# Mbuna in a 40 gallon breeder...



## CrackBack (Jul 9, 2009)

What are your thoughts as to the MAXIMUM amount of mbuna a 40 gallon breeder could hold. Dimensions 36x18x17, which is wider than a 55 gallon, and I'm told depth can be more important than length. With lots of filtration (power and canister combined 530gph), frequent water changes, and tons of rockwork (like a ridiculous amount), what would you say to this combination:

4 Red Zebra (2 male, 2 female)
10 Demasoni (?)
5 Melanochromis Johanni (2 Male, 3 female)
4 Yellow Labs (?)

I know most of you will say this is waaay to much, but why not if overstocking is used as an aggression reducer? Also, is there any chance the fish would breed in such a setup?

Also, if you insist that a 40 gallon tank simply could not hold that many mbuna, what would you say the minimum size tank for such a setup would be?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The overstocking you ask about to reduce aggression is a good strategy for mbuna, but if you go overboard even timid fish will kill each other. The stocking levels we advise already have the overstocking BUILT IN.

For a 36" tank the maximum I've seen work is 12 Demasoni and 3 labs. The 12 Demasoni is a minimum if you want Demasoni. I tried 9 because I could not imagine 12 was as magic as they say and had aggression/bloat as soon as they matured. The fish will breed anywhere, but they will also die.

The depth is nice, but the length is key to give more space for the fish to avoid each other, not see each other, not know the other fish are there. Maybe you heard depth was more important in connection with nonAfricans or non-cichlids? That there should be a ridiculous amount of rock is a given with mbuna, fill tank to the surface is the ideal for normal stocking.

For the combination you desire, I'd go 75G for 2 reasons: 4 species and johanni being one of them. Those make the 55G too small.

In the 75G you'd want different numbers, the species you have 2 males of gives you no benefit since the females are just as colorful, and they are likely to kill each other. Recommended numbers for a 75G:
15 Demasoni
1m:4f zebras
6 labs
1m:7f johanni


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

CrackBack said:


> 4 Red Zebra (2 male, 2 female)
> 10 Demasoni (?)
> 5 Melanochromis Johanni (2 Male, 3 female)
> 4 Yellow Labs (?)
> ...


It's waaay too much. :wink:

For that stock list, I would recommend a 4 foot (55G) tank _minimum_. (Increasing the demasoni numbers to 12, and altering your other species groups a bit.)

And you don't want two males of those species, even in a 55G. Either 1 male or 3 males (with 3 females PER male) works best. 2 males focus all their aggression on each other, and increase your stress level while decreasing your chances of spawns.

AND...If you're interested in breeding and distributing fry, you don't want yellow labs and red zebras housed together. They may crossbreed. You wouldn't be able to trust a spawn from either species to be pure.


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