# Msobo tankmates



## jaymore1 (Dec 18, 2010)

Hey guys its been a while since *** been on here. Im looking to restock my 75g and was thinking about doing a group of Msobo. *** never had these guys before so just curious if they do better in a group of their own or what tankmates people have kept them with successfully? Any suggestions is appreciated. Thanks


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## Kevin in Ky (Dec 31, 2013)

I keep Msobo..and they easily my favorite Mbuna that I have kept! I have them with the tankmates that you see below in my signature (in a 125g). If I were to do them in a 75g, I would go with White Labs. Great looking fish and a great contrast with the Msobo!


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## jaymore1 (Dec 18, 2010)

Do have any issues with the labs breeding with them?


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## Kevin in Ky (Dec 31, 2013)

No, not at all. I think they'd do perfectly well together in a 75g. My dominant male Msobo and White Lab male hang out right next to each other all the time and never fight,...really pay no attention to each other. Personally I think the White Labs are about the best looking of all the Mbuna (the males and females both). The white with the black striped fins is a great contrast to the other fish's colors.


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## jaymore1 (Dec 18, 2010)

Thanks for the info Kevin. I was unable to acquire any white labs so I ended up doing 2m 8f of the Msobo, 1 male hongi, 1m 4f red zebras. The red zebras I already had and was planning on rehoming but in the end decided to keep them and see how things go.


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

The Red Zebras might be a high hybrid possibility, since the Msobo are closely related to the Zebra group, and both females are solid colored orangeish. Males are fdifferent thou, one very dark, one very light.

Hope you really have a lot of females and some are not just submissive males. Can't really keep two males long term, but if you have multiple males, you can pick which one seems to have the coolest markings.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Agree, I would not save fry.


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## jaymore1 (Dec 18, 2010)

So I had to go out of town for a family emergency and had a friend looking after the fish. Unfortunately I ended up getting bloat in my 75g mbuna tank and was unable to catch it in time and I have lost all the fish. Not a great last couple of wks. So..... needless to say I'm going to be restocking in the next couple wks. I'm set on doing msobo again with out question. Im considering doing a group of albino scolofi as well. The msobo will be 1m-6-8f (this will be after removing unwanted males obviously) and then a group of 8 albino scolofi. Just looking for possible suggestions for a couple more males that may be possible to go with them. Really enjoyed the hongi but not positive that would have worked long term anyways. Thanks as always


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Why not regular Socolofi with one or two albino "Socolofi" (they prob are not pure)? A large group seems kinda boring since those albinos change so little. Or White Labs Caerulus. Or Perlmutt.

Cynotilapia males would be very cool, but the females are drab if that bothers you. Fun to watch the males really color up thou, with the classic barred pattern.

Maybe Red Top Trewavasae with the OB females.


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## james1983 (Dec 23, 2007)

Most tropheops males look nice. You don't see them in alot of tanks either.


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## jaymore1 (Dec 18, 2010)

I am interested in a Cyno male but wouldn't care to have any females. I'm not set on the albino socolofi by any means just was 1 of my thoughts. Albino Labs are another consideration. I really like the vertical barred fish especially the Cyno variety. The end goal would will be to have 2 large groups of 2 colorful species and a couple males of something else


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## jaymore1 (Dec 18, 2010)

Leaning towards a group of msobo, and a group of white labs. Cant decide on Cyno Afra Jalo Reef, Pseud Elongatus Mpanga, or Lab Yellow Top Mbamba. Would really like to have 1 more male of something else as well. Thoughts?


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## tanker3 (May 18, 2015)

You would have "blue", "white", and "yellow" covered. How about a group of Rustys?


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## jaymore1 (Dec 18, 2010)

I have considered Rustys but they really don't do much for me. I would prefer to just do 2 groups and a couple sporadic males I think


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## jaymore1 (Dec 18, 2010)

Any1 had luck mixing Msobo and Lab Mbamba? *** read a lot of mix reports about Mbambas. Some say they re not as aggressive as most mbuna and others say they are extremely aggressive. Curious if the males of both will tolerate each other?


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

jaymore1 said:


> Any1 had luck mixing Msobo and Lab Mbamba? I've read a lot of mix reports about Mbambas. Some say they re not as aggressive as most mbuna and others say they are extremely aggressive. Curious if the males of both will tolerate each other?


I would think the Msobo would be dominant over Lab Mbamba, not sure why anyone would say Mbamba are extremely aggressive. Of course all Mbuna are going to show dominant or pecking order behavior, that is what they do. Mbamba might not show full color, but neither would a Hongi.

