# Golden Mbuna - murderer?



## cwm (Jan 19, 2009)

I just started a 30 gallon tank a month ago with decent hiding spaces for its size. The first 3 fish were an Electric yellow, powder blue, and a red zebra. About 7 days later I added Peacock, Jewel and a Golden Mbuna. All seemed well until yesterday I added a Yellow tail, Bumblebee and an Albino (who was notcibly smaller). This seemed to throw the tank upside down as the fish behaved nervous. About 2 hours later the Golden is eating on the corpse of th Albino so I assumed he killed him. I've read this fish is really aggressive but I'm new. I'd like another Albino but I don't know whether the Golden will pick on another or whether the size difference was the problem. They are all realatively juvenile now, the largest is 1.5 inches. How fast will these fish grow? By the way I am overfiltering the tank because I know it could be a little small for the number of fish. :-?


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

I assume that the "Golden mbuna" is a Melanochromis auratus?

The reality is that the tank is too small for a fish of this aggression level. Same with the bumblebee too. Even the powder blue and red zebras might eventually become problems.

Now, fish will eat other dead fish, and it isn't necessarily a sign that it was killed by that fish, even though they are known to be murderous.


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## Cich of it all (Mar 29, 2007)

A 30 gallon is a really small tank for most Malawi cichlids. The only species I would recommend would be a few of the dwarf species or maybe 3 or 4 yellow labs (electric yellow), MAX. Youâ€™ll need to buy a bigger tank, like a 75 gallon if you want to mix things up like that too.
Peacocks need more space, and donâ€™t belong with Mbuna unless you have lots of space. The bumblebee (Ps. Crabro) is a very aggressive Mbuna that get quite large and needs a lot more space too. The golden (M. auratus) is another very aggressive one.
Youâ€™re going to need to rethink things, or there will be more deaths. Feel free to ask questions, but you either need a larger tank or basically all new (different) fish.


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## Cich of it all (Mar 29, 2007)

oops; Fogelhund beat me to it.


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## cwm (Jan 19, 2009)

sounds like i need to do alot of research about which species to keep. I really can't up size my tank so backing off the number of fish or kinds of fish will have to do. I was basically stocking the tank with fish from the local big box pet store without any educated help. Sounds like I won't be able to have near the diversity I wanted which is what I was shooting for. I hadn't planned on duplicating a fish. How many and what kinds do you recommend?


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## Cich of it all (Mar 29, 2007)

Well you could start with the "cookie cutter" suggestions from this website; here is a link to the 29 gallon suggestions:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/cookie_cutter_29g.php

Otherwise, as far as Malawi cichlids go, I've kept a group of 5 yellow labs in a 30 without any problems. Just be sure there is a lot of rock work and caves. I've also heard of people keeping 12 Ps. demasoni in a 30; again, lot's of rocks.

Someone else might have some suggestions for other types of cichlids.


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## frozennorth (Dec 16, 2008)

Check out this tank.








It won Tank Of The Month August 06. It's a Saulosi species tank and the same size as yours. Check it out under the tanks section. The owner is johnlabbe.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

What are the dimensions of your tank? (Not all 30G have the same size footprint...)


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## cwm (Jan 19, 2009)

I'll have to check the size when I get home, I think they call it a 29G - it's from Pet Smart got it for a gift. The reason I can't change tanks or don't want to is I built in into my wall in the game room. (need to post picture in tank section if I can figure out how) I'm sensing that it is not good to have an "ala carte" mixing of fish even from the same lake - that it is better to have groups of maybe only two types, which is going to be a blow to my wanting a "diversified" tank. Again I'm new so I guess this is because certain species don't mix...?


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

2 species will be too many for this size tank if you're talking Malawi cichlids. Depending on the dimensions of the tank, you might have a few options from Malawi, but I highly doubt more than one species could live peacefully in a tank that small.

Your other options won't be as colourful...You can go with some shelldwellers or brichardi (a pair) from Lake Tanganyika, or some of the SA dwarf cichlids would also work in this size tank.


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## Snakes to Cichs (Dec 29, 2008)

The main issue you have is just the size of the tank. The species may very well be mixe-able in a larger tank. The agressive species that you purchased need lots of room for there territories and unfortunately they just don't have the room in your size tank.


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