thecichlidaddict
Fish Herder
The Mbuna Aquarium
Introduction
Mbuna (um-boo-na) are a group of cichlids endemic to lake Malawi (mul-a-wee), one of the three rift lakes of Africa. They reside in the shallower areas where the algae rich rock reefs can be used as a source of both food and security. Their constant activity, brilliant color, and success with high stocking levels make mbuna a popular choice for a cichlid aquarium. Not only is their beauty and energy perfect for an exotic freshwater show tank, but their hardiness makes some of them as suitable for beginners as for more experienced hobbiests.
The biggest drawback to these fish is their aggression, although this does tend to make up most of their character and charm. It is imperitive that a suitable sized aquarium be provided in order to deal with some of this aggression. The aggression levels of the fish will only be amplified in the confines of an undersized tank, injuries and fatalities will be imminent. Mbuna vary in aggression from mildly aggressive to extremely hostile, most falling somewhere in between. When choosing species there is more then just color to consider, aggression levels are the largest factor in what species will work together, especially in aquariums of a more limiting size.
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Setting up the aquarium
The tank
The best advice in deciding on the size of the tank is as big as you can fit, or afford to go with. Any tank less then three feet in length is not a suitable environment for any mbuna. 29 gallons is NOT suitable. As far as cichlids are concerned this tank is the same as a 20 gallon, being only two feet long.
Length is the most important aspect when considering what type of tank to buy. A fifty-gallon tank that is four feet long is preferable to a fifty-gallon tank that is three feet long. Hex and cube tanks should be avoided completely, they are nearly useless for these fish because of an extreme lack of surface area. Mbuna are generally bottom dwellers, so aquarium height is the least important aspect--'tall’ tanks are undesirable.
Filtration
Mbuna are usually stocked in higher numbers in order to help distribute aggression, and you will want enough filtration to handle these levels. Canisters are great for bio-fitration because they hold a lot of media and are very versatile. Hanging power filters tend to have a higher flow which provides superior mechanical filtration. There is no reason why one can’t go with one of each. Having two filters also lets you stagger maintenance on them, ensuring that you always have a healthy bacterial colony. You can also go with two hanging filters, two canister filters, or another type of filtration altogether, as long as you are sure that have enough. It is always safer to go with too much then too little. In short - you can't have too much filtration with these fish.
The decoration
It is very important to provide many hiding spots for the less aggressive and sub-dominant fish, otherwise they can easily be cornered and beat upon, or end up living under constant stress that will eventually kill them through another illness. Providing many more hiding spots then there are fish and making them varied in size is ideal--including caves that may seem too small--it is amazing what these fish can squeeze into. I use solid rocks of various sizes and pile them up to create a natural network of caves and tunnels, and while some would deem my rockwork excessive I find the mbuna do very well with it. Any fish can quickly lose another one on it's tail, and larger surface area of rock allows for more room for grazing and less territorial battles. It is not necessary to use rocks, but hiding spots are a must and this is the most natural way to accomplish this.
The fish stores sell a variety of rocks, but charge much more then they should. You can get rocks from landscape suppliers for much cheaper, just look in the local yellow pages. You can even use rocks that you find locally. Regardless of where you obtain the rocks it’s safest to clean them as well as possible. Smaller rocks can be boiled or baked; larger ones can be rinsed with hot water or pressure-washed.
Many types of rocks can be used, and in the end what you choose is dependent on personal preference and what you can get your hands on. Some popular ones are granite, slate, holey rock, limestone, lava rock, lace rock, silica rock, and river rock.
When placing the rocks in the tank put them directly on the bottom glass. Mbuna are diggers, and if the rocks are rested on top of the substrate the fish will dig under the rocks and cause a collapse that can lead to injured or killed fish and even a shattered aquarium. Place the rocks in a formation that is sturdy and pleasing to the eye. You can use the sides and back of the aquarium to support the rocks, but try to make as many of them free standing as possible to reduce pressure on the glass. Play around with the rocks until you are comfortable that you have a sturdy structure. Keep in mind that it can take some experimenting to create a rock reef that is both aesthetically pleasing and a good environment for the fish. Stacking the rocks higher will encourage the fish to use more height of the aquarium, but always leave at aleast a few inches at the top to maximize grazing area.
