# 300 Gallon Stocking



## KempDesign (Feb 27, 2014)

Hey guys, I'm planning a 300 gallon build. I would love suggestions for stocking. With the tank size (96x24x31) I should have plenty of room for a variety of fish and color is important to me. Should I mix haps, peacocks and mbunas? What would you do? This will be my first real African Cichlid tank so I'd love suggestions that I can then research on this site. It is a little overwhelming to start from scratch. Thanks.


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Mixed gender or all-male? Big fish that mature > 6"?


----------



## KempDesign (Feb 27, 2014)

I would prefer all male but know that would be expensive. As for size, max of 6" is probably good. I'm Playing with the idea of buying some used 55 and 40 tanks and setting them up in the garage as breeders and growing my own fish for the show tank. It would take more time but would be less money than buying adults.


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

IDK, if you pay $55 for a used 55G and get one male out of it...cheaper to pay $35 for the adult. Not to mention filters and heaters.

Here's my list for a 72" tank. You could do a breeding group of yellow labs and acei in addition.
Aulonocara Rubescens
Aulonocara Lwanda
Aulonocara stuartgranti Cobue (Regal)
Aulonocara stuartgranti Maleri
Aulonocara stuartgranti Ngara
Aulonocara stuartgranti Usisya
Aulonocara turkis
Copadichromis borleyi Kandango
Mylochromis sp Mchuse
Copadichromis trewavasae
Labidochromis caeruleus trio
Otopharynx tetrastigma
Placidochromis electra Likoma 'Deep Water'
Protomelas marginatus 'Turquoise'
Sciaenochromis fryeri Electric Blue
Protomelas steveni taiwan reef
Labidochromis caeruleus


----------



## KempDesign (Feb 27, 2014)

DJRansome said:


> IDK, if you pay $55 for a used 55G and get one male out of it...cheaper to pay $35 for the adult. Not to mention filters and heaters.
> 
> Here's my list for a 72" tank. You could do a breeding group of yellow labs and acei in addition.
> Aulonocara Rubescens
> ...


This gives me a lot of species to check out! Thanks!


----------



## RFan (Aug 4, 2014)

I'd go all male. I'd put some big haps in there too. A lot of people mix bigger haps and peacocks. I like watching the big fish in my 265g and it allows for more variety. I don't think you'll save any money by buying juvies and growing them out. You'll probably spend more because you'll have to buy multiple of each species to ensure at least one male.

For some big haps, check out d compressiceps, venustus, buccochromis, and champs.


----------



## RFan (Aug 4, 2014)

I also love my otter point jake, blue neon, German red, and p. Fenestratus.

I have 3 vics in the tank. The p. Nyererei and mbipia lutea are stars of the tank. They chase each other some but don't interact with the fish.


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I've had Victorians in mine too but they don't color up as well as they do in a species tank so I've taken them out. I've tried Nyererei and Flame Back. I also had an astatotilapia in there but he was too aggressive.


----------



## RFan (Aug 4, 2014)

My vics look incredible. The nyererei and mbipia in particular. They're in a large tank. Perhaps that makes the difference. I'd try it in the 300g. If they work, they're beautiful. No guarantees though.


----------



## KempDesign (Feb 27, 2014)

I'm thinking about just starting out with Mbunas and a group of Synodontis petricolla. After reading a lot I think it might be better to keep it simple with my first large cichlid tank.


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The mbuna in my signature have both colorful males and females. Don't mix estherae and labs if you want to save fry. I've also had acei, socolofi with most of these and enjoyed them. I'm pondering a switch to remove the hara and labs, add maingano and get some of those line bred cherry red estherae I've seen at ACA conventions. Just to start you on some mbuna ideas.


----------



## KempDesign (Feb 27, 2014)

I found a local fish farm that sells several species of Mbuna for $3.99 a fish (1" size). I was thinking of going this route and buying a bunch of juveniles and removing males if I need to. I could always breed them in my garage (which I have been interested in anyway). Here are some of the species that I am interested in.

Pseudotropheus acei
Labidochromis caeruleus
Mylandia callainos (Cobalt Blue)
Mylandia callainos (Albino Red Top Cobalt)
Pseudotropheus elongatus
Pseudotropheus crabro
Metraclima estherae

Could I do 6 of each of these in my 300? If I should bail on one of these species just let me know. Also I was planning to add 6 Synodontis multipunctatus and 6 Synodontis petricola as well. I couldn't decide which catfish I wanted so I decided to do both.


----------



## KempDesign (Feb 27, 2014)

They also sell msobo, maingano, Kenyii, Rustys, Socolofi, Chipokae, Demasoni, electric blue johannis, and auratus. I am concerned about aggression in some of these so I ruled them out, others I thought were too similar to the others I have chosen so I ruled them out as well. But I can make changes if anyone has recommendations. Thanks!


