Mbuna Tank Diary

[Cheffi]

To save loads of reading back give us the list as it stands atm.

 

[nicelights]

To save loads of reading back give us the list as it stands atm.

Oh Man...now I got to read back...

I was planning on getting the following setup:

4 Greshekai
4 Yellow Labs
4 Saulosi
2 Syno Multis
maybe 4 rustys...

It's all in a 330l tank! I may be able to find funds to add some more, unless you think it's too many already...Rae would like some more synos and I fancy some c.Afra 'whitetop's or 'cobue'...

I already have the 2 BNs...and have more photos of them. The female is such a flirt with the camera, the male is a tad more coy...although he was definitely making a pass at the female, fins all a-fluttering and showing off.


Showing Off

Get you!

Flirting about to start!

Cheers

Gordon

 

[adambrum]

IMO i would add the more placid species first , As for the numbers i would go for at the least 16 fish maybe even 20 plus the synos ect.

 

[nicelights]

IMO i would add the more placid species first , As for the numbers i would go for at the least 16 fish maybe even 20 plus the synos ect.

Thanks Adambrum,

my research tells me that these choices are all fairly mellow, unless anyone else can say otherwise. I think I'll leave the Saulosi till last then...and rob a bank (just kidding) to try and up the quanities of fish....

Cheers

G

 

[jumpman]

IMO i would add the more placid species first , As for the numbers i would go for at the least 16 fish maybe even 20 plus the synos ect.

Thanks Adambrum,

my research tells me that these choices are all fairly mellow, unless anyone else can say otherwise. I think I'll leave the Saulosi till last then...and rob a bank (just kidding) to try and up the quanities of fish....

Cheers

G

I would say that your plan is spot on, you have added the ancistrus sp. bristlenose first, and you have a pair which is even better! This will help cycle the tank along with the mollies and then in a few weeks when you add all of the mbuna you will be ready to roll!

If it were me I would add the synos first, while the mollies are still in there, upping the stock in your tank gradually, and then a couple of weeks later, take out the mollies and add all of the 4 Greshekai, 4 Yellow Labs, 4 Saulosi and 4 rustys at the same time, so that no-one gets a head start on establishing territories.
Hold back on feeding for a couple of days and the bacteria will catch up in no time....

Also dont worry about the bogwood, you would have to have a tank full of it to alter the ph down in your part of the country, it makes a nice contrast with the rock and your BN will love it.

Good stuff!

 

[nicelights]

Hey all,

Got our first African fish today...2 Syno Multis...they're very cute, and cagey as a cagey thing. Here's some pics of the new arrivals...

btw, tanks is going well, seems reasonably stable from a chemistry point of view, water changes seem to keep the water clear and the readings are all well within limits.

Here's a scaredy cat!

Here's a BN, out to pose...

A syno out to check out the tank...

and finally, settling in and look for food...

Rae's very happy, now to save our pennies for some petricolas...and more cichlids...

Gordon

 

[nicelights]

WAHEY!

At long last, our first mbuna arrived today in the form of 4 yellow labs, one v.dom male and 3 females we think. The poor little things were very stressed by the whole moving process and lost much colour. That was seven hours ago tho and I am now very happy to report that the male is starting to colour back up again and they appear to be settling in very nicely.

Of course, all this followed the spectacle of me trying to remove the mollies from the tank...I managed to get 6 out and will have another go next week at getting the other 4 out My 19month old son found the whole process of this hilarious as dad had to remove rock and wood and made a right mess

I am gonna get 4 p.saulosi next week, followed by 4 m. greshakai the week after followed by 4 rusty (a. sprengerai) . Then if the cash lasts, I am thinking 4 Aulonocara koningsi (I think) perhaps. the LFS has a lovely tank of them for sale, and the male is fab...what do you all think? Running before walking?

Anyway, here's some pics of the new additions to chaos towers....G

On Arrival - Bonnie comes to check em out and scares them witless!!!! Cheeky BN

Starting to settle

Colour starting to come back

 

[Gankutsuou]

hehe. good job!

 

[nicelights]

Curse my lfs....

Driving along, all innocent and enjoying the sunshine when it lept out on me and before I knew it, they had convinced me to leave with 3 estherae and 3 geph. acei?

Swine.

Now looking forward to not going near lfs for at least 2 weeks...honest.

Will post pics later.

G

 

[guppy_man]

tanks looking great, im taking notes as i will soon be setting a malawi tank up soon, can't wait

yes, add more pics lol

 

[nukeonekitty]

Tank looks awesome, I am really liking it!

 

[nicelights]

Hi All,

Thanks for all the positive comments...

I've done some corrections and apparently, the 'acei' are pseudotropheus sp. 'acei'...if anyone has any further info, please let me know...below is a quick pic of the 3...

And here's one of the Maylandia estherae boy....

Hope you all like them...I'll post more when I have better ones...As for the tank, it all seems to be settling down and starting to improve with more time and fish.

Gordon

 

[guppy_man]

looking good, how much did you pay for the 3 pseudotropheus sp, and are they agressive?

 

[nicelights]

looking good, how much did you pay for the 3 pseudotropheus sp, and are they agressive?

If my addled brain is correct, I paid £9 each for them. They aren't particularly aggressive, unlike the male yellow lab who seems to think that the entire tank is his!!!!

G

 

[adambrum]

The acei are one of the less aggressive but grow very fast and get to about 5".


Your tanks looking nice, the estherae are stunning fish when they get bigger,looks like you got a good example of one aswell some have black markings on them.

Pic of mine at 2 1/2"