# 90g Mbuna (Saulosi, Polit, Estherae, Afra, Rusty)



## Steve St.Laurent (Oct 2, 2008)

Just bought a new DSLR and was playing around. Thought you might enjoy:

Stocking list:

1m/1f Pseudotropheus polit
1m/3f Pseudotropheus saulosi (+4 fry in main tank)
1m/3f Cynotilapia afra (cobue) (+1 baby in main tank)
4? Metriaclima estherae
3 Albino Bristlenose plecostomus

Currently in quarantine:
1m/4f Iodotropheus sprengerae
2f Pseudotropheus polit
1 Metriaclima estherae

I plan on having them all at 1m/4f as the babies grow out except the plecos. Also plan on adding 3 Synodontis Petricola once the rusties and polit get out of quarantine.










My favorite - Male Polit:


















Female Polit:










Male Saulosi:










Dominant female Saulosi(currently holding):










Female Saulosi:










Saulosi fry:










Estherae:


















Male Afra (plan on replacing him with one of his offspring because of the deformed upper fin):










Female Afra:










Afra baby:










Sprengerae (in quarantine right now):










Pleco (awesome algae control!):


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## ridley25 (Jan 5, 2008)

Your male polit has some impressive chompers!


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## non_compliance (Dec 4, 2008)

Thanks for nuthin steve.. now I have to add another fish to my want list because of you.  The polit is sweet! I can see why you like him. Thanks for the pics!


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## knotty dreadlocks (Oct 31, 2008)

how can you tell the sexes of your rusties. your tank looks great


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## Steve St.Laurent (Oct 2, 2008)

Well, right now I'm going by how they were sold to me. Livefishdirect.com supposedly sexed them so I'll just have to see. I plan on venting them down the road. One of the females is holding already (spawned in my quarantine tank) so I'll have plenty to choose from if the sexes don't turn out as they said.


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## iplaywithemotions (Dec 18, 2008)

Wow @ the polit, gorgeous fish!

PS: what type of a pleco is that? and is he really that effective at algae control?


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## Steve St.Laurent (Oct 2, 2008)

It's an albino bristlenose pleco. I have 3 of them in the tank and they are awesome at algae control. When I put them in the entire back wall was covered with green and brown algae as was all of the holey rock. This picture was taken about 5 days after they were in the tank:










At that point they'd cleaned off the entire back and a good chunk of the holey rock.

This was 12 days after the first pic:










Take a look at the rock on the top of the rock on the right. That rock is now kept completely clean. I use a mag float on the front glass once a week or so to get what little they don't get and the rest of the tank they take care of by themselves.


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## iplaywithemotions (Dec 18, 2008)

Awesome! Thanks Steve! And from what I hear bristlenose pleco's are compatible with mbuna cichlids! I'll have to find me some! Thanks again.


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## Alisonj (Aug 24, 2008)

So nice!!! I have been trying and trying to get Polits! I absolutely LOVE them!


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## Desi&lt;3 (Feb 13, 2008)

Be careful they have been known to bite the eyes out of plecos . . .


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## non_compliance (Dec 4, 2008)

Hey steve, I saw you're in michigan... where did you get the polits?

I too have had good luck with my bristlenose plecos.. i have an albino and a calico.. I put them in about 2 months ago. I haven't seen the calico but 2 times since.. but the albino is always out working.


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## Steve St.Laurent (Oct 2, 2008)

I got them from individuals and the new females I bought from livefishdirect.com. The plecos for the most part come out only at night. Occasionally one will come out during the day and thus far the Mbuna ignore them when they do. With all those rocks there's tons of hiding places for them. The only time I'm able to count and make sure they are all there is when I take all the rocks out of the tank for a major cleaning.


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## cyc949 (Jun 24, 2007)

You could also fix that cobues dorsal with a little quarentine time and a couple Melafix regimins. Fin rays and the fins themselves can both grow back with a little help from the magic M! Good luck! :thumb:


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## Buckeyereavis (Jun 20, 2008)

my cobue got f'e dup by my other male!!!!

He has been in hospital tank for a week and he is looking better!!!!!


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