Mbuna species

[MJ-Apache]

Hi All,

I'm in the process of setting up a 4ft (200L) mbuna tank and I was looking for some advice on species to stock. I'm aiming for a pretty easy and peaceful mix and at the moment I'm thinking of Yellow Labs and Rusties. For the third species I'd like to add some blue and have been thinking of Mainganos. Will these be too aggressive for the other two species? If so, what would be a good alternative?

I appreciate your help.

Cheers

[Victoria]

I have a maingano in my mbuna tank. She's pretty chilled, compared to the kenyi, auratus and red zebras, but can certianly hold her own. Havent kept labs and rusties, so I can't tell if they're similarly aggressive, sorry.

Edited: Maybe a Cobalt Blue? M. callainos is the species name. Not sure how aggressive they are, but they're a solid blue.

Edited September 4, 2013 by Victoria

[african-cichlids]

Yellows can be aggressive towards there own species but generally pretty peacefull and rusties are pretty peacefull aswell. There shouldn't be too much aggression with those types but thay are Africans.

[african-cichlids]

Cobult blues can be aggressive just have heaps of hiding spots

[Donny@ageofaquariums]

As tank mates for Yellow Labs and Rusties......... I'd put acei msuli point.

Blue could also be found in blue pindani.

Smaller angry fish such as most of the pseudotropheus can work well.

as always they are usually more interested in their own kind

and their small size means more can be kept.

Rustys are small and they LOVE to fight.

As do polits and hongi.

They fight until their gums are gone..... old fellas fight until their jaws wear away.

That said they are all small.

They mix well with medium sized chilled mbuna.

if you add psychos such as maingano, elongatus species, Melanochromis species and well.... any zebra looking thing (including the trev and fully).

then you are going to have an angry bruiser tank. But having all heavy hitters you rarely take losses.

[MJ-Apache]

Thanks for your input! I had been considering Aceis as an alternative. Donny, are those blue pindani Pseudotropheus socolofi?? These look fantastic - are they common in lfs or through breeders in Bris??

[wraith]

Try Butch50. He sells Pindani in the cichlid trader section. Nice fish too. He also sells black Acei, the darker version of the Acei donny suggested. I don't know if any breeder sells the Msuli point ( purple and yellow ones). If so, I'd like to hear from them though as I wouldn't mind a few of those beauties.