Setting Up First Mbuna Tank

[Peppi07]

Hi all,
 
New to the African Cichlid world! I have decided on keeping Malawi Mbuna fish and have been researching ALOT however have a couple of things i am stil unsure of. 
 
Here is what i have that is suitable for the set up at the moment:
approx 210 litre - 125cm wide, 40cm deep and 46cm high
uv light
tap water conditioner and some other basic chemicals
thermometer
siphon
Air pump and air stone
Play sand or fine coral or oyster sand/shell - 3cm or 8cm deep?
stability and prime seachem
plants – heard mbuna don’t eat java fern...is this true?
egg crate to disperse weight
limestone in large blocks which I am intending to shape
heater - should i get 2, one at each end so that there are no cold spots in the tank?
Ph, ammonia and nitrate tester kit
Eheim 2217
Wave maker - or does the air stone and filters spray bar good enough?
 
My fish wish list:
5 x Pseudotropheus saulosi (1m and 4f)
5 x Metriaclima estherea
3 x Labidochromis sp. Hongi
 
Companions:
 
3 x Giant Danio – should be fine because they are fast and top dwellers
1 x Red Tail Black Shark – aggressive too
4 x Red Jewel Fish – might not adjust to the ph?
3 x cuckoo catfish or pictus catfish
all with 1 male and 4 female ratio
 
I know that the tank will be overstocked once they grow but this is not my final decision, it will also depend upon what i can get my hands on and for an alright price.
 
So my main questions are:
Do the fish listed all get along and don’t crossbreed?
Any suggestions on plants or how to shape the limestone (what tools)?
Anything else I need?
 
Thanks

 

[james41683]

your cichlid selection should work, only problem would the female salousi and zebras looking similar. you could even get a few more hongi to even out the mix with making it too crowded. the cuckoo catfish and danios would be ok, but the jewels may make it rough for everyone if a pair forms and the breed. redtail sharks can also be hit or miss i would leave it out.
 
5 salousi
5 hongi
5 estherea
5 cuckoo catfish
3 danios
 
this is how i would stock. i would leave out the danios, youll have plenty of activity with 15 cichlids and the catfish. with proper m/f ratios you shouldnt have cross breeding but it's always possible with cichlids.
 
2 heaters would be a good choice in case one goes out you still have another running.

 

[KevM]

The estherae will hybridize with the saulosi, most likely. Hongis can be a bit of a handful (Zebras can, too) and the females are pretty drab. You'd be much better served doing a P. saulosi species tank, I'd say.

Don't mess around putting Jewels in an Mbuna tank. They have different water requirements and most likely won't compete well with all but the softest of Mbuna (of which, there aren't many!).

You may think a RTBS is aggressive (and it is, when compared with community fish) but it is no match for Mbuna. A bigger problem is that the reason for the aggression is due to the feeding habits (grazing aufwuchs, sound familiar?). It will not be permitted to graze among the rocks by the Mbuna, and being a highly strung territorial fish, it will become very stressed.

Synos will be fine and are a great choice if you're thinking of mixing fish that present a high risk of hybridization, this is because they will polish off any fry that appear while all the cichlids sleep at night.

Wavemakers are always a good choice for Mbuna tanks because they will help prevent any dead spots as well as giving the fish a bit of a workout (which, being such strong swimmers, they will enjoy).

 

[Peppi07]

Thanks for the reply's!
 
So far the saulosi are my favourite so they are a definite, along with the cuckoo catfish tank companions
 
I am now considering the following option:
 
8 x saulosi (2m, 6f) - is 3 females each enough?
5 x cuckoo catfish
3 x lab white (1m, 2f) - would this be ok because lab whites arent as aggressive
4 x lab hongi (1m,3f) - and have 3 for 1 male because hongi are more aggressive than whites
 
Just because the estherea is a similar colour to the saulosi females and i really love the whites and the orange mix with purple of the hongi. Also read that when adding the fish to add the least aggressive first so.. labs and catfish, then saulosi and last is hongi?
 
Later i may add some giant danios and after some experience i would love to try a rubin red peacock..heard it can be done but with lots of experience. 
 

 

[Malawifan]

You can mix and match your mbuna as long as you your research first this may help.

http/www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/category.php?cat=2

 

[Peppi07]

Thanks Malawifan i will check it out!
 
And does anyone have a link to a detailed step by step description of how to properly do cycling of the tank WITHOUT FISH....i have asked before and my lfs but it always leads to an argument because everyone has different opinions and i just get confused!!!

 

[Malawifan]

I cycled using the ammonia method on one tank. But on my mbuna tank I used tetra safe start. I also added most of my fish at the same time. Didn't have any issues. There are sites with ammonia calculators on. You just put in the size of tank you have. Also if you use the ammonia method use home base own brand ammonia. It has no soap in it.

 

[Malawifan]

Also for a Malawi set up you want to be among for 5ppm ammonia.

http/www.tropicalfishforums.co.uk/index.php?page=17