Some hardy plants such as Java Fern and Annubias can be kept with these fish, but you may find that they get dug up and end up floating. Likewise fake plants will work in a similar way. Avoid using driftwood in an mbuna tank, as it can bring down the PH of the water, but a little bit will not make a noticable difference. Some rocks like limestone and holey rock will actually help to buffer the water, and are excellent for African rift lake tanks for this reason.
A Word on Algae
Common aquarium algae actually provides little nutritional benefit to the fish, but it does keep them busy grazing - something they spend a large amount of time doing in the wild. Provided with a thick layer of algae on the rocks, the fish will spend more time grazing and less time chasing, resulting in a more relaxed atmosphere.
The Substrate
Substrate is largely a personal choice as well. Sand or gravel can be used, but if you go with gravel choose a type with a finer grain size so that the fish can still dig, a natural nesting behavior that is enjoyable to watch. Sand is certainly closest to their natural substrate, and looks great.
Many types of sand can be used. Some, like finely crushed coral and aragonite (oolitic), can be bought for a fairly hefty price from the fish store and will help to buffer the water. Beware of cheap crushed coral as it may contain sharp fragments that can irritate the gills. The use of alternative methods for buffering the water will open up the options for substrate choice, and las with rocks many types can be purchased elsewhere for considerably cheaper then at the fish store. Beach play sand is an excellent source, being clean, attractive, and very economical. Pool filter sand is also a very good one. Additionally you can use river sand, concrete sand, construction sand, blasting sand and many other types too. Some are dustier then others, but all will settle eventually.
Only enough sand to bury any plants or decorations you may have is needed. Usually 1.5” is plenty. Over 2” is excessive and a problem of toxic anaerobic pockets under the sand can develope: when these pockets are disturbed and released into the water it can be harmful or even fatal to the fish.
Some mbuna are very avid diggers, and will keep digging right until they hit the bottom glass. One method of avoiding the ‘bare glass’ problem is to silicone a couple of layers of your substrate to one side of a piece of plexi-glass, cut to the size of the tank, so they can never dig down to the glass no matter how hard they try.
Lighting
As far as mbuna are concerned lighting is not very important. A single strip bulb will be dimmer and can help prevent algae. A double strip bulb tends to give the best lighting results, and allows you to mix and match different bulbs to achieve the most desirable lighting tint. More lighting will really promote healthy algae growth and gives ulitmate control of the color, but can begin to wash out the fishes colors.
The Water
To achieve the most accurate reading of your tap water, fill a container or bucket and run an air stone in it for a few hours. This will release co2 from the water and give a more accurate reading.
The ideal PH for mbuna is in the general region of 8.0, but they are very adaptable and can handle a fairly wide range. If your tap water falls between 7.5 and 8.5 you have good water, and are best off using it as-is, with no adjustments. More important is KH, which acts as a buffer and keeps the PH stable. A KH of 8 or more is most desirable.
If your water is not quite desirable for them then there are a few ways to bring it up to spec. Crushed coral can help, as can limestone and other mineral rich rocks. These can be used as substrate or decoration, and can also be placed in a filter. This method is great because more water is forced through the media then as a substrate, and it leaves you with free choice for substrate. Canisters are best for this because they hold more media then most types. The more finely crushed the coral is, the more effective it will be, but at the same time if it is crushed to a sand it will impede water flow.
Another option for an easy method is to use baking soda. If may sound strange, but it actually works very well and costs next to nothing. Baking soda will raise the PH to 8.2, and no further no matter how much you use. The more you use, the higher the KH will rise. The elements of baking soda do get used up, so it is important to check the KH weekly to make sure things are good, and add more if necessary. You also need to add more for the water that you replace at each water change. Even if it sounds a little complicated now, you will quickly get into the rhythm and these additions will become second nature.
You can also use store bought additives, but keep in mind many of them are unstable, and you would be no further ahead then using baking soda, and you’d be spending more money too.
Regardless of what additive, if any, that you choose to use, it is important to keep an eye on parameters regularly to make sure values are remaining stable. Test weekly and add more as you need to. In general it’s best to avoid all additives if you can. More often then not the water is suitable right out of the tap, and weekly water changes will keep it stable.
If your tap water PH is unusually low, less then 7, the best thing you can do for stability is keep fish that respond to that type of water better, this way you don’t need to worry about messing with the water parameters. There is no lack of interesting and aesthetically pleasing new-world cichlids.
