# Your Favorite Mbuna



## altaveras (Oct 7, 2013)

Hi Everyone! I am new to the forums and just getting back into the hobby after years of raising kids. Now that I am older and have more $$ and resources I am thinking of going big (150g)! A dream come true. I am starting to put together a list of Mbuna for my dream tank, but I would love to get some input from all of you. When I was a serious hobbiest, fish stores were the only option for purchasing fish. Now there are so many options!! Too much to choose...almost. Can you all help me narrow my list?

Please tell me your top 5 mbuna (if you can't decide and 5 is just too few, feel free to give me your top 10 or 20!). I am going for a variety of brilliant, stunning coloration and/or any interesting or unique behavior traits.

Thanks!

Amy


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## Marconi (Oct 7, 2013)

Hello Amy,

so many choices available just at your finger tips. Being from Canada, our resources for quality cichlids can really be hit or miss. Sometimes it can take years to find what you're looking for....then I was told about Daves Rare Fish (his adds or on this website). I've kept cichlids for around 22 years and worked in the industry up here for about 15, I'm extremely picky about the quality of my africans and am aware of numerous sources were most quality cichlids come from. Long story short...Order from Daves. He carries so many species under one roof and you can stock your aquarium right off the hop with what you're looking for instead of wasting time looking for it. I was extremely happy with the quality of his fish and they can be shipped to your door the next day. This is just my advice...but its coming from a very picky fish keeper who knows the industry quite well.

That said, Mbuna are my favorite and here is a list of my top 5 :

1. Afra "Jalo Reef" 




2. Elongatus "Chewere" 




3. Maison Reef Zebra 




4. Red Top Zebra "Nakatenga" 




5. Msobo Deep "Magunga" 




3.


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## Pseudeotropheus BB (Jan 24, 2013)

If you want a mildly aggressive tank with six compatible Mbuna. This would run the gamut of colors.

1. Pseudotropheus Williamsi North. Aka Blue Lips
2. Pseudotropheus Acei White Tail
3. Cynotilapia afra (Cobue)
4. Labidochromis caeruleus 
5. Red Textilis (Labidochromis textilis)
6. Labidochromis Perlmutt

My personal favorites are

Metriaclima Zebra Chilumba (Luwino Reef)
Metriaclima aurora 
Metriaclima Membe Deep
Pseudotropheus Williamsi North
Tropheops macrophthalmus (Kirondo)
Pseudotropheus Elongatus Chewere
Cynotilapia hara Gallireya Reef
Labeotropheus fuelleborni (OB)
Permutt
Red Texitilis


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## Michael_S (Aug 18, 2013)

For the looks of mbuna...

1. Cynotilapia afra "Cobue"
2. Metriaclima sp. "elongatus chewere"
3. Pseudotropheus demasoni (Pombo Rocks)
4. Pseudotropheus saulosi 
5. Labidochromis sp. "Hongi" (SRT)

It is really hard for me to pick favorites because I like the look of almost all mbuna. 
For temperament and personality my favorites are...

1. Cynotilapia afra "Cobue"
2. Pseudotropheus Saulosi
3. Pseudotropheus crabro (A lot of people have told me how violent they can be, but I have 1M-5F and they are very active and friendly to other fish)
4. Pseudotropheus demasoni
5. Labidochromis sp. "Mbamba"

I like almost all the of the Pseudotropheus genus. And my all time favorite is, as you can see the Cynotilapia afra "Cobue".


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## altaveras (Oct 7, 2013)

This is the list I am trying to narrow down...

Cynotilapia afra "Yellow Blaze"
Cynotilapia afra cobue
Cynotilapia sp. "hara"
Labeotropheus fuelleborni
Labeotropheus fuelleborni chalo
Labeotropheus trewavasae (chilumba)
Labeotropheus trewavasae (mpanga)
Labidochromis sp. "hongi"
Labidochromis sp. "hongi" (SRT)
Labidochromis sp. "mbamba"
Metriaclima Callainos
Metriaclima estherae
Metriaclima estherae Albino OB (hypo)
Metriaclima greshakei
Pseudotropheus crabro
Pseudotropheus cyaneorhabdos
Pseudotropheus elongatus "chailosi"
Pseudotropheus elongatus "chewere"
Pseudotropheus elongatus "mpanga"
Pseudotropheus elongatus "ruarwe"
Pseudotropheus flavus
Pseudotropheus perspicax red top ndumbi
Pseudotropheus saulosi
Pseudotropheus socolofi
Pseudotropheus sp "acei" (ngara)
Pseudotropheus sp. Demasoni

Help. Please. All I have are internet photos to help make the decision.


