# 55 Galon Mbuna Tank Stocking



## Boertjie (Aug 22, 2013)

Hi guys

Sorry, this question, or a similar question has been asked hundreds of times, but I'll use the old excuse... I am new to the site.

I am in process of cycling my new 55 gallon (56.8g to be exact) tank. I would like to set up an Mbuna tank and will probably buy my fish next week.

I am a little lost as to what species I should be stocking it with, as well as how many. There is a great deal of information available on this site and on the net but much of it is greatly contradictory?

Over stock, under stock, species compatibility&#8230;..

My local aquarium shop has the following fish in stock (excuse the names, this is directly of their site):

Electric Yellow
Cobalt Blue 
Demosoni 
Orange Zebra - Metriaclima estherae (Red) I think..?
Ice Blue Zebra 
Lombardoi 
Golden Johanni)
Red Top Trewavasae
Snow White - Pseudotropheus socolofi (Albino) I think&#8230;?
Labeotropheus Fuelleborni 
ps bumble bee

I am running a 520 gallon an hour canister filter, with built in uv light. I then have the output from the canister running though my built in filter box (in the lid) with just filter wool to act as final polisher.

My initial idea was to go the mildly over stocked direction and go with:

Electric Yellow x 4
Cobalt Blue x 4
Orange Zebra x 4
Snow White x 4

All are juvenile fish around 2".

Can you give me some advice on what species and numbers you would suggest?


----------



## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Welcome to the site. What are the tank dimensions?


----------



## Pseudeotropheus BB (Jan 24, 2013)

Have you done your research on how to care for Mbuna? It is critical that you produce the correct living environment for these animals as the require very specific conditions in order for them to coexist.

As for your question, there are some nice selections to choose from but unfortunately most of those fish require a larger living environment.

Are these the only species available? If not your best options are the Yellow Labs and Demasoni. However please keep in mind that the Labs and the Demons should be compatible however the Demons are extremely aggressive towards one another. The Labs are one of the best beginner fish while the Demasoni are not, imo.

Hopefully your supplier may have a few other options to choose from.


----------



## Boertjie (Aug 22, 2013)

Hi Iggy

The tanks dimensions are 99W x 47D x 60H cm (215L)


----------



## Boertjie (Aug 22, 2013)

Hi Pseudeotropheus BB

Thank you for the advice.

Yes I have done my research on tank setup.

I have rocks with sand (mix of Seachem Calcite and Sand) as substrate. I have been doing PH, GH & KH tests for the past week and all levels are where they need to be.

As for available fish, that is it. The range they have is probably the best you'll find in New Zealand....? They do have some other African Cichlid species, but that is it on the Mbuna front.

Here is the other African Cichlids they do:

Ahli/Electric Blue
Aulonocara sp ."Lwanda" 
Marble Peacock
Otopharynx Lithobates

Thank you for the advice.


----------



## amcvettec (May 11, 2012)

Boertjie said:


> Hi Iggy
> 
> The tanks dimensions are 99W x 47D x 60H cm (215L)


Unfortunately your tank is a bit small for most Malawi cichlids. My conversions are giving me a 38" length and 18" width. I would suggest doing a single species tank in something this small if you are set on Malawi. I would highly suggest Pseudotropheus saulosi as both male and female have color, they stay small, and are relatively tolerant of being in small tanks.

Do you have a test kit of Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate? Make sure your tank is cycled before adding fish.


----------



## Boertjie (Aug 22, 2013)

Yes I do have ammonia, nitrite and nitrate test kits. I have been cycling my water for weeks with water and media from another tank I have.

All levels in the new tank are perfect at this stage. Luckily I am not new to fish keeping, I have had many tanks in the past, including an 80 gallon South American Cichlid tank.

