# 1st time Mbuna 135g stocklist



## live2bet (May 19, 2008)

Hi all, this is the 1st time i am gonna to attempt a 135g tank (in fact the 1st tank i have is a 20g tank which i started 1 and a half year ago with only 1 oscar). My tank has been cycled sinced a week ago and currently has my oscar in there awaiting for my new stocklist.

After weeks of research and talking to fellow members, i have decided to have a Mbuna tank.

*Here is my setup*,
2x AquaClear 110
1x xP4
2x 250W Stealth heater
Crushed coral substrate
Lace/Lave rock (in progress)

*This is the stocklist i wanted*, :fish: 
4x Metriaclima callainos (blue)
6x Metriaclima estherae
3x Labidochromis caeruleus
6x pseudotropheus flavus
6x Pseudotropheus saulosi
4x Pseudotropheus sp Acei
4x Melanchromis cyaneorhabdos
6x Cnotilaphia afra Cobue
4x Synodontis petricola
_(i would prefer Metriaclima fainziberi Hongi Is instead of Cobue but they seem to grow too big and too aggressive. is there anyway i can introduce they to the list?)_

Does it looks ok?

Thanks in advance for all suggestions, comments and advises.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I would go with less species and larger group sizes, say 5 species max, and 6-8 of each species.

If you're interested in breeding at all, I wouldn't house the M. callainos and estherae together, or the estherae and Yellow labs.

You definitely want more than 3 Yellow labs in order to make them feel comfortable enough to behave normally. They tend to be easily stressed in smaller groups.

There could be some friction between saulosi males and the Cobue males. I don't think they'd crossbreed, but the boys might not take too well to each other.

I'd prefer the fainziberi, too, and if you reduce your species numbers to 5 groups, I think you could include them as one of your species. Stunning fish.

Here would be my picks from what you've got for 5 species:

M. callainos 6 (preferably just one very happy male)
Yellow labs 8 (male/female ratio won't be important) 
Ps. flavus 4-5 (females are drab, wouldn't want alot of those)
M. cyaneorhabdos 6-8
M. fainziberi 6

The petricolas would just be icing on the cake!


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## live2bet (May 19, 2008)

Thanks cichlidaholic.



> If you're interested in breeding at all, I wouldn't house the M. callainos and estherae together, or the estherae and Yellow labs.


I not really into breeding, and if so it wouldn't be for sale. I like M. callainos for their blue, estherae for their orange (female) and Yellow Labs for their yellow.



> You definitely want more than 3 Yellow labs in order to make them feel comfortable enough to behave normally. They tend to be easily stressed in smaller groups.


More Yellow labs it shall be. How about 6?



> There *could be some friction *between saulosi males and the Cobue males. I don't think they'd crossbreed, but the boys might not take too well to each other.


Shouldn't be a problem if i remove Ps saulosi and replace Cobue with M fainziberi.



> I'd prefer the fainziberi, too, and if you reduce your species numbers to 5 groups, I think you could include them as one of your species. Stunning fish


OK, gonna keep the M fainziberi, so who is going?
Hmm..... P. sp Acei can go and .....maybe P. saulosi, that's as far as i can go  (love to have some _orange _ female M estherae).

*How about this list?* :fish: 
6x M callainos
6x M estherae (1 male all females when they are adult)
8x L caeruleus
4x Ps flavus
6x M cyaneorhabdos
6x M fainziberi

Please tell me this is ok. I will made a bunch of caves if required.

Thanks


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## live2bet (May 19, 2008)

:fish:


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## jhunbj (May 16, 2005)

What's the dimension of the tank?

Here's my pick: :wink: 

10-12 Yellow Lab
8 M. Estherae (1M:7F)
8 M. Maingano
8 M. Callainos
4 M. sp "Zebra Chilumba" Luwino reef (1M:3F):thumb: 
4 Ps. Flavus (1M: 3F)
6 Syno. Petricola


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## live2bet (May 19, 2008)

Thanks jhunbj.
Spent to much time already on research, probably gonna get confused.
Can you help me work around my list instead?

Thanks.
btw, tank is 72"Lx 24"H x18"D.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I'd lower the numbers since you are going with 6 species instead of the suggested 5:

5x M callainos 1m:4f
5x M estherae 1m:4f
6x L caeruleus 
5x Ps flavus 1m:4f
5x M cyaneorhabdos 1m:4f
5x M fainziberi 1m:4f

Definitely a group of 3-6 Synodontis Multipunctatus to take care of hybrid fry!


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## Gibbs (Apr 21, 2008)

I'm with DJRansom, although i enjoy breeding and would leave out the estherae


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Gibbs said:


> I'm with DJRansom, although i enjoy breeding and would leave out the estherae


I'm with Gibbs! :thumb:


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## jhunbj (May 16, 2005)

DJRansome said:


> I'd lower the numbers since you are going with 6 species instead of the suggested 5:
> 
> 5x M callainos 1m:4f
> 5x M estherae 1m:4f
> ...


I don't quite understand y u want to lower the number of YL and M. Cyaneorhabdos. :-? The guy want some color in his tank, and instead u increase the number of (drab looking) female Flavus and Fainziberi? Guys, it's a 6ft. tank with 2 HOB and a canister filter, he could easily put at least 40 fish in there with no problem. I agree with lowering the number of Estherae to 5 though.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I have the same tank footprint. I do have 40+ fish in mine, but half of them are dwarf species. OP indicated that he was NOT willing to change the list. Flavus, Maingano and Fainziberi are aggressive so IMO would do better with plenty of females.