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Stocking the Tank
Overstocking
Overstocking is the most common way of dealing with aggression with mbuna. The idea is that more fish means less aggression toward any one fish. Any fish that is picked on can easily ‘get lost in the crowd’. This is true, but don’t take it too far. Overstocking does not mean cramming the tank wall to wall with fish, it just means keeping enough to avoid any one fish getting beat on. Overstocked tanks are less stable, more susceptible to problems, foul the tank more quickly and require more maintenance. There is something called a ‘happy medium’ and that is what we are looking to achieve.
So how many can you keep? Well that depends on what fish you are keeping, what size aquarium you have, what filtration you are running, and how often you maintain the tank. It is best to list your aquarium specs and desired fish on a forum to get advice specific to your situation; any rules of thumb are bound to be inaccurate, if not plain wrong.
Choosing the right fish
Because of the different levels of aggression it is important to make sure that the fish you are choosing are suitable for your tank, and each other. How many you can fit, and what gender ratio’s are best depends on what fish you will be keeping. Before stocking the tank browse through some galleries and make a list of what catches your eye. Then post this list on a forum and experienced fish keepers can help you sort out which fish are not compatible with each other, and which are not suitable to the size of your tank. Take the advice seriously, or you may be the cause of death of otherwise healthy fish. There are some tips to choosing species that can get you started however. The following are methods that are best used with the Overstocking method to keep aggression to a minimum.
-When it comes to the number of species in a mbuna tank, less is more. Keeping each type in higher numbers spreads out aggression and has the tendancy to keep any aggression within the species. Kept in groups the fish exhibit better behavior and arguably result in a more impressive setup then a tank full of random singles.
-Keep approriate gender ratios and purchase extra juveniles to make sure there are enough females. With a couple of exceptions, the aggression of the male needs to be distributed among several females. Mbuna are not 'pairing' fish as so many New World and Tanganyikan species are and keeping just two of anything will lead to problems. Multiple males may or may not work together, depending on the species chosen.
-Fish of different species that look too similar will end up fighting. Choosing species of varied appearance can avoid this common problem. If they look similar to you, they'll look similar to the fish. We might think that a fish might detect the minor differences between species, especially considering their keen eyesight and instincts, but this just isn't the case.
-As with fish of the same appearance, multiple fish of the same genus, yet different species, can also lead to further problems. The Genus is the group of fish the species in question belongs to. For example, Melanochromis Auratus and Melanochromis Johanni are two different species of the same genus.
Choosing Non-Cichlid Tankmates
There are very few fish that can live with mbuna because of their very aggressive nature. Community fish don't stand a chance, and even those tough enough to survive will end up living in constant stress. It is best to make the aquarium specific to mbuna, with a few specific exceptions. Haps from Malawi can be included if the mbuna chosen are of the less aggressive varieties, and provided that the aquarium is big enough. Some catfish can make excellent tankmates, specifically those from the Synodontis family. Remember, catfish tend to do best in numbers, so try to get them in groups. If you are interested in keeping biotopes, Synodontis Njassae is native to lake Malawi.
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Diet
There are many myths involving mbuna, and some of these should be cleared up right away.
1: Pellets cause bloat. This is not true, pellets are a clean and efficient way to feed fish, and makes it easy to ration. It is often thought that because pellets expand in water, they will expand in the fish too. As the pellets soften they expand in water, but they actually break down in the fish. If you squeeze a pellet that has been soaking, it just falls apart, right? There is no need to soak pellets before hand either, though this may make it easier for younger fish to eat. Pellets are very condensed and dry nutrition though, so don't go overboard with them because they don't need as much as it seems.
2: Protein causes bloat. This is the most popular myth of all. Spirulina, the food most recommended for these herbivorous creatures, has a protien level of over fifty percent! It’s not the protein that causes harm as much as the source of it. Fatty, slimy foods foreign to their natural diet will cause the problems. Avoid any type of worms, including the larvae known as blood worms, and any products from mammals, like beefheart, will only complicate matters. Bloat is not just caused by diet, but by any type of stress including foul water and improper tank mates or tank size.
The best kind of food is a variety of food. Actual diet depends on the mbuna. On one end of the scale there are mbuna that feed almost exclusively on algae. On the other end are mbuna that eat almost no algae. Most of them fall somewhere in the middle, hence the variety.