Unfortunately the few descent sized aquarium shops we do have here only sell a limited range of African cichlid species. The list a have bellow is the best available in New Zealand&#8230;

Ahli/Electric Blue
Aulonocara sp ."Lwanda"
Blue Dolphin
Brownae Hap
Cobalt Blue
Copadichromis Crysonotus
Demosoni
Electric Yellow
Frontosa
Giraffe
Golden Johanni
Haplochromis compressiceps
Ice Blue Zebra
Julidochromis Regani
Julidochromis Transcriptus
Labeotropheus Fuelleborni
Lamrologus Calvus
Lamrologus Compressiceps
Lionheads
Lombardoi
Lyretail (Brichardi)
M.Auratus
Marble Peacock
Nimbochromis Polystigma
Orange Zebra
Otopharynx Lithobates
ps bumble bee cichlid
Red Top Trewavasae
Snow White

My idea was to go with Mbuna only, but that is only because the different groups of Malawi's and fish from other lakes all have unique requirements when it comes to habitat and water parameters.

Thank you for the advice, appreciate it.


----------



## amcvettec (May 11, 2012)

If you are set on using a LFS for your fish, the only one on that list I would suggest for your tank is Electric Yellows. They should be hopefully mild enough to work in a 38" tank.

You could also try a Demasoni species tank but remember these are extra work. You have to be extra diligent in watching the aggression and removing any picked on fish before they become sick.


----------



## Boertjie (Aug 22, 2013)

Thank you for the advice. Problem in NZ is that most fish stores only sell very few species. This shop has the widest variety believe it or not.

I have been keeping an eye out for any dwarf mbuna on our version of ebay/craigslist and someone is selling some "Cynotilapia afra (Dogtooth Cichlid) ' or at least that is what they are calling them.

I might have a look at them and if they aren't demasoni or something else I will get them and perhaps add a few electric yellows?

The best fix would have been a larger tank, but we are renting and space is limited unfortunately.

Thank you for the advice


----------



## amcvettec (May 11, 2012)

I think C. afra would be a good choice in that size tank. They stay small (at least most species) and in my experience have been reasonably aggressive. Hopefully they have a collection point for them - Jalo Reef is my personal favorite.

Having 2 species in your size tank is kind of pushing it, but I think it can be done with proper attention.


----------



## Boertjie (Aug 22, 2013)

Unfortunately it doesn't look like Jalo Reef, more like Chinuni Juveniles..or at least from the photos posted of the parents?


----------



## Michael_M (May 31, 2012)

They are probably C. Afra Cobue.


----------



## Boertjie (Aug 22, 2013)

Would a single species tank like Johanni work? I know they are slightly bigger than dwarf mbuna and aggresive, but at least I will get two colors for the price of one species?


----------



## Boertjie (Aug 22, 2013)

Thank you for all the advice everyone.

My LFS has just got in Rusty Cichlids, so I have decided to go with Electric Yellows and Rusty Cichlids.

I will apply the 1" per Gallon rule of thumb in deciding how many to go with, and also try to maintain a 1 male to 3 females ratio.

With my filter turning the water over almost 10 times an hour (with a large amount of very good quality media in it) and the rest of my setup, I am sure my fish will be healthy and happy.


----------



## Michael_M (May 31, 2012)

1" per Gallon isn't applied to rift lake cichlids.

I would advise you try to end up with 1male:4 female for both the yellows and rusties, a total of 10 fish. Doesn't matter if you have extra's when they are juvies but as they grow older and more aggressive the 1m:4f starts to make a lot of sense.


----------



## Boertjie (Aug 22, 2013)

Makes sense, thank you for the advice. If I can buy them big enough to determine sex I will follow your advice, if not I might get a few extra of each species and sell the spares later..?


----------



## Michael_M (May 31, 2012)

Yea that's perfect. If buying them from a LFS its unlikely they'll be sexed unless they are quite large and the LFS has staff capable of venting.

If they are smaller go with about 20 total. Then you can keep the nicest male of each and be very likely to end up with sufficient females.


----------

