# Good tank mates with Pseudotropheus crabro



## brand7474 (Jul 8, 2012)

I have two Pseudotropheus crabro (bumble bee) in my 55gal tank. one is very aggressive towards the other and i have read that having more cichlids about the same temperament as them would spread the aggression throughout the tank. i am wondering what other cichlids would be good tank mates with them.

One is about 3in and the other is about 2.5


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Really you might want to rethink the crabro. They 55 gallon won't be big enough for them once the male reaches 8", and as you've already seen, they can be quite aggressive towards each other.


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## brand7474 (Jul 8, 2012)

i have a 75 gal that is setup and waiting to hit a cycle. would it be more ideal to have them and others in


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## brand7474 (Jul 8, 2012)

would it be easier to maintain a tank with peacocks and haps


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## fishmagnet (May 17, 2012)

I have an all male mbuna 75 gal tank with a bumble bee in it , he is around 3 to 4 in right know and he is actually at the bottom of the pecking order.I would eliminate the other Crabro unless you want a species group then you should add some females.


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## brand7474 (Jul 8, 2012)

If i get rid of one of them what would my best options for tank mates and would my bumble bee still do his color changes with others


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## brinkles (Jan 30, 2011)

If I really, really wanted to keep crabro, I'd buy 15-20, put them in at least a 75 with possibly 1 other species of large, aggressive mbuna, and remove all but one male.


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## brand7474 (Jul 8, 2012)

Thanks everyone. Since i am up grading my carbro to the 75 gal i have no ideas for my 55 gal i would like to have some haps and peacocks any suggestions


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

All-male in a 55G is challenging. Shoot for 8-10 individuals, very peaceful and maturing at 6" or less. Placidochromis electra is a good hap and for peacocks I like maleri (yellow), cobue (blue), turkis (light blue) and ruby (red).


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## brand7474 (Jul 8, 2012)

should i have an equal number between the two or one of more


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

In an all-male tank you would have one of each species. You can mix haps and peacocks...they don't have to be equal.


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## brand7474 (Jul 8, 2012)

can i keep 1 carbro with other mbuna would they mix well? or should i not mix them with other rock dwellers


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## fishmagnet (May 17, 2012)

I currently have
1 Crabro
1blue johanni
1 greshakie
1 yellow lab
1cobalt blue zebra
1red zebra
1 albino ice blue
1 chalosi (big boss) or as my wife refers to him PRICKO
1 blue berry
They are doing well know but I have learned that an all male tank is a balancing act and things will change...some fish might have to be removed or added to keep them in check!


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

You can mix them with other "like" mbuna... but it is going to be a challenge, even in a 75 gallon. Pretty much any 5-6" mbuna would do. Try and stick to males only though, one of each type.


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## brand7474 (Jul 8, 2012)

how aggressive are my carbros compared to other mbunas


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## fishmagnet (May 17, 2012)

Alot depends on the individual fish....my crabro gets chased off by every other male in my tank.....including my yellow lab


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## fishmagnet (May 17, 2012)

But I bet when he gets bigger than all the rest he will have his revenge!!


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## brand7474 (Jul 8, 2012)

would a Iodotropheus sprengerae work with the carbro


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

fishmagnet said:


> But I bet when he gets bigger than all the rest he will have his revenge!!


LOL...he will certainly have his revenge on a lab I assure you especially as he continues to mature and grow. They are also really aggressive after lights out as well.


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## brand7474 (Jul 8, 2012)

my carbro is pretty aggressive now and shows a lot of emotion with his coloration


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

brand7474 said:


> would a Iodotropheus sprengerae work with the carbro


No single mbuna will work, you will want a group to spread the aggression.


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## brand7474 (Jul 8, 2012)

Fogelhund said:


> No single mbuna will work, you will want a group to spread the aggression.


ok so they would work better if there was like another 8 mbunas in with them


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## Dawg2012 (May 10, 2012)

I have a Crabro in my relatively peaceful all male tank. There are 14 fish and he's in the middle of the pecking order somewhere.

