# 75 gallon semi aggressive large mbuna tank



## rrcoolj (Apr 8, 2008)

So after weeks of researching I have finally descided to go back to a mbuna tank. I will be getting a 75-90 gallon tank and I am looking for large semi agressive mbuna to stock it with that het 6in or larger. So far i have these fish in mind and i am looking for only 3 species for now.

Labeotropheus fuelleborni
Metriaclima emmiltos
Pseudotropheus crabro

Of corse each species will have 3f to every 1M. Any comments?


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## 748johnd (Jun 30, 2007)

I think 4-foot tanks are too small for fish over 6 inches. Personally, I would want a 6-foot tank for larger fish. I had acei that grew over 6 inches in a 90 and it made the tank look small. It didn't give them much room to swim.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Not enough fish. I like the three species, but I would increase the stocking levels of each type.


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

i'd say yes on the fuelleborni, not sure about the metriaclima, but absolute no on the crabro, they are too large and aggressive (mainly too aggressive) for a 4 foot tank

it's ok to do one 7-8 inch species, but the rest should be smaller for more room. i have trewavasae in a 55, the other species are 4 inches or under to help create the space, i'm doing the same in the 75, the rest of the fish will be 4-6 inches

and the more aggressive the species, the more females you need, so since most of the smaller less aggressive mbuna need at least *4* females, you're looking at 6-7 for something like crabro


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## rrcoolj (Apr 8, 2008)

So I am getting three differnt opinions it seems.

*748johnd*-sounds like your saying the tank isn't big enough for any of these fish.

*Fogelhund*-sounds like your saying the stock list is fine just need to add more species or females

*cjacob316*- sounds like your saying everything will work except for the crabro and I need to add more females.

So how about I increase the number of females to 4 and replace crabro with something like elongatus?


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## 702Cichlid (Feb 28, 2010)

I think you need to increase your female numbers a bit more than 4. The 1 male:4 female ratio works for more docile mbuna like yellow labs. The more aggressive your fish the more female you'll want to spread aggression around. Otherwise slowly but surely the females will be chased/mated to death. For most semi-aggressive species you probably want to shoot for at least 6 females for each male. The Ps. Crabro are far from semi aggressive though, you may have to go even higher than 6 lady friends for him. Best of luck in whatever you decide.


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## rrcoolj (Apr 8, 2008)

Im really not too intrested in breeding which is why I chose so little females. In the beginning all I wanted was crabro because of the size and color of the adult males. But I dont think i would get good reviews of me keeping a solo male wetpet in a 75 so I descided to add females but then the tank would get over run with fry. I would have liked to chose all aggressive species like crabro, lombardoi, and chipokae, but im not interested in breeding and I only really want the males. But again people tell me the all male mbuna tank(especially aggressive mbuna) won't work. Is there any way I could keep any of the "tough" guys in this tank without being overun with fry?


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## nauTik (Mar 18, 2009)

rrcoolj said:


> Im really not too intrested in breeding which is why I chose so little females. In the beginning all I wanted was crabro because of the size and color of the adult males. But I dont think i would get good reviews of me keeping a solo male wetpet in a 75 so I descided to add females but then the tank would get over run with fry. I would have liked to chose all aggressive species like crabro, lombardoi, and chipokae, but im not interested in breeding and I only really want the males. But again people tell me the all male mbuna tank(especially aggressive mbuna) won't work. Is there any way I could keep any of the "tough" guys in this tank without being overun with fry?


all male mbuna can work, I'm not sure who told you it wont. Some may say they've not been able to do it, others have had no problems with it. To me it sounds like an all male mbuna tank is what you're most interested in. The main reason you don't see as many all male mbuna tanks is because with mbuna most of the species females are equally as colorful. At least that's my take on it.


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## rrcoolj (Apr 8, 2008)

nauTik said:


> rrcoolj said:
> 
> 
> > Im really not too intrested in breeding which is why I chose so little females. In the beginning all I wanted was crabro because of the size and color of the adult males. But I dont think i would get good reviews of me keeping a solo male wetpet in a 75 so I descided to add females but then the tank would get over run with fry. I would have liked to chose all aggressive species like crabro, lombardoi, and chipokae, but im not interested in breeding and I only really want the males. But again people tell me the all male mbuna tank(especially aggressive mbuna) won't work. Is there any way I could keep any of the "tough" guys in this tank without being overun with fry?
> ...


thanks for the comment. If it's possible I wn't to try it. I would to keep the fish that nobody dare keep like chipokae, lombardoi, auratus, crabro along with some others if possible. Any comments?


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## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

All male could work. Your most likely not going to end up keeping all the species you want. The fish will make that decesion for you. Some fish will not mesh with the group well and will have to be removed.

It will also be better to get all the fish at once and as young as possible (but still old enough to vent (sex)).

Go for the 75g over the 55g if you have the choice. It would work better.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

rrcoolj said:


> *Fogelhund*-sounds like your saying the stock list is fine just need to add more species or females


I have no issues with the crabro in a 75/90 gallon. (Though personally I don't like the fish, dull brown isn't my idea of a good Malawian... maybe a good Tanganyikan though.. :lol: ) Stick to your three species. If breeding isn't important, just get 8 of each type as juveniles, and see what happens as they mature. Remove any problem fish as necessary.


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

all male becomes harder with the more aggressive species, the key is to not let your fish get singled out, i have noticed even with haps and peacocks, that the larger issue is when there are no females, and a male decides to pic on another male, they single one out and chase them relentlessly. you give that same fish 5 females and he spends his time chasing 5 different fish rather than just one.

i'd still say for those very aggressive ones, you want a 6 foot tank


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## rrcoolj (Apr 8, 2008)

Looks like I have quite a bit to ponder. I can tell this tank will very much be hit and miss. The tank will definatly be 75 gallons if not 90. I will try the aggressive guys. If the tank gets out of hand I will use the above list minus crabro with some other "semi-aggressive" fish.


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## gverde (Mar 3, 2010)

I would try to get those three species of fish all a once as juvies if you can and not one by one. When I had a 55 gal as a teenager, it was stocked with mbunas. I pretty much purchashed all the fish at once as juvies. I had a auratus, kenyi, zebras, etc. They all grew up together and got around 4-5 inches. They all fought here and there but pretty much all got along. I introduced a 6" male chipoka and he was fighting with every fish in the tank. He was vicious and relentless. I had to return him a couple days later back to the pet store. Chipokas are one the most aggresive africans you can get. The male species tank can be done but you need alot of rockwork where the less dominant male can hide.


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

I would agree that you want more than just 12 fish, and best to get juveniles to set up a nice community.

I too would avoid the Crabro. Simply because I don't think they all would be very attractive as adults, they don't get better with age, and can get ugly brown. And for some reason they can get absurdly abnormally large, I don't know why.

so stock list...

(1) Labeotropheus ... fuelleborni or trewavasae. Get some with some OB females.

(2) a Black Barred species, either a Zebra or a Cynotilapia afra. Can you get good M. emmiltos? Chilumba Zebra is nice also. White Top Hara? Whatever black barred Mbuna you can find in quality.

(3) maybe M. johanni? Kinda aggressive but the black males and yellow-orange females will be a nice contrast with the other species.


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## rrcoolj (Apr 8, 2008)

I guese beauty is in the eye of the beholder. i love male crabro because based on youtube vids and pics the males get jet black and have long fins that are gorgeous. Anyways i am probably going to go with the fish you mentioned noki.


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