# 150G planted Malawi tank



## Jason L (Mar 11, 2008)

This is my 150G mixed Malawi tank. Original thought was to slowly make this an all male hap/peacock tank, but I don't think I am going to separate them unless they give me a reason.

Many of the Mbunas are near full grown, while the haps are still juvies and sub-adults. As of now, the dominant fish in my tank is the largest male P. Steveni.

*Specs*

*Filtration* Fluval 404, Penguin 350, Magnum HOT 250
*Lighting*80W powerglow 1800k. 24W 6700K over the Vals
*Heating* 1 300W Hagen Tronic, 1 200w Visitherm Deluxe
*Substrate* White quartz silica sand
*Decor* 100 pounds of coral and tufa. 60+ Twisted Vals

*Stock*
1 P. Crabro
5 P. Acei "Luwala"
6 P. Elongatus "Chewere" 2M 4F
3 Petrotilapia Chitimba 1M 2F
1 OB Peacock
1 Gephyrochromis moorii
1 Zebra X Socolofi?
4 Protomelas sp. "Steveni Taiwan" (Taiwanee Reef) 4M
3 Otopharynx lithobates "Zimbawe Rock"
3 Copadichromis borleyi "Kadango Red"

Full Tank









Sub-Adult Protomelas sp. "Steveni Taiwan" 
This is the dominant male of my tank, Mbuna included!

















Sub-Adult Copadichromis borleyi "Kadango Red"
I have three of these guys and they are really starting to colour up nicely!

















Juvenile Otopharynx lithobates "Zimbawe Rock"
I have three of this species, all male with the blaze and slight blue colouration beginning on all of them. Not the nicest looking fish as juveniles, but the wait is well worth it!









Peterotilapia Sp. "Chitimba Bay"
Male. Recently spawned with both of the females. I was really surprised at how little aggression he displayed after mating; everything I read suggested otherwise. Although no fish in the tank messes with him, he never initiates aggression.









Photo taken 5 seconds after the one above. Shows how fast he changes his "look"









Peterotilapia Sp. "Chitimba Bay" Holding female, day three.









socolofi x zebra hybrid? 

















Psedotropheus Elongatus "Chewere" Dominant male

























Pseudotropheus Acei. Crooked face. I noticed this a few days after I got it. No problems eating or anything, just a slow grower with a slight deformity and a lot of "character"!









OB Peacock. This guy is bordering on 5 inches now and is as peaceful as they come. With any hybrid, temperament is not a given, so I am glad he is more peacock than mbuna!









Thanks for looking! Any questions or comments, feel free.

Jay


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## Jason L (Mar 11, 2008)

I added
Anubias nana
Anubias Afzelii
Java Fern

All I got were these crappy pics with my old HP point and shoot. The wife took the new camera to her dads place for the weekend










left side









and the right









I would love to say that I am done with this tank, but that wouldn't be any fun now would it. I am going to see how these plants do, possibly adding some more in the future.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Looks great! How long has it been set up? I'm surprised the vals aren't getting chewed. How much light, are you using CO2 and fertiziler?


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## renegade545 (Jul 4, 2008)

Nice tank, any sign of them chewing at any of the new plants?


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## Jason L (Mar 11, 2008)

Thanks!

I am not using CO2, pressurized would be the only viable option in a tank this size and I don't think it would be worth the money. All of the plants do quite well in low light, except maybe the vals, so I am running 2 40W @ 18000k and 10000K respectively, and one 24W 6700K directly over tha vals.

I dose NPK twice weekly to maintain 10ppm, 1.5ppm and 20ppm respectively, and CSM+B for traces.

The Vals are getting nibbled a bit, mostly from the Acei. They seem to be doing pretty well, but I will post back when they are either established or destroyed.

Thanks for the interest!

Jay


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I didn't like the chewing when I had plants in with my mbuna, but my plants are doing great with the carnivore Tangs. Fogelhund has good luck though.


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