Lessons learned with the all male tank is ONE from each species and never one that looks like another. The two melanochromis are touch and go even though they look nothing alike.

I think DJ's recommendation of 8-10 individuals in a 55 is sound... I think in an all male tank you need numbers to confuse things up a bit so I'd shoot for 10. For example, in my tank 14 fish work well... If I only had 6 or 7, I'd be very nervous because it would be easier for the fish to single out others for aggression.

No duplicates and be ready to rehome anyone that's not working out.


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## brand7474 (Jul 8, 2012)

ok thanks ill have to find some others that i like for this tank


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## Dawg2012 (May 10, 2012)

Here's my mix. I believe it works because they are all very distinct.

1 Crabro
1 Acei
1 Socolofi
1 Albino Socolofi
1 Red Zebra
1 Auratus
1 (unknown) Melanochromis
1 OB Zebra
1 Venustes
1 Rusty
1 Yellow lab
1 Kenyi
1 Dayglow Hap
1 (unknown) Hap


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## brand7474 (Jul 8, 2012)

do you get your cichlids from a store near you or online if online where because im a little worried about the health of the fish if they need to be shipped


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## Dawg2012 (May 10, 2012)

brand7474 said:


> do you get your cichlids from a store near you or online if online where because im a little worried about the health of the fish if they need to be shipped


I have a couple of really good lfs's here in Portland. I've never gone down the online road however we will probably order some Lithobates online soon.

When I looked into it, it seemed pretty straight forward, and they offer a guarantee. I would not hesitate to order online. I'll PM you the place I visited... there's a FAQ where they tell you all about shipping, and I felt much better after reading it.


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## brand7474 (Jul 8, 2012)

thank you now i have to figure out which ones i like


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## Tony La Morte (Nov 30, 2011)

If there is anything I like most about Africans it is they have personality and differ within their Genus and each other. 
I have seen several post discussing the Crabro with mixed reviews. I got one Pseudotropheus Crabro from a buddy a while back and he has adjusted just fine in my 55 gallon tank. It is currently a little over 5 years old and close to 6" long. It is with 7 other fish and the Tank is pretty heavily Caved with rock. I also have a 30 gallon Hospital tank which I keep cycled with 
1 Cynotilapia Afra, 3 1/2"
1 Sciaenochromis Fryeri, 4 1/2"
1 Metriaclima Lombardoi, 4"
1 Metriaclima Estherae, 3"
1 Tropheus Kachese, 3"
1 Metriaclima Callainos, 3 1/2"
1 Bristle Nose, 4"
Now I do hope to have a 150 gallon by years end and the group will probably all go in there with some new additions, (not yet decided on that yet). But all has been well and the Crabro don't take no **** from anybody but other than chasing some one from his favorite spot and and eating like a pony he has done no damage and is one of my favorites.
The only bad thing about Africans is also their personalities, cause you just don't know what you are going to get.
So as a dedicated keeper of Africans be prepared with a hospital tank and other options for moving fish around should a problem arise.


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## Dawg2012 (May 10, 2012)

Tony La Morte said:


> If there is anything I like most about Africans it is they have personality and differ within their Genus and each other.
> ...The only bad thing about Africans is also their personalities, cause you just don't know what you are going to get.


Much like other things - the good is also the bad. But yeah, I love them. I can sit down and look my fish in the face, and they look back at me. They see me... :lol:. They're like, what are you doing? What are you up to?


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## brinkles (Jan 30, 2011)

and "are you please going to feed us? nobody feeds us, we're starving to death."


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## Dawg2012 (May 10, 2012)

Ha, yeah!


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## Tony La Morte (Nov 30, 2011)

http://s1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj5 ... CF7903.jpg
Maybe this will make it bigger.


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## Tony La Morte (Nov 30, 2011)

Well at least there is an option to view larger.
http://s1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj5 ... CF8015.jpg


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