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## Michael_S (Aug 18, 2013)

Are you going for all-male or to have females too?


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## altaveras (Oct 7, 2013)

Not sure. It is always fun to have some breeding going on in the tank, but with some species it may be best not to have any females. I am open to suggestions here.

BTW, Marconi and Pseudo., the metriaclima chilumba maison reef is stunning. Extremely aggressive though. What is your experience with the aggression of this fish?


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## Marconi (Oct 7, 2013)

altaveras said:


> Not sure. It is always fun to have some breeding going on in the tank, but with some species it may be best not to have any females. I am open to suggestions here.
> 
> BTW, Marconi and Pseudo., the metriaclima chilumba maison reef is stunning. Extremely aggressive though. What is your experience with the aggression of this fish?


I've had no issue with aggression. Once they hit maturity the males are hard on themselves but if you provide plenty of swimming room for the other tankmates, I believe they make a great "Alpha" species. They get large for a mbuna aswell, so smaller species won't test their dominance. I find with mbuna the problems come when you mix certain species that will out grow species that have established themselves at the top of the pecking order. For example, red cap ndumbi are super aggressive and will dethrone most other mbuna and are not the type of fish you want ruling your aquarium as they are relentless. My large Maison Reef Zebra will not be dethroned as hes established himself at the top and none of my other mbuna will out grow him or can test him for top spot. He's aggressive but his aggression is more about keeping the other mbuna in line...the nbumbi on the other hand, will chase fish relentlessly until they die. Advantage you have is that you are going with a large aquarium...this will help tremendously.


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## notchback65 (Apr 3, 2013)

My favorite Elongatus Chewere.


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## Pseudeotropheus BB (Jan 24, 2013)

Like Marconi I have been keeping Mbuna for 20+ years and like Marconi I have experienced the same aggression results with the BB Zebra's and the Red Cap's. BB Zebra's should be fine in a breeding group community. The fish I do not recommend in a breeding group community are the entire Tropheops Genus as well as Aurora and Red Cap Ndumbi. These fish are entirely too aggressive when breeding and will do damage to other fish. I would however recommend these species in an all male tank however I would only recommend an all male tank to expert Mbuna keepers as it is a very difficult task to successfully maintain an all male Mbuna tank.

In regards to your list you have some nice selections to choose from. There are a set of rules which must be followed to successfully maintain Mbuna so it is not as simple as picking out your 5-7 favorite fish in the group.

1. Cynotilapia sp. "hara" 
2. Metriaclima estherae or Callainos
3. Labeotropheus trewavasae (chilumba) or any one of the trewavasae or fuelleborni.
4. Pseudotropheus saulosi (Blue male/yellow females) 
5. Pseudotropheus sp "acei" (ngara)
6. Metriaclima greshakei or Socolofi

This group of fish will provide plenty of color and what should be a compatible environment however there are obviously other options.


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## altaveras (Oct 7, 2013)

Could you give me a complete list of rules to follow - or lead me to such a list? I am aware of some rules, but I would like to be as informed as possible.


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## Marconi (Oct 7, 2013)

altaveras said:


> Could you give me a complete list of rules to follow - or lead me to such a list? I am aware of some rules, but I would like to be as informed as possible.


I'd add the species that you would like to be your "Alpha" first. Some of the big BB zebras would be good for that or I'd even recommend Elongatus "Chewere" to start. Elongatus "Chewere" are always available and the males can grow to a decent size and I find their aggressiveness to be around medium. Cynotilapia "Hara" and most other Cynotilapia, any Labeotropheus species and Saulosi would be good secondary additions. Personally I'd throw a some electric yellows with some red x reds (female) for colour into the mix, as I find them to be a good filler species. I'd recommend that you figure out your "must have" species first and then go from there.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I like to limit to one blue-barred species/tank.


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## altaveras (Oct 7, 2013)

DJRansome said:


> I like to limit to one blue-barred species/tank.


So how do you choose which blue-barred to go with?!?! So many choices, so many choices. Which would you choose?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Demasoni because females are colorful too.


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