# Stocking a 54 gallon corner bowfront



## bookwyrm (Jul 13, 2006)

I have a 54 gallon corner bowfront that I want to set up for cichlids. I was hoping to do mbuna, though I know it might be a little difficult. That's why I want to ask the experts.  I'm also considering peacocks, but I'm not sure about that since the information I find varies. Any ideas would be appreciated.

I'm assuming that less aggressive species would be the way to go. This is going to be a display tank, so I'd prefer species where both the males and females have color (one reason I kind of ruled out peacocks, unless it's true that you can do all males...). Any suggestions?

I'm probably going to order them online, Bluegrass Cichlids is looking really good to me. The stores in my area have a lot of cichlids, but they are completely unreliable as far as getting what they say you're getting, having a decent selection, or having more than one or two of a kind. I'd rather not go to my LFS and be tempted to buy something unwise just because it's there, and buying a group of 5 or so of the same species would probably be impossible. So, internet it is. Can anyone vouch for Bluegrass?


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## esparzar1 (Jun 14, 2009)

Check out the review section for online fish buying. What are the exact dimensions of your tank? 
I personally would go with a "dwaf" mbuna tank. Either Demesoni or Saulosi could be good choices. Both the females and males have excellent color with those two species.

You could do something like

12-15 Dems
4-6 Yellow labs

or

6-8 Saulosi with one other species (possibly Cobue or Cynotilapia sp. "hara") just look around and keep asking questions! hope this helps.


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## bookwyrm (Jul 13, 2006)

The exact dimensions are 38L x 27W x 22D. I really both these suggestions and will put them high on my list. Still open to other ideas, though!


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

We definitely need to know the dimensions of the tank.

A corner-bowfront aquarium is not an ideal shape for mbuna because length in a single dimension is most important for allowing the males to have their territories while allowing the females some breathing room.

It seems that the common dimensions for a 54 corner are 38"L / 27"W / 22"H - and bear in mind that it's only 38" long at the longest point. If these are the dimensions of your tank, realistically you should stock it similar to a ~30 inch tank. Volume of tank doesn't matter so much for Malawis - they need length foremost, and width helps some too.

I'd probably stick to just one species of dwarf mbuna. The tank is not large enough for all-male haps and peacocks. A group of C. afra or Ps. Saulosi are probably your best bets - 1 or 3 males with at least 3 females per male. A group of Demasoni might work, but you'd have to luck out with something like 3 males and 9 females in order to have a decent chance of success.

Good luck with the new tank!


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## esparzar1 (Jun 14, 2009)

bookwyrm said:


> The exact dimensions are 38L x 27W x 22D. I really both these suggestions and will put them high on my list. Still open to other ideas, though!


Knowing the dimensions, like kanorin said, I'd probably go with only 1 species.

The Saulosi would look nice (male are blue w/black bars, female are orange/yellow ish) or Cynotilapia sp. "hara" (males are white w/black bars and female are blue) both of these species don't get too big and both the males and females are good looking fish. You're pushing it close with those dimensions. Hopefully everything works out well. Good luck!


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## bookwyrm (Jul 13, 2006)

I know the dimensions make it sound like a small footprint, and I could be wrong, but I did the math and I think this tank has about the same amount of workable floorspace as a 55 gallon. It's only 1" taller than a typical 55, so the space isn't all height. I understand that mbuna get territorial over floorspace, so the footprint is the key. Is there something about a long footprint that's better if the space in square feet is the same?


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

There was a similar question about a week back, so I've copied my response below because it basically answers the same question.

"The main reason that length is the most important factor is that males - especially when courting females for breeding - will pick a spot (usually a rock or cave) to defend as their breeding territory. They will chase away other fish (sometimes only of their same species or sometimes any fish at all) that come within a certain radius of this spot. In a longer tank there will be plenty of swimming space for the other fish which is outside this radius. In a shorter, but wider tank, there is less. There are some highly aggressive species which can have territories that would cover an entire 36 inch tank - which is why larger tanks are recommended for these species.

The other reason why length is very important is because when a fish is being chased by an aggressor (often a male chasing a female), the fish being chased will more often swim away in the direction that affords the most distance. I guess this might be to put a little bit of distance between them and the aggressor - then they try and dart around a rock or in a cave or into/through some obstacle in hopes of losing the aggressor."

Basically, when a dominant male puts down his territory smack in the middle of your corner tank, the radius of that territory is such that all of the other fish have very little space left to swim without being harassed. In a 55 gallon tank, there is swimmable space on either side of the territory.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

This is a corner tank, right? So don't use the measurement that goes from point-to-point across the widest part of the triangle. You have to sort of chop off portions of the tank that would not make a one-foot square, somewhat isolated territory.

That does not sound clear to me. Maybe if I say chop off the acute triangles on either side and most of the curve on the front as well.

The long tanks are ideal for mbuna because the two ends of the tank are as far away from each other as possible.

I'd do a single dwarf species.


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

I recommend a colony of blue orchid peacocks. I have 3M-5F in a 45 gallon tank and it's doing great! This stocking was recommended by Dykemyster, from whom I got the fish. The males are gorgeous and non-aggressive and the females are attractive, too. Although silver, they have egg spots and yellow on their fins. I also have a small group of synodontis lucippinis, which stay small and are quite beautiful. There is a good article on these in the library. They are a smaller peacock and very mild.


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