# Rethinking my tank....all male?



## lizrndiver (Nov 26, 2008)

After 8 batches of fry and some 40 fry still around, I am starting to see the attraction of an all male tank. I currently have a 90 gallon with:

7 Rusties
5 Cobalt Zebras
6 Yellow Labs
5 Ps. Acei
2 BN plecos
and temporarily 6 yoyo loaches (until I can sell them to LFS they were killing my less aggressive fish in another tank)

My plan would be to remove each female as I catch her holding, sell her and try to add in a male. I have been unsuccessful in venting my fish so far. I was also thinking of adding a couple more species of Mbuna if I went all male. Any thoughts? How many fish would you keep in this size all male Mbuna tank?

As for possible other species....Red Zebra, PS. Saulosi, PS Socolofi, C. Afra.....?

As a side note, my Rusties have become pretty bossy lately....I'm starting to wonder of they could be hybrids. Aren't they supposed to be relatively less aggressive? They the largest fish currently at about 4".

Thanks,

Liz


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## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

I am currently going all male as well. For your tank i think i would take the largest most dominate fish for each speices and try and vent that one first. Most likely it will be your male. Keep only one fish for each specie. With your large size tank i would try 12-15 males. Try and find species that do not look alike and buy fish from someone who can vent them for you and that are around the same size as your other fish. They would have a good deal of room to swim around so that might cut down on some aggression. Some fish i would add to your tank would be: Red zebra, Albino Greshakei, Ice Blue Greshakei (my albino and ice blues get along) p. saulosi, c. afra.

Just my .02


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## Gibbs (Apr 21, 2008)

All male mbuna opcorn:

I don't no anyone that has successfully pulled it off. Most give up and go back to harem setups or all male hap which is much more achievable. Mbuna are usually to aggressive


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## CichlidWhisperer (Apr 12, 2008)

Gibbs said:


> I don't no anyone that has successfully pulled it off.


My tank is all male mbuna and has been running for about 18 months now. I know quite a few people who "pull it off." Yes, many who try do go back to harem set ups because they don't want to put the time or patience into making it work, but it is definitely doable!


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## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

I think the main thing to understand is there is no secret recipe or combination of fish. There will be some fish you may have to get rid of. Also it could take some time to find a group of all male mbuna that will be ok living with each other.


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

lizrndiver said:


> As a side note, my Rusties have become pretty bossy lately....I'm starting to wonder of they could be hybrids. Aren't they supposed to be relatively less aggressive? They the largest fish currently at about 4".
> Liz


Pure rusties Iodotropheus sprengerae can be very aggressive (nippy) at that size (generally not as psychotic as some but still a normal Mbuna type) esp to smaller Mbuna a pic would help tell if they are pure.

Your others are especially peaceful so I guess its a relative thing but individual can differ a lot in aggression.


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## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

i think their is some misconception that their are peaceful mbuna. Relativly speaking some mbuna are more peaceful than other mbuna but most mbuna will show some aggression. Also all fish of the same species will not have the same personality.


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## CichlidWhisperer (Apr 12, 2008)

GaFishMan1181 said:


> i think their is some misconception that their are peaceful mbuna. Relativly speaking some mbuna are more peaceful than other mbuna but most mbuna will show some aggression. Also all fish of the same species will not have the same personality.


That being said, it takes time and patience to see which fish work out and which ones don't. I had a horrible situation in my tank with a Rusty and once he was removed the tank was awsome. As I set up the tank, I went through many trials of fish which did not work out. And many fish that I thought were males which suddenly were holding. I found a single female will disrupt the entire tank as the males get more agressive trying to woo her.


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## lizrndiver (Nov 26, 2008)

Thanks for all the advice. Cichlidwhisperer....what is the make up of your all male tank? Somehow 15 different species of Mbuna seems tricky. Could I do all male with one of each species except have extra yellow labs and Ps. Acei?

Liz


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

You can do all male haps/peacocks and a mixed-gender group of labs and acei with those (in a big tank). But if doing all male mbuna, no female mbuna at all.


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## lizrndiver (Nov 26, 2008)

Thanks DJRansome. In an all male Mbuna could you have multiple male yellow labs or is that trouble!!!

If I did an all male Hap/Peacock tank, any suggestions or cautions? I didn't see a cookie cutter set up for this on the site. OR are most of the Haps/Peacocks peaceful enough that you can go for color? :-?

