Finally setting up my 75 Mbuna tank

[FrankSlapperinni]

OK I'm FINALLY setting up my 75 gallon tank.
I just need to make sure everything is all set.
For filtration I was going to buy 2 Emperor 400 filters (800gph).
tap water p.h is about 8.2.

all of the fish that I have planed to add, in this order.

4 clown loachs
3 yo-yo loachs
5 Yellow tailed Acei
4 Cynotilapia axelrodi
4 Labiodo Chormus hongi (red top kimpuma)
4 Pseudotropheus Demasoni
3 Melanochromus Auratus

Thats sounds like a bit much, I was thinking of taking our the Auratus.
also, would the loachs be OK in there? I figured the fish would leave them alone because they are bottom dwellers, and I saw freshmike had some in with his Fronts.
but I'm still open to any suggestions.

 

[Auratus]

AH! Auratus hater!!!!! lol, only joking.
I would say they would be fine, your buying them young I assume so you would have to take back any males because as they get older. They will probably kill your other fish and harrass the females. But if you do it as soon as they start changing color, then you'll be fine.

 

[FrankSlapperinni]

I forgot to ask, besides venting and egg spots, are there any coloring differences in the fish I have listed, so I can sex them easier?

 

[Auratus]

Male Auratus

The males look exactly like females and then turn a grey color and when they reach full adult size they look like the picture.

Female

When they are breeding and as they get older they loose some of their color too and end up looking like this

 

[FrankSlapperinni]

Thank you for the help.
I'm still worried about the Auratus and Demasoni though, they are supposed to be one of the most aggressive Mbuna out there, although the demasoni's only 3 inchs, I could see a 5 inch Auratus doing some damage

 

[FrankSlapperinni]

Slight Change of planes, I've decided to get two Hagen 500 AquaClear filters instead, I was reading reviews and most people say that these are the best filters, or at least better than Emperors (and cheaper)

 

[thecichlidaddict]

Unfortunately the differences between these fish are as adults, so you still won't be able to tell until you buy them, unless you purchas adults.

The Demasoni tend to be ok toward other tank members, but very nasty toward each other. Higher stocking densities for these guys is usually recommended to try and distribute that aggression.

Auratus will certainly rule the tank with an iron fist, especially over the Acei, which is a very docile and layed back species.

Clown loaches I've seen work, I wouldn't do the yo-yos myself. The best bottom feeders for these cichlids tends to by Synodontis catfish.

Those stocking numbers that you listed, are they what you will buy as juveniles or what you'd like to end up with as adults?

 

[FrankSlapperinni]

At $20 a piece, I don't know how many more demasoni I can afford to buy
Would it be within reason to ask my LFS if I/they could vent the cichlids before I buy them? or at a juvenile age, do they not have fully developed vents?
The stocking levels are what I had planed them to be as adults.
I was planning on some syno's, but I have no Idea which ones, I like them all

 

[CongoCalvus]

Holy smokes $20 a peice for demansoni, are they WC because i can get then here for probably $10 canadian if not cheaper.

 

[thecichlidaddict]

You should probably consider skipping the demasoni completely and finding something a little more suitable to put in its place, there is no lack of fish to choose from. 20 bucks a pop sounds quite steep too.

Unfortunately I have all the doubts in the world that the lfs employee would have any real clue with venting fish, and with juviniles it's very tough. The best thing to do is purchase extra juveniles now, grow them up together, and remove extra males as they appear.

Go with either synos or loaches, but I don't recommend both, all the fish in your tank are bottome dwellers, and you'r running out of real estate.

 

[FrankSlapperinni]

Ok, I revised my plan a little

5 Clown loachs
5 Yellow tailed Acei
4 Cynotilapia axelrodi
4 Labido Chormus hongi (red top kimpuma)
5 Pseudotropheus Saulosi

I know have a spot open for another group of Mbuna, can anyone recomend any NON blue african cichlid that stays under 5 inchs and is peaceful? and who isn't compleatly orange/ females are orange?


By the way, I was not sure about the demasoni costing that much, I haven't checked the stores. but after reading online, I thought that was the typical price, I guess I was wrong.

 

[thecichlidaddict]

How about Iodotropheus Sprengerae?

It sounds like a nice selection already, you don't need to try too hard to find more species at this point, IMO.

 

[FrankSlapperinni]

Thank You for the suggestion
Those are Very Beautiful fish and would fit right in.
Should I get 3 or 4?

 

[thecichlidaddict]

Sounds good