# 5" Striped Raphael with juvenile Mbuna???



## Yajna (Oct 20, 2009)

I'm in the process of converting a 55g basic tropical community tank to a tank dedicated to Mbuna. All current occupants are being rehomed. I'd like to keep the 5" Striped Raphael that is currently in the tank. The new occupants are Yellow Labs at .75"-1" and Melanochromis Cyaneorhabdos at 1"-1.25". I've searched through the forum looking for answers to the following questions to no avail....

Is a 5" Striped Raphael going to turn my new juvies into a midnight snack?
Are the adult Mbuna likely to accept him as a tankmate?

He is currently living with a school of neons that aren't any larger than 1". He pays absolutely no aggressive attention to the neons when they are in close proximity to each other. I know he's not eating any because their number has been stable for a long period of time.

I'd rather not rehome him and I'd hate to see him in a quarantine tank while the juvies grow, but I don't want to lose my juvies either. Nor do I want him to be miserable when the juvies mature. I realize there are few "bright line" answers for this kind of thing, but I'd appreciate any input.


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## MCKP (Aug 17, 2009)

I had read that they require different water than the mbuna, but I just got two that had lived with cichlids since they were babies and I just added them both into my tank with adults and there has been no issues at all.. I have 4 fish that are 5inches or more, and the rest are 2inches and up...


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## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

In theory both your Platydoras armatulus and your labs can be happy at pH 7.5 (but softer water is better for the cat and harder water better for the labs) but yep this catfish will feed on bottom sitting cichlid fry at night. Neons are OK because they stay in mid water at night. Personally I think you and your fish would be happiest if you set up a SA type tank for him/her with the hiding places the cat likes and fish less likely to take lumps out of it.
The only time I used to see mine was during strip downs so given cover they can survive in most tanks, but happy, I am not sure at all.


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## MCKP (Aug 17, 2009)

I have plans for mine to be moved when we get our other tank set up... but that may be in the Spring.... it will probably be a SA tank.


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## Yajna (Oct 20, 2009)

Thanks for the input. I had concerns about compatible water parameters as well. I'm definitely going with a Mbuna tank, so I guess I'll have to rehome him. Unless, of course, there's a tank I can't live without on Craigslist, LOL....


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## Electrophyste (Aug 5, 2009)

*** had mine with pritty much everything from basic community tank to mixed africains, labs, longners, magainos, fronts, haps. 
Now with sevrums and fire mouths and in every tank he just a hider, dont really bother anything. his best friend is a 3 inch clown loach. 
there very passive fish. i really see no problem with him and your juvies, as long as there not fry then youll be good to go.


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## Yajna (Oct 20, 2009)

Ok. So fry get eaten because they are on the bottom where the raph is scavanging at night. I'm not terribly worried about that at this point. Juvies don't sleep on the bottom, right? Has anyone else had first hand experience with keeping striped raphs in the same water conditions as mbuna?

Maybe this is a different thread, but what would be the signs of a fish that is in pH that is unhealthy for it?


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## oldcatfish (May 27, 2009)

They will be fine compatibility wise(as adults) and with water conditions----but I also think the cichlid juveniles may become food.

Set up a divider that your cichlids can't cross...and put the catfish on one side, the cichlids on the other. Feed the cichlids frequently and perform frequent water changes until they are at least 1/2 the catfish's size....then remove the divider and redecorate the tank.

If you don't use a divider, the only chance you have is to feed the catfish with a controlled over feeding....feed chunks of shrimp, or other meaty food, until the catfish looks very full, then removing the extra food immediately. Also, feed your juvenile cichlids several daily feeds, and perform 2-3 time a week partial water changes. Do that until your cichlids are at least 1/2 the size of the catfish. An alternative though riskier method is to add an easier to catch live prey item such as ramshorn snails---that the catfish will fill up on, until the cichlids put on some size.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

All ages of mbuna and peacocks sleep on the bottom.


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## Electrophyste (Aug 5, 2009)

*** had my 4 inch striped and 4 inch spotted with fish as small as an inch. it was a risk but there were no casualties.


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## kerogirl (Oct 30, 2009)

i have a spotted raphael in my tank and the cichlids seems to be fine with him and vice versa


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

How many years have they been together?


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## Electrophyste (Aug 5, 2009)

mine were in with africains for a full year and and a half then my tank decided to go.... right now in the tank there is 2 1 inch convicts and 7 red sarpes and 3 glow light tetras, all an inch and under. i dont see a problem at all. my fish guy(fast answer to question guy), has had his spotted raph with every africain you can think of, all the way from half inch to 7 inch. they hide alot.


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