Thanks,

Liz


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## CichlidWhisperer (Apr 12, 2008)

You might be able to get away with multiple yellow labs, but I was not successful with it as I had a very very mean yellow lab. I do have 4 male acei in my tank though. I had one and he was not doing great; hid a lot. The moment I got a second her came out and was great. They were yellow tails. I then got 2 white tails too. They hang together and are really pretty. I highly recommend a group of male acei.


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

An all male peacock/hap tank in your 90 gallon is extremely do-able, along with a gender irrelevent group of lab and p. acei (in my experience.) The rule with male peacocks/haps is to pick ones that don't look like each other and, ideally, are colored up enough to know they are male but not fully mature. Leaning away from the more aggressive peacocks i.e. the jacobfriberghi group also helps. Your tank can handle some of the larger haps, including the Taiwan Reef, borleyi and Red Empress as well.


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## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

here is the 55 gallon list of my all male tank:

(one male of each species)

Acei (yellow tail)
Red Zebra
Albino Greshakei
Ice blue Greshakei
Yellow Lab
Psedo Daktari
Elongatus Chewere
Flavus
Maingano
Msobo
Red Top Dwarf Afra
Albino Socolofi
hongi
P. Saulosi

I havent combined them all together yet. I have some in quaratine that i am making sure are ok for a couple more days. All fish are less than 3 inches. What i can tell you so far is that the Albino Greshakei doesnt seem to like anyone. I have my eye on him.

I heard you can do more than one male of the more peaceful type fish but that didnt work for my acei (yellow tail) He doesnt like any of the other ayellow tail acei's and was constently harassing the other acei.

I am combining all my fish early next week so i will let you know how they come together. I am not becomming to attached to any fish because i know i might have to pull one or two or switch them out. Also i stayed away from any ish that got larger than 6 inches. You have a 90 gallon so you might be able to put in some bumbleebees or chipokei or some larger mbuna. You might even be able to put in a s. fryeri hap. THey are really nice and i would put one in if my tank was larger. It was recommended to me to not do any peacocks what so ever.

GOOD LUCK


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

> You have a 90 gallon so you might be able to put in some bumbleebees


This is a highly aggressive cichlid. Obviously, this wouldn't be appropriate for a male peacock/hap tank. Not sure I'd use him in an all male mbuna tank either, but I'm not a mbuna expert . . .


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## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

i was only referring to if he did all male mbuna. I have no experience with bumblebees but have heard they could work in a 90g.


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## kimismenos (Jun 25, 2002)

Im not grasping why you want an all male mbuna tank.
Peacock/hap owners do it for the male colors, but this doesn't apply to most mbuna. 
The only thing fish do is survive and breed, why take away half the purpose of their existence?

personally, id find it boring not having fish display breeding behavior.


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## CichlidWhisperer (Apr 12, 2008)

I did my all male mbuna tank because I wanted to have many different species and did not want to deal with hybrid offspring. There is a different dynamic in an all male tank, but the dynamic is no less interesting than the one with breeding groups. Also, I liked the challenge of it.


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## srook23 (Feb 21, 2009)

hollyfish2000 said:


> > You have a 90 gallon so you might be able to put in some bumbleebees
> 
> 
> This is a highly aggressive cichlid. Obviously, this wouldn't be appropriate for a male peacock/hap tank. Not sure I'd use him in an all male mbuna tank either, but I'm not a mbuna expert . . .


I have a bumble bee in my 55 gallon all male tank and he's about 5"+ now and he's one of the least aggressive fish in the tank. Guess I just got a good one. He likes to eat the algae wafers and so do the silver dollars...they normally gang up on him and beat him up and take them from him. Guess I just got a wussy bumble bee...thank God.


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## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

CichlidWhisperer said:


> I did my all male mbuna tank because I wanted to have many different species and did not want to deal with hybrid offspring. There is a different dynamic in an all male tank, but the dynamic is no less interesting than the one with breeding groups. Also, I liked the challenge of it.


exactly why i went all male. 3species vs 12 species


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## srook23 (Feb 21, 2009)

I have 12 species in my 55 gallon along with silver dollars and a pleco.

Only one I have problems with is a cobalt blue zebra...he's a bully.


