So what's the right number of fish for this tank? I'm hearing/reading incongruant numbers ...from 15 to 30.... How's 20 then?
15 sounds like a good number of adults to aim for. Now, you can do 30 fish at first provided that you have a complete understanding that it is very important to start thinning them out as they grow. Getting more at first will make sure that you get the m/f ratios you are looking for. In addition, you may have have a 55 gallon tank, but by the time you fill it with sand and rocks you are looking at something like 25 to 35 gallons of actual water volume, depending on how much rock you are using. Assuming 35 gallons of water and 20 fish that average 5" long, you are looking at almost 3" of fish per gallon. Yikes, be prepared to do water changes ever other day!
Once the tank is cycled, do you think I should put the more aggro fish in first to establish territories/dominance? --or-- After the less aggro species, so that territories are established prior to their arrival? The tank is rock filled, with many, many hidey holes
With real aggressors like this the best way that you can stock the tanks is all at once, that way a hierarchy is sorted out, and every fish quickly learns its place. Put a very territoral fish in first and he will assume that more of the tank is his to defend. When you do add new fish to an aggressive tank you often need to re-organize the rocks so that current fish need to establish new territory.
Are Cynotilapia afra compatible with P. Elongatus and the Melanochromis species I mentioned?
Yes, they are mbuna and pretty tough. What will work with what is never certain with fish like this. All we can do is give our best advice, and all you can do is hope things work out.
Regarding Melanochromis: Do you suggest only a single male per species in the tank, or can I go with two or more
No, only one male. Unless kept in a massive tank males will kill each other. There are only a few species of mbuna in which males tolerate each other in close quarters.
Regarding the pleco, consider getting none. First, there are very few that would work. Second, mbuna love algae, and it is a very integral part of their natural environment. Having a nice carpet of algae on the rocks provides mbuna with something to do besides chase each other, and gives the aquarium a better display of natural behavior. It also provides a nice snack for them between meals. If anything I like to increase lighting to get the algae to grow better. Scrubbing algae of the walls is easy to do yourself. In an mbuna tank algae is your friend ;-)
If you do decide on a pleco anyway, look at the Bristlenose. It is a very hardy and tough specimen that grows large enough, but not too large.
The Pseudotropheus species you chose can work with the Melanochromis. Lombaroi (old name Kenyi) is a species, as I mentioned earlier, that can give Melanochromis a run for their money in aggression. Going with just one melanochromis variety is a good idea.
Lastly, If you can manage it you should set up a hospital tank, and run a small filter for it in the main tank to keep it cycled. This way you can have a place to put extra males or fish getting their butts kicked. Sometimes there is one aggressor in a tank causing all the problems, in which case it would be that one who would get the solitary confinement.
Hello all, Merry Christmas, Happy Hannuka, Happy Kwanzaa!
) Ok, let's see.... I had a feeling that the Nimbochromis livingstoni wouldnt sit too well. So they'll eat my other fish even as juveniles? I've seen video of large ones playing dead and attacking smaller mbuna, (SO cool) but surely they wouldn't attack fish the same size or larger than they themselves? Once they get bigger, my plan was to get the larger tank. (a good excuse to start one). Are there any mbuna with similar markings? Brown and white?