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## live2bet (May 19, 2008)

Thanks for all the concerns, fellow members.

New *Starter *stocklist, :fish: 
6x M callainos 
8x L caeruleus 
4x Ps flavus 
6x M cyaneorhabdos 
6x M fainziberi 
6x Synodontis petricola

Does it look better now?  
Looking into juvies so i can't ask for specific sex, how?

Can someone please PM the best way to get my stock?
Did a check at library, emal a couple of online retailer but their responses weren't very positive when i ask them to recommend me a stocklist as well as shipping fee to Las Vegas.

Thanks in advance.


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## live2bet (May 19, 2008)

live2bet said:


> Thanks for all the concerns, fellow members.
> 
> New *Starter *stocklist, :fish:
> 6x M callainos
> ...


 :fish:


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## live2bet (May 19, 2008)

Guess it ok huh?
Gonna order from Bluegrasscichlids on Monday, stop me please if my stocklist isn't gonna to work.
Is about $5 per fish except for the Synodontis petricola which is like @$10 each.
Are the Synodontis petricola this costly?

Let me know please. 
Thanks in advance.


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## Gibbs (Apr 21, 2008)

Stock list will fine mate.
That sounds like a pretty good price to :thumb: 
Good luck


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

The prices are good, stock list sounds fine.

Good luck!


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## live2bet (May 19, 2008)

Thanks Gibbs, Cichlidholic. :thumb:


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## live2bet (May 19, 2008)

Btw cichlidaholic, is that a Metriaclima callainos or a M. estherae (your avatar)?


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## dielikemoviestars (Oct 23, 2007)

live2bet said:


> Btw cichlidaholic, is that a Metriaclima callainos or a M. estherae (your avatar)?


Callainos.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

live2bet said:


> Btw cichlidaholic, is that a Metriaclima callainos or a M. estherae (your avatar)?


That's my favourite cichlid...Ever...

Elvis, the callainos! :lol:

They rarely get names in my tanks, but this guy earned it. He was almost 7 inches - the most stunning one I've ever seen.

I wish I still had him...


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## live2bet (May 19, 2008)

Sorry for your lost.
I agreed with you, Stunning!
Boy am i glad i have callainos in my stocklist


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## live2bet (May 19, 2008)

Talking about lost.....
I'm probably gonna get my stocks on Thursday, is there anything i should prepared for?
Don't wanna have $300 ish floating in my tank on Friday  .


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I should have been more specific...

He didn't die. He killed Priscilla, and I couldn't find another female that I would even consider breeding him to! I had some younger ones growing out, so I sold Elvis and raised up a group of his kids! I no longer have them, either, but I know where some of them are, and I'm keeping an eye on them! :lol:

I'm looking for some of the white ones now, preferably wild!


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## live2bet (May 19, 2008)

lol.
gl


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Just make sure the tank is completely cycled before adding fish.

You might also consider adding a group (species) at a time, rather than adding them all at once.

If you added all those fish at once to an uncycled tank, you'd have all kinds of problems.


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## CichlidWhisperer (Apr 12, 2008)

That actually seems very cheap for Syn Petricola. Most that are sold as Petricola are actually Lucipinnis and even for Lucipinnis that seems cheap. I paid $15 a piece for Lucipinnis and thought that was a good deal.


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## live2bet (May 19, 2008)

Thanks cichlidaholic.
Tank seem to be cycled. Have my 5" oscar there for about 10 days and she seem to be active. Did a water check yesterday pH 8, Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 15. Is that ok? They will all be coming in a box, so i should i introduce the fish into the tank?

CichlidWhisperer, i think it is a fairly good deal too. They (bluegrasscichlid) would be sending juvies though, so there will be no way i can be sure if they turn out to be what i ordered.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

10 days is a very short time to have completed a cycle. I would get a second opinion on my test results, just to be on the safe side, and continue monitoring them.

If you plan to add the full stock list at once, your bioload may not be ready for it, and you could have some mini cycles to spike. If the tank is truly cycled, it's only cycled for that one oscar, and the other fish should be added in groups rather than all at once.

I know it's easier to pay shipping one time, but it's so easy to overstress a new tank and lose alot of fish! You're going to have to be really careful (and really lucky) if you add them all at once, and monitor the water parameters daily, feed minimally, and be prepared to do some water changes at the drop of a hat.


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## live2bet (May 19, 2008)

> I know it's easier to pay shipping one time, but it's so easy to overstress a new tank and lose alot of fish! You're going to have to be really careful (and really lucky) if you add them all at once, and monitor the water parameters daily, feed minimally, and be prepared to do some water changes at the drop of a hat.


If i shipped multiple boxes i'll be broke once all the fish arrived ($90 for shipping). They gonna be all juvies if that helps, anyway i will monitor water daily and feed them minimum.

Thanks cichlidaholic, wish me luck


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## CichlidWhisperer (Apr 12, 2008)

I have used Biospira successfully in a situation where I needed to add many fish at once. You might want to try that?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Definitely Bio Spira to protect your investment.


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