# 240g Breeder Tank



## vrs2013 (May 6, 2013)

Hi Guys,

I'm just spitballing here... I have an 8ft L x 2ft H x 2ft W tank has been sitting in the garage for over a year. I'd like to set this up as a showpiece in the center of my home.

I have a 75g All male Hap/Peacock tank that has been a great colourful piece in the lounge for over a year, however i'd like to have a go at breeding. In particular Haps and Peacocks.

The 8 footer will be running 2 x FX5's, Pool filter sand and Tibetan Mountain rock with large open areas.

Could I get some advice/suggestions on how many breeding colonies of various haps/peacocks/mbuna I could put in this monster and also which would be best suited. I'd like to keep the chance of hybridization to a minimum.

Thanks in advance! :thumb:


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## jcabage (May 29, 2012)

vrs2013 said:


> Could I get some advice/suggestions on how many breeding colonies of various haps/peacocks/mbuna I could put in this monster and also which would be best suited. I'd like to keep the chance of hybridization to a minimum.


Do you have any haps in particular that you like? We are growing out stock for a 6' hap/peacock breeding tank at the moment, and the best advice I got was to pick a "centerpiece" fish, and compliment them with less aggressive and visually varied subordinates. We have started with a group of F. rostratus, and are building from there.

If you want smaller haps, you could obviously do more groups.

Of course, you would only want one species of Aulonocara as the females are indistinguishable, and they will certainly cross.

L. caeruleus is also a common recommendation for such a tank.

I'm curious to hear what others think about an 8' tank. We may be there in a few years when our youngsters put on some size opcorn:


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## Narwhal72 (Sep 26, 2006)

All mouthbrooders have the capability of hybridizing and will if given the opportunity. Your best bet is to pick just one species if you intend on breeding.

For a tank that size a larger Hap species like F. rostratus or N. livingstoni would make an attractive display.

Andy


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

I've never had issues with people keeping multiple Hap species in a single tank. Hybridization can occur, but if you keep somewhat different species, and plenty of females it is rare. Just make sure that they are significantly different, so that any hybrid fry would be easy to spot. Raise only one species per growout tank, so that there is no confusion.


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## vrs2013 (May 6, 2013)

jcabage said:


> vrs2013 said:
> 
> 
> > Could I get some advice/suggestions on how many breeding colonies of various haps/peacocks/mbuna I could put in this monster and also which would be best suited. I'd like to keep the chance of hybridization to a minimum.
> ...


Thankyou for the reply,

The haps in particular that I like are Fusco's, Taiwan Reef's and Buccochromis lepturus.
Mbuna - Elec Yellows and Acei Ngara.
Peacock's - Benga's or German Red's.

I'm not a big fan of a single species tank... I'd get bored of it pretty quickly, If the general consensus is to go for a single species, I might have to turn my attention to SA/CA cichlids.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

If you are going with fusco's and lepturus, you'll want to rethink some of your other stock. The electric yellow and acei should be fine... the rest probably not.

I would go for a more aggressive Peacock, a Jacobfriebergi type for example. You could probably do an afra type, such as Hara as well.


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## vrs2013 (May 6, 2013)

Could the Fusco's and Lepturus co exist? Or would the rest be better off with just one large species?

The Jacobfriebergi types are widely available here so that sounds good to me. Aren't Cyno Afra's are a fairly aggressive Mbuna?


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## vrs2013 (May 6, 2013)

So at this stage this is what I'm looking at as far as stocking:

Acei Ngara 1m 3f
Nimbochromis Livingstonii 1m 4f
Cynotilapia sp. "Hara" 1m 4f

and one colony of one of the below (Unsure about m/f ratio)

Buccochromis Rhoadesii
Buccochromis Lepturus
Champsochromis Caeruleus

With these numbers am I fully stocked?


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

I would say not fully stocked. How about a group of Cyrtocara moori?


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## jcabage (May 29, 2012)

I was going to say PM me if you find some rhoadesii (I've had no luck), but then... Australia. Lame!

I like the Buccos and the Champs. We actually have a group of Champs growing out. They are getting huge quick.

Fogelhund gives good advice though


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## vrs2013 (May 6, 2013)

I've already got my local breeder onto this list, he has knack of finding those hard to get species. 

Moorii sounds like a plan. Though as far as colours go I dont have much Yellow in there, what about a small group of elec yellows as well as the dolphins?


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Sure on adding the electric yellows.


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