Regardless of what brands you go with, don’t cheap out on the food. Big Bob’s budget line of fish food is not the same as a high quality brand. Check the ingredients and look out for an over-abundance of fillers, or the use of any non-aquatic animal products. Since prepared foods loose nutrients over time, puchasing bulk is best avoided unless it can be stored properly.
For the staple diet it’s best to feed two types of food. A good spirulina flake along with a good standard cichlid pellet or flake. A balance between the two of them will provide a complete diet. For some species like labeotropheus the diet should contain primarily spirulina, while others, like labidochromis, don't need much at all, learn diet of the species you are keeping.
As supplements you can use live frozen foods like brine shrimp, mysis, and Cyclops. These are supplements, and should only make up a smaller portion of the diet, but provide an excellent source of nutrition in moderation. Again, some species can handle more of this then others.
Fresh vegetables can be fed as a supplement also. Shelled peas, spinach, and zucchini are common choices. If you do decide to do this, don’t leave the veggies in long enough to foul the water. Remove the uneaten portions after 24 hours at most. I've always found them messy to feed, but many aquarists enjoy feeding these treats.
Cichlids are pigs. They will always appear hungry and will eat more then what is good for them. Overfeeding is easy to do and quite common because of this. There is no magic method to use for feeding, but use discretion and common sense. Mbuna are grazers, and in the wild are continuously foraging for food and eating small amounts throughout the day. Feeding small portions more often is generally the best way to feed, but twice per day is fine, and fits into most peoples schedules. If you do feed the fish every time they swim to the top and beg for food, which may be every time you pass the tank, you will end up with fat, unhealthy fish and a dirty aquarium.
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Breeding
Breeding mbuna is easy. All you need to do is provide proper conditions and they will do the rest themselves. Many of them are so prolific that they will breed readily in less then ideal conditions, so don’t fool yourself into thinking that things in the tank are perfect just because the fish are breeding.
Mbuna are mouth brooders. They hold the fertilized eggs in their mouths until they hatch and the fry grow large enough to be free from their yolks. When fish have a mouthful of eggs or fry are considered to be ‘holding’. A holding fish looks like her mouth is full of chewing gum. Depending on species, this is typically close to a month long period. The females don't eat while they're holding, though they may cruise around with the others when you feed them and appear to ‘sniff out’ the food. Some will even sneak a bite or two in.
It's not uncommon for a young female to fail on the first attempt at holding, and they will often swallow or spit the eggs, so don't get nervous and think that you did something wrong.
If you want to save and raise the fry you will need to separate the holding fish (the mother). In general the fish are more comfortable in the tank they are used to, so it is best to separate them as close to the end of the holding term as possible. Three weeks is usually a good time to move them. Sometimes holding fish cannot find a good enough hiding spot and will get overly harassed by the male, in which case it would be a good idea to move the female sooner.
I don't separate the holding fish at all. After three weeks I 'strip' the holding fish. To strip a fish means to (gently) force the female to spit the fry. The fry get stripped directly into a fry tank, and the female goes back into the main tank to resume life. If you want to try stripping the fish read up on it fish as much as you can before attempting it to avoid harming the fish.
The fry grow quickly, so 10 gallons is the absolute minimum I recommend for the fry tank, and even still they will be limited in the size that they can grow under these conditions. If you want to grow them out to a nice, sellable size then a larger tank is best.
Filtration needs to be something that is effective yet safe for fry. Sponge or box filters are ideal, and power filters can be used provided you put netting or foam on the intake so that smaller fry cannot be sucked up into the filter.
The fry should have staple similar to the adults. In fact, the adult food can be crushed into a powder, and makes an excellent diet. There are some brands of food that make specific ‘fry food’, but crushing adult food is just as effective. Baby brine shrimp are readily accepted as a fresh supplement.
Fry don’t eat very much, but they like to eat often. Feeding smaller portions more often is always the best method. Three times per day is typically reasonable for the average working person.
Harvesting algae on rocks is a great way to keep the fry busy, and provide a bit of nutrition too.
For the best growth the water should be as clean as possible, and fry can be messier then one might think. You simply can’t do too many water changes on a fry tank. The cleaner the water, the better the results, and daily water changes are not unheard of.
