37g African Tank

[Ferris]

The good thing with labs is that sexing is not really that important, if you end up with multiple males, that shouldn't really be an issue, they are simply not that aggressive. That said, they are still Mbuna and you can never be certain.

Saulosi adults are easy to sex due to the marked difference in colouration. Sub-adults are more difficult but a basic rule of thumb is lots of egg spots will definately be a male, one or two egg spots could be either. Not definitive i know but may help.

 

[BiffMalawi]

Black anal and ventral fins are usually a pretty good tip off, although females can have quite a bit of black.

I bought 10 labs ended up with 4 confirmed and two probable males and they have killed two females so far. I am trading away four of the males and getting a few new ones. When I confirm sex then I'll dump some more males. I'plan on doing this until I get a good ratio.

 

[skiltrip]

In order to avoid problems, and just keep things simple, I'm considering making it a one species tank, just the yellow labs. This way I wouldn't have to cram in 10 fish in my 37g, which i feel is too cramped for them, maybe have 6 or 7 labs instead.

What do you all think of just having 7 or so labs in my 37g with one syno multi and one pleco?

 

[dthoffsett]

Sounds great, labs are very interesting as a species tank. That was my first mbuna tank. However, synos do better in groups of 3 or more, but you might be able to get away with 2, I wouldn't get just one though.

 

[Ferris]

If you just want 1 Syno, your best option would be Eupterus as they do fine alone. They get pretty big though at around 8-9".

 

[skiltrip]

If you just want 1 Syno, your best option would be Eupterus as they do fine alone. They get pretty big though at around 8-9".

I've already got a Synodontis Multipunctatus in there. I've had him for a couple of years. He's real pretty. Lots of personality too.

the Syno and the Lab get along great.

My latest dilemna... trying to get my redtail shark out of there. I have another tank i'm going to put him in so his fins can heal and he can be alone for a while (my lab torments him). But I cannot seem to catch him. He's quick, and he's learned to navigate the rockwork i've installed quite well already. Almost had him last night, but no go. sigh.

 

[Ferris]

Its never easy, i've often had to take everything out of the tank to catch fish or spend hours trying to catch them without doing that and then wishing i'd removed everything in the 1st place.

 

[skiltrip]

My original plan was to wait to do the rockwork until AFTER i got the shark out, and i SHOULD have, but I got all excited about getting those rocks in. just couldn't wait. hahah. now i'm paying. if only the shark knew i was trying to save his life! that lab really is gonna take him down eventually. my once peaceful little yellow lab has been coming into his own the last couple months. he really did wake up one day and decide he was alpha fish. my firemouth was the first to go down. and sharkie is next if he doesn't let me help him. haha. poor thing.

 

[skiltrip]

So I ended up getting 6 very little labs last night at my LFS. found them in one of those mixed "misc africans" tanks with some red zebras and cobolt blues. got them for about $4 a piece, with is less than half of what i could have paid for them. they are the cutest things. i posted some pics (though quality is ). thanks everyone for your help and advice.