Looking for advice on a new Mbuna tank

We have a 24" cube tank (180 litres), and we looking to house some Mbuna.

First question is, is this tank suitable? I've been doing some reading, and most people seem to suggest bigger tanks, specifically wider.

Assuming it is suitable, it looks like using coral gravel would be a good idea to keep the water conditions right. We have fairly soft tap water, so need something to harden it. Any comments?

Also looking for suggestions on what fish to put in. From what I've seen, Labidochromis caeruleus and various Pseudotropheus are very attractive and reasonably placid. Any other suggestions?

Finally, what sort of decor should we use? I have seen some tanks that have what looks like moon rock in them (eg in this video), which apart from looking attractive, gives the fish somewhere to swim around. Is this reasonable, and if so, what do you call that rock?

Sorry to ask so many questions, but I'd prefer to find out the facts in advance and go into this informed and prepared!

Hmm, just seen this tank, which looks quite narrow. Mind you, I can only see four fish in there!

Which reminds me, I forgot to ask how many fish I could put in my tank.

Thanks again.

Yossu said:

We have a 24" cube tank (180 litres), and we looking to house some Mbuna.

First question is, is this tank suitable? I've been doing some reading, and most people seem to suggest bigger tanks, specifically wider.

Assuming it is suitable, it looks like using coral gravel would be a good idea to keep the water conditions right. We have fairly soft tap water, so need something to harden it. Any comments?

Also looking for suggestions on what fish to put in. From what I've seen, Labidochromis caeruleus and various Pseudotropheus are very attractive and reasonably placid. Any other suggestions?

Finally, what sort of decor should we use? I have seen some tanks that have what looks like moon rock in them (eg in this video), which apart from looking attractive, gives the fish somewhere to swim around. Is this reasonable, and if so, what do you call that rock?

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A 24" cube tank is a bit snug for Mbuna since they love more space to roam. Coral gravel is a solid choice for hardening your water. For fish, Labidochromis caeruleus and Pseudotropheus are awesome picks, and you might also like Cynotilapia afra or Iodotropheus sprengerae. As for decor, moon rock (also known as holey rock) is perfect—looks cool and gives your fish some sweet hiding spots. Good luck with your tank!

You will probably end up with 1 male and a few females with nothing else in that tank due to its size. Mbuna are highly territorial and most grow to 6 inches and are too big for that tank. The males constantly fight and if you have 1 female in with them, it will be a blood bath.

A few small species of Lake Tanganyikan cichlids would work better in the tank but again they are territorial and there might be fights, but not the blood shed associated with Mbuna cichlids.

Coral rubble isn't the best substrate due to how rough it is. Beach sand is better for the fish and will help push the pH up.

Lake Victoria, Tanganyika and Malawi have lots of limestone and sandstone rocks and this provides habitat for most of the fish species there. Dry limestone rocks are cheap and easy to get from the beach, hardware store or garden centre, just make sure they are free of chemicals. You can find beach sand and limestone at the beach and you can take it from some places but not others, so check to see if it's legal before grabbing a few bits from the beach. Limestone is a cream/ white coloured rock.

You can buy Rift Lake water conditioners from pet shops. They are powdered minerals and you add x amount to raise the pH, GH and KH. If you have soft water, you will have to add the Rift Lake minerals to new water every time you do a water change and the water with minerals needs to be made up at least 24 hours before it's used. The water and minerals should be aerated to circulate the solution and help the mineral salts dissolve completely. You can use a plastic storage container for this.

Thanks to both of you for the replies. I'm a bit dubious about the size of the tank. Can't say I'm looking forward to breaking up fights and pulling out dead bodies!

@Colin_T I'll take a look at Tanganyikan. I thought of Mbuna, as I was told they were the least aggressive, so best choice for the tank, but it sounds like that might not be right.

Thanks again

What is the GH (general hardness), KH (carbonate hardness) and pH of your water supply?
This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website (Water Analysis Report) or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

Some areas in the UK have hard water and you might not need a Rift Lake water conditioner.

@Colin_T Here is the data for our postcode from United Utilities web site. Hope it means more to you than it does to me!

Hardness Clark = 2.03 is very soft. Fishkeeping uses different units and your level converts to 29 ppm and 1.6 dH, the two units used in fish profiles. It needs to be around 10 times higher for Rift Lake cichlids so a Rift Lake conditioner or salts would be needed.

@Essjay Thanks for the reply. I know we have soft water, but didn't know how soft.

Would coral sand be enough to harden the water, or would I have to use additives?

Since my last post, I rang a (not very) local fish shop that specialises in cichlids (trying to get some idea of costs) and he said that most cichlids sold here are not native caught, and are used to softer water. He seemed to think that coral sand would be enough, but I'd like to hear more than one opinion!

Thanks again.

I suspect coral sand won't be able to raise the hardness enough on it's own. And water changes would substantially change the hardness till the coral sand could 'harden' the new water. If you used a Rift Lake salt and mixed that into the new water before adding it to the tank, that would keep the tank hardness stable.


Mbuna's need for high GH is hard wired into their genes. It takes thousands of generations to make a change to their need. Even tank bred fish need water similar to that which they originated. Just because the shop keeps them in soft water does not mean they'll live long in that water. The shop hopes they'll all be sold before they succumb to the lack of minerals and if they die after being sold the fish keeper will just go back and replace them.
Never, ever believe anything a fish shop tells you till you've researched it yourself.

Essjay said:

Never, ever believe anything a fish shop tells you till you've researched it yourself.

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Which is why I asked here

Do you have any recommendation for additives? Imagine I know absolutely nothing about this and you won't be far off!

Thanks again

To be honest I don't know much about such additives as I keep soft water fish.
Colin_T would hopefully know, if he reads this thread.

@Essjay OK, thanks. Colin_T did reply earlier, so hopefully will do so again.

This is the stuff I use in Australia but I don't know if you can get it in the UK. But any sort of Rift Lake water conditioner like this will do the job. The main ingredients should be calcium chloride and magnesium chloride, and calcium carbonate.

@Colin_T Can't find that one easily here, but I found a Seachem one. Does that look like what I'd need? The description seems to imply it has what you mentioned.

There seem to be quite a few salts and buffers (what's the difference, and do I need both?), so like to check I'm looking at the right thing.

Thanks