# tropheus duboisi w/ mbuna



## Williamleigh (Aug 20, 2009)

i think the bioload in my 45 mbuna tank is a little high i have a 15 gallon should i put the duboisi in there and could i add other tang's to that tank w/ him


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## BLUE RAM (Oct 4, 2005)

Even a single tropheus will not be happy in a 15 gal and this size of tank is simply too small for other fish except maybe a shell dweller.


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## cichlify (Sep 1, 2009)

ha when i sugested a 45 gal mbuna tank i sure got a stern talking to from the members here...


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

No prob with a 45g Mbuna tank as long as it is the right shape and has carefully selected species. Is the bioload your only prob Mr original poster? If so I would just up filtration and waterchanges. Though long term your dub may be happier elsewhere, (and cause less damage) no way would I put him in a 15g on his own (try to add fish to such small tank with a resident dub would be heading for disaster I think). Main prob with a dub in a 15g is can any fish like this be happy alone. You would have to play with him every day to keep him from going mad I think.


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## cichlify (Sep 1, 2009)

soo. i have some tropheus reds and i could put them with a few mbuna i have left?

(tank size and bio load already taken into consideration.)


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## Afishionado (Jun 6, 2006)

If you have a big enough tank, the right filtration, water params, etc, Tropheus and mbuna will co-exist and largely ignore each other, from what I've seen - at least with the mild-to-medium agressive mbuna. Not what people who really want to experience Tropheus to their fullest recommend, but otherwise workable.


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## Brandrcm (Feb 25, 2008)

I was laughed at over the internet for bringing up a 72gal


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

No way do I keep breeding groups of Tropheus in anything less than a 70-75g 48" long or longer tank long term. Some folk do OK with 55g 48" long tank just it always goes wrong for me usually when a good sized group are adult. In theory they are fine for growing on a group or an experienced keeper keeping a undersized group for breeding that is already stable and used to this size tank or when you get lucky growing on a group and it balances out that you have a stable group small enough to be happy in a 55g.

A single Tropheus looking for a home may sometimes be OK an all male Mbuna type tank, sometimes even a small one of less than 55g.

This question keeps coming up.
I guess folk always want to keep Tropheus and hope that some how they can be kept in ever smaller tanks.
To be honest with good filtration and good husbandry skills to some extent they are right the min size tank is decreasing as more and more folk try them in 55gs and 50g type tanks and sometimes are successful.
At one time the min size tank recommended for Tropheus was 100g at least 60" long or larger.
Big groups prob still do best in tanks this size.

All the best James


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