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## cyc949 (Jun 24, 2007)

Gibbs said:


> All male mbuna opcorn:
> 
> I don't no anyone that has successfully pulled it off. Most give up and go back to harem setups or all male hap which is much more achievable. Mbuna are usually to aggressive


I have had one going for over three years now. I've had anywhere from 15 to 20 males in there at any one time. Just make sure to start with smaller males and let them grow up together. Or if you do have to introduce new ones along the way make sure you add 3 - 5 at once so there is no new kid on the block. 1 alone will be a target for the most similar looking fish and will most likely be tortured! Also make sure you have tons of rockwork in the tank for hiding spots.

Take a look at my tank profile for my complete fish list if you want some ideas of what can be done. I have multiple Cynotilapia, multiple Metriaclima, and more in mine. Alot of people have misconceptions about this type set-up. Yes people...It can be done! Check out the pics of my tank and fish below and you will see success can be had if youre patient.








































































































































Any more questions, just ask! :thumb:


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## PChap (Mar 6, 2007)

kimismenos said:


> Im not grasping why you want an all male mbuna tank.
> Peacock/hap owners do it for the male colors, but this doesn't apply to most mbuna.
> The only thing fish do is survive and breed, why take away half the purpose of their existence?
> 
> personally, id find it boring not having fish display breeding behavior.


While not quite as dynamic as haps or peacocks, an all male mbuna tank can be very pretty. For example, see the pics above my post.


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## jhunbj (May 16, 2005)

kimismenos said:


> personally, id find it boring not having fish display breeding behavior.


Too bad it's boring for you, and I don't know if its just my fish but they sure show breeding colors even with out females.

I have a 90G all male mbuna/ CA running for more than two yrs. now:

Here r the list: 

1 Cichlasoma Salvini








5 Labeotropheus Trewavasae/Fuelleborni









































1 M. Cyaneorhabdos









1 M. Estherae

1 C. Afra "Jalo Reef" & 1 C. Afra "White Top"









1 P. Demasoni








1 P. Polit








1 P. Elongatus Chailosi








1 P. Longior









Waiting to be transferred from the grow-out tank are:
1 C. Afra "Cobue"
1 Labidochromis Caeruleus
1 Labidochromis sp. "Hongi" SRT
1 Labidochromis "Mbamba"
1 P. Acei "Ngara"


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## Cichlids n Treez (Mar 25, 2009)

I have a pretty much all male 55 gallon. The bumble bee is 4 and a half in and stays to himself. Very doable as i have had it set um about 20 months. there is agression and i cant put any new fish but its not overwhelming if you stay on it. Water changes,remodeling every now and then ect. Also i have....

2 red zebra m
2 blue zebra m&f
1 red top zebra
1 yellow kenyi m
1 blue peacock f very aggresive
1 auratus m
1 bumble bee m
2 afra m
1 johanni m
and 3 males im not sure of
also 1 pleco


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## kimismenos (Jun 25, 2002)

the fish above are stunning, no doubt.


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## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

kimismenos said:


> personally, id find it boring not having fish display breeding behavior.


Thats why you have more than one tank. I have one all male 55g and one saulosi species only 46 gallon bowfront. Best of both worlds


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## cyc949 (Jun 24, 2007)

GaFishMan1181 said:


> kimismenos said:
> 
> 
> > personally, id find it boring not having fish display breeding behavior.
> ...


Imma have to agree! My breeder tank is a 60 Gallon with 7 WC Metriaclima Sp. "Zebra Gold" Lion's Cove (1 solid male, 1 OB male, and 5 OB females). :dancing:


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## cyc949 (Jun 24, 2007)

BTW...I might be selling off my males to make room (financially) for a new little one on the way. If anyone is interested just PM me and we can talk prices. Samples of what i have are pictured a few posts above. You can also see my tank profile for a complete fish list. :thumb:


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## dittobaker (Sep 15, 2008)

Yup. I have a 55 gal all male mbuna tank, and a 75 gal breeder tank. If I don't know the sex of the fish when I first get him, it goes into the breeder tank until I can figure out what if it's male or female.

Right now in my male tank I have:

1 Cobalt Blue
1 johannii
1 Demasoni
2 Yellow Labs
1 Acei

The smaller Lab and the Acei are about 2 in. Every thing else is larger, with the Cobalt and other Lab being about 4.5 in. Have had this set up for about 4 months now. Only fish I've had to remove so far is a Red Zebra, as he and the Cobalt didn't get along very well.

I'm hoping to add one or two more soon. Hoping one of those to be a sp. "Mbamba" if I can ever find one.

Tip - provide plenty of caves, an periodically change the landscape.


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