To keep the fry tank as clean as possible consider going with a ‘bare bottom’ tank, that is, with no substrate. Any excess debris can easily be vacuumed away. There is no need to provide heavy decoration in a fry tank, a couple of rocks, or something easy to remove and clean, is enough to provide some security.
You can move the female back to the main tank when you notice that she has ‘spit’ (released) the fry.
Sexing Mbuna and Deciding on gender ratios
Almost all mbuna are tough or impossible to sex when they are young juveniles. Gender specific traits tend to develop as they become sexually mature.
When they are mature the difficulty in sexing varies. With some species the males and females are completely different colors, with others it is minor marking and shape differences. A few species are near impossible to tell apart no matter how old they are.
The best way to achieve the gender ratios we want is to buy extra fish. Since the fish are young and small, the tank can handle more juvenile fish then adults. For example if you wanted one male and three females of a certain species, it’s best to get 6 or 7 young fish, so that you can remove extra males as they become identifiable. In addition there is always a chance that a fish can be occasionally lost through no fault of the fish keeper. If you choose fish that are difficult to sex physically you will need to rely on behavior – males will be more aggressive, and a dominant male will often extra aggressive toward other males then toward females most of the time. The good news is that with many of these difficult–to-sex species males will grudgingly co-exist in the same tank, given that there is enough room.
The most common ‘rule of thumb’ when establishing ratios is the ‘trio’, which is one male and two females. This is, in general, a safe way to go, but there are exceptions. A couple of species are hyper aggressive and you should really have at least 5 females to a male, while some varieties can exist without problem at a 1:1 ratio. This is where learning about the fish you will be specifically keeping comes into play, and research is your best friend. In addition there is personal preference. You may want four, five, or ten of a species, rather then three. Keeping them singly is a good way to reduce aggression in a tank as well. In small tanks especially, having a single breeding group in the tank is a good way to curb aggression. Single specimens can still be added for variety. Females are generally less aggressive then males, but this is by no means always the case. Cichlids are generally social fish, and interact with each other in many ways. Keeping species in groups is, in my opinion, the most rewarding way of keeping them.
It is impossible to answer every question in one article, so take advantage of fish forums to get answers from various aquarists!
Good luck!
Introduction
Mbuna (um-boo-na) are a group of cichlids endemic to lake Malawi (mul-a-wee), one of the three rift lakes of Africa. They reside in the shallower areas where the algae rich rock reefs can be used as a source of both food and security. Their constant activity, brilliant color, and success with high stocking levels make mbuna a popular choice for a cichlid aquarium. Not only is their beauty and energy perfect for an exotic freshwater show tank, but their hardiness makes some of them as suitable for beginners as for more experienced hobbiests.
The biggest drawback to these fish is their aggression, although this does tend to make up most of their character and charm. It is imperitive that a suitable sized aquarium be provided in order to deal with some of this aggression. The aggression levels of the fish will only be amplified in the confines of an undersized tank, injuries and fatalities will be imminent. Mbuna vary in aggression from mildly aggressive to extremely hostile, most falling somewhere in between. When choosing species there is more then just color to consider, aggression levels are the largest factor in what species will work together, especially in aquariums of a more limiting size.
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Setting up the aquarium
The tank
The best advice in deciding on the size of the tank is as big as you can fit, or afford to go with. Any tank less then three feet in length is not a suitable environment for any mbuna. 29 gallons is NOT suitable. As far as cichlids are concerned this tank is the same as a 20 gallon, being only two feet long.
Length is the most important aspect when considering what type of tank to buy. A fifty-gallon tank that is four feet long is preferable to a fifty-gallon tank that is three feet long. Hex and cube tanks should be avoided completely, they are nearly useless for these fish because of an extreme lack of surface area. Mbuna are generally bottom dwellers, so aquarium height is the least important aspect--'tall’ tanks are undesirable.
Filtration
Mbuna are usually stocked in higher numbers in order to help distribute aggression, and you will want enough filtration to handle these levels. Canisters are great for bio-fitration because they hold a lot of media and are very versatile. Hanging power filters tend to have a higher flow which provides superior mechanical filtration. There is no reason why one can’t go with one of each. Having two filters also lets you stagger maintenance on them, ensuring that you always have a healthy bacterial colony. You can also go with two hanging filters, two canister filters, or another type of filtration altogether, as long as you are sure that have enough. It is always safer to go with too much then too little. In short - you can't have too much filtration with these fish.