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

If you are concerned about aggression omit crabro. One Metriaclima and both the callainos are metriaclima. If you want to save fry don't combine estherae and labidochromis caeruleus. From your omit list I'd consider maingano, rustys and socolofi (if you omit callainos).


----------



## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Your tank is large, so really you can do a lot, and have a lot of fish. You may end up trying to remove hybrid babies that make it.

I like Msobo. Males are pretty unique, females stay a nice light orange/yellow

You could have a vertically barred fish, the only one you have listed is the "Elongatus", which might be the "Elongatus Likoma/ Ornatus" which is commonly sold just as "Elongatus".

You could have a horizontal Melanochromis such as Maingano. Chipokae males are stunning, but they have a bad rep. You have a big tank thou.

Any Labeotropheus to choose from? Could have some OB's.


----------



## Chili_girl (Jan 19, 2014)

Agree your tank is large enough to do lots of things. If you go with Mbuna I would stay away from some of the extreme aggressive fish.
I would do Metriaclima "Manda" dolphins instead of Demasoni (the extra work fish). They have the same blue/black barring as the
demasoni but very mellow and get 6+". Also the males and females have the same markings. Demasoni are aggressive kill each
other off one by one sometimes if not kept in the right numbers and m/r ratios.

To that I would add breeding groups yellow labs, cobalt zebras and of course the synodontis catfish. always a crowd please and keep 
the activity in the tank moving.


----------



## Chili_girl (Jan 19, 2014)

Would also add some Maingano


----------



## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

KempDesign said:


> Could I do 6 of each of these in my 300? If I should bail on one of these species just let me know. Also I was planning to add 6 Synodontis multipunctatus and 6 Synodontis petricola as well. I couldn't decide which catfish I wanted so I decided to do both.


You can get which Mbuna you like. Pick some fish in which adult males impress you the most, build around that. Species with colorful females will fill out the lineup.

As for the catfish, I would highly recommend just getting 12 Multipunctatus instead of two smaller groups. These Syno Multipuctatus will be *very* active in a large group, will be constantly moving and jostling each other...very interesting like chili_girl says. These cats will also act as dither fish. The Multis will come right up to the top when you add food. Very entertaining cats for your big tank.


----------



## KempDesign (Feb 27, 2014)

Thanks for the input everyone. So how about this list? Do you think this would be fine for managing aggression?

Pseudotropheus acei
Labidochromis caeruleus
Cynotilapia zebroides 
Metriaclima sp. "Msobo" 
Pseudotropheus cyaneorhabdos 
Pseudotropheus socolofi 
Iodotropheus sprengerae


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Sounds good. I'd go for one of the more aggressive zebroides (like not Cobue for example).

Personally I find the yellow orange of the msobo too close to the yellow labs...but that's a cosmetic preference because I like contrast. You could do white labs or perlmutts.


----------



## KempDesign (Feb 27, 2014)

noki said:


> Your tank is large, so really you can do a lot, and have a lot of fish. You may end up trying to remove hybrid babies that make it.
> 
> Any Labeotropheus to choose from?


They do have something they list as Red Top Trewavasse. They don't list a scientific name. Should I consider adding this fish or is it too aggressive?


----------



## RFan (Aug 4, 2014)

Not sure if your budget permits it, but you might want to consider ordering online. At the places that I order from, juvenile mbuna are going for $5 to $10 a piece depending on species. You will have a virtually unlimited variety to choose from. These fish live a long time, so if you can afford it, you want to get the species that you want. You can't sex most juvenile mbuna, so I'd recommend ordering 8 to 10 per species.

We aren't allowed to mention retailers by name in the forum. But if you go to the review section, there are 2 or 3 that have virtually no complaints. Those are the ones that I've used.

One possibility is to buy online a few of the species that you can't find locally, and buy the more common species locally.


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

KempDesign said:


> They do have something they list as Red Top Trewavasse. They don't list a scientific name. Should I consider adding this fish or is it too aggressive?


It's not too aggressive. Would you swap it or add it? Shoot to end up with 1m:7f of these.


----------



## Rare7 (Dec 31, 2014)

DJRansome said:


> KempDesign said:
> 
> 
> > They do have something they list as Red Top Trewavasse. They don't list a scientific name. Should I consider adding this fish or is it too aggressive?
> ...


One of my favorite guys in the aquarium and the best grazer on my rocks he does.


----------



## Demasoni1 (Apr 9, 2014)

I think with a tank this big you shouldn't have to worry too much.


----------