If you don't like Cynotilapia, you could try one of the "Elongatus" group, but they tend to be dark like Msobo
... or a "Kingsizei"/Pulpican would be a nice contrast to the Msobo, they are small but spunky thou, would hold his own
... or even try one male Demasoni, he might not bother the Msobo... they are crazy paranoid, but are more concerned with other Demasoni.
... as for Labidochromis, "Perlmutt" would be fav here. The "Exasperatus"/ joanjohnsoni is another choice with light blue males and unique females.


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## jaymore1 (Dec 18, 2010)

1 of the reports I read was a guy saying his mbamba went crazy and killed the other 3 males in his tank. Now he did not specify if they were all different species or 3 other mbamba but either or wasn't sure if he would see the male msobo as a threat or not. Toying with the idea of just doing 3 groups. Msobo, white labs, and mbambas. I would really like the mbamba to color up all the way so figured that would require females for him to stay like that the majority of the time.


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## Kevin in Ky (Dec 31, 2013)

I've kept them both but not together. My guess is the Msobo male would do just fine..but the lone Mbamba male probably wouldn't show his best with no females and he would stay pretty dark..probably on the far end of the tank from the Msobo.
I'd probably look for another option just in case. The Mbamba males are highly aggressive to each other, I do know that.


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## jaymore1 (Dec 18, 2010)

So 2 male mbamba will probably not work long term Kevin? I'm thinking the 3 species idea is what I'm going to do. I will be starting with juvies and weeding out unwanted males but my end goal will be to have 1m 8f Msobo, 6 white labs, 1-2m 6f Mbamba


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## Kevin in Ky (Dec 31, 2013)

I can't say for sure that it couldn't work but the 2 males that I had together (with 4 or 5 females) in a 4' long tank did okay until one became dominant,..then he was just relentless on the other one until he died. He was also really rough on the females, so it was hard to keep them healthy without a hospital tank..so I ended up selling the Mbamba male and last female. Here is a picture of him,..he was a really great looking fish!

Honestly in a 75g I would go with a Cynotalapia group instead (1m/5fm),..like Hara or Jalo Reef (which I keep with my Msobo and White Labs and they do great together). Plus the females of those look much nicer than the Mbamba (imo)..especially the Hara.


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## Kevin in Ky (Dec 31, 2013)

Sorry forgot to put the pic in my previous reply


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

jaymore1 said:


> So 2 male mbamba will probably not work long term Kevin? I'm thinking the 3 species idea is what I'm going to do. I will be starting with juvies and weeding out unwanted males but my end goal will be to have 1m 8f Msobo, 6 white labs, 1-2m 6f Mbamba


Generally 2 males don't work, they will fight too much. Now 3- 5 males with at least as many females will spread around the aggression, like how they keep Tropheus... but even then over time you can get down to 2 males, then 1. Malawi cichlids do have different personalities, sometimes 2 males might work for a long time, other times it's a total warzone until it's down to the one male.

Good luck with trying to get lots of female Msobo... but others also want lots of females, and the likely females may have been picked out. So you can get 12 yellow-orange juvies, and maybe end up with 9 males. I've tried with online dealers, if I order a group of juvies hopefully I'll get a number of females and they say "sure", then end up with 7 males of something and 1female.


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## jaymore1 (Dec 18, 2010)

I have finally found female msobo. Didn't take long. Lol. I'm going to do 2 species, white labs, and msobo. Debating whether to just get 1m msobo with a big group of females or attempt 6-8m with the same or slightly more females. I would love to have that many males but its not worth it if it's just gonna end with one. Thoughts on this?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

They are Metriaclima so multiple males/tank might fight and might not color up. I might try 3m:12f but I would keep in mind it's a long shot.


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## xgtphalex (Jan 30, 2017)

I enjoy my female Jalo Reefs, their bodies are drab, but mine do have a orange tinted dorsal fin. So they aren't bad looking.


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## jaymore1 (Dec 18, 2010)

What are your Msobo numbers in your 75g DJ?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I go with the 1m:4f plan.

In my 72" tank I have multiple males with lots of females but they are haps and peacocks...more room and less aggressive.


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## jaymore1 (Dec 18, 2010)

So I ended up going with a group of Msobo and group of F1 Afra Nhkata Bay. The Msobo are 4m-12f and the Afra are 2m-8f. Fingers crossed the numbers will be able to stay that way but I won't hold my breath. Can't wait to see the Afra start to color up


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