatus will be your most aggressive fish when they mature.


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## SirJAG (Jan 2, 2012)

brinkles said:


> Which are your favorites and least favorites?
> quote]
> 
> i really like all the fish, they all seem to have so much personallity! i really cant believe it..its a lot of fun.
> ...


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## SirJAG (Jan 2, 2012)

as a follow up to the labs....they do this wierd thing where they seem to chase each others tails in a very tight circle..then if another lab comes by that one will work itself into the cicle and then switch off from partner to partner, almost like a dance....they are all still very young only about 1inch in length so thats too early for breeding courtship right?? anyone else seen this before? only my labs do it..


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Mbuna are never too young to practice spawning, but that sounds like aggression. Labs can hold at 1.5"...don't forget to include the tail in your measurement.

I'd definitely remove the female fryeri. You have one too many species for a 75G, so you can't add fryeri females. But you might get away with the sole male hap if the mbuna don't harass him.

You want at least 4 females for the estherae, they are aggressive. And you probably want 1m:7f for the elongatus...even more aggressive than the estherae.

It will be interesting to see if the cobue color up. First because they are in a tank with such aggressive tank mates. And second because there is another blue-barred species in the tank. :thumb:


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## SirJAG (Jan 2, 2012)

Well my Sciaenochromis fryeri (Cape Maclear) and his only female tank mate hooked up this weekend. it was pretty cool to watch, now my female is holding...and hiding...i hope she makes it the next 30 days! and i am not seperatinig the fry/mother out, so i wonder how many of the little guys are gonna make it??!!

i'll keep ya posted....never thought they would be the first to mate...


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## SirJAG (Jan 2, 2012)

Now my Red Zebra is holding as well...this is pretty cool stuff.


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## SirJAG (Jan 2, 2012)

Well the zerba made it about a week then either spit them and they got eaten, or she eat them herself.

the HAP is STILL holding and she looks to be starving to death...she is entering her 4th week..i hope she makes it.

also added another female yellow lab and another female red zerbra. will add two more Pseudotropheus elongatus females then finished!


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I would not add fish if you are not going to remove a species. :thumb:


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## SirJAG (Jan 2, 2012)

what do you mean? i am just trying to get my M/F ratio's up to something more recommened. i expect the female hap to not last very long, i was reading that in 1/1 pairs their spawning abilities are greatly reduced, to less than a year...either that or she will be stressed to death.

what say-th you?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

In a 75G you want 4 species. With 4 species you have room for the proper stocking of 1m:4f, or more females for fish like elongatus or maingano.

With 5 species...really no room for more fish. Especially when one of the species is larger like the fryeri.


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## chapman76 (Jun 30, 2004)

SirJAG, I agree with DJRandome here. This female, even if she holds for 30 days will be very stressed because one she releases the fry, the male will want to dance again.


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## Mbunagasm (Mar 22, 2012)

Wow please post a pic sounds great.


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## SirJAG (Jan 2, 2012)

Will do


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## SirJAG (Jan 2, 2012)

well the zebra and hap both spit the babies around the same time...now the fri are all in the smallest holes they can find...so far so good. i am not seperating them out...maybe a couple will make it! still working on pics


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## SirJAG (Jan 2, 2012)

The Zebra is holding again...lets see if she carries to term this time...


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