The decoration
It is very important to provide many hiding spots for the less aggressive and sub-dominant fish, otherwise they can easily be cornered and beat upon, or end up living under constant stress that will eventually kill them through another illness. Providing many more hiding spots then there are fish and making them varied in size is ideal--including caves that may seem too small--it is amazing what these fish can squeeze into. I use solid rocks of various sizes and pile them up to create a natural network of caves and tunnels, and while some would deem my rockwork excessive I find the mbuna do very well with it. Any fish can quickly lose another one on it's tail, and larger surface area of rock allows for more room for grazing and less territorial battles. It is not necessary to use rocks, but hiding spots are a must and this is the most natural way to accomplish this.
The fish stores sell a variety of rocks, but charge much more then they should. You can get rocks from landscape suppliers for much cheaper, just look in the local yellow pages. You can even use rocks that you find locally. Regardless of where you obtain the rocks it’s safest to clean them as well as possible. Smaller rocks can be boiled or baked; larger ones can be rinsed with hot water or pressure-washed.
Many types of rocks can be used, and in the end what you choose is dependent on personal preference and what you can get your hands on. Some popular ones are granite, slate, holey rock, limestone, lava rock, lace rock, silica rock, and river rock.
When placing the rocks in the tank put them directly on the bottom glass. Mbuna are diggers, and if the rocks are rested on top of the substrate the fish will dig under the rocks and cause a collapse that can lead to injured or killed fish and even a shattered aquarium. Place the rocks in a formation that is sturdy and pleasing to the eye. You can use the sides and back of the aquarium to support the rocks, but try to make as many of them free standing as possible to reduce pressure on the glass. Play around with the rocks until you are comfortable that you have a sturdy structure. Keep in mind that it can take some experimenting to create a rock reef that is both aesthetically pleasing and a good environment for the fish. Stacking the rocks higher will encourage the fish to use more height of the aquarium, but always leave at aleast a few inches at the top to maximize grazing area.
Some hardy plants such as Java Fern and Annubias can be kept with these fish, but you may find that they get dug up and end up floating. Likewise fake plants will work in a similar way. Avoid using driftwood in an mbuna tank, as it can bring down the PH of the water, but a little bit will not make a noticable difference. Some rocks like limestone and holey rock will actually help to buffer the water, and are excellent for African rift lake tanks for this reason.
A Word on Algae
Common aquarium algae actually provides little nutritional benefit to the fish, but it does keep them busy grazing - something they spend a large amount of time doing in the wild. Provided with a thick layer of algae on the rocks, the fish will spend more time grazing and less time chasing, resulting in a more relaxed atmosphere.
The Substrate
Substrate is largely a personal choice as well. Sand or gravel can be used, but if you go with gravel choose a type with a finer grain size so that the fish can still dig, a natural nesting behavior that is enjoyable to watch. Sand is certainly closest to their natural substrate, and looks great.
Many types of sand can be used. Some, like finely crushed coral and aragonite (oolitic), can be bought for a fairly hefty price from the fish store and will help to buffer the water. Beware of cheap crushed coral as it may contain sharp fragments that can irritate the gills. The use of alternative methods for buffering the water will open up the options for substrate choice, and las with rocks many types can be purchased elsewhere for considerably cheaper then at the fish store. Beach play sand is an excellent source, being clean, attractive, and very economical. Pool filter sand is also a very good one. Additionally you can use river sand, concrete sand, construction sand, blasting sand and many other types too. Some are dustier then others, but all will settle eventually.
Only enough sand to bury any plants or decorations you may have is needed. Usually 1.5” is plenty. Over 2” is excessive and a problem of toxic anaerobic pockets under the sand can develope: when these pockets are disturbed and released into the water it can be harmful or even fatal to the fish.
Some mbuna are very avid diggers, and will keep digging right until they hit the bottom glass. One method of avoiding the ‘bare glass’ problem is to silicone a couple of layers of your substrate to one side of a piece of plexi-glass, cut to the size of the tank, so they can never dig down to the glass no matter how hard they try.
Lighting
As far as mbuna are concerned lighting is not very important. A single strip bulb will be dimmer and can help prevent algae. A double strip bulb tends to give the best lighting results, and allows you to mix and match different bulbs to achieve the most desirable lighting tint. More lighting will really promote healthy algae growth and gives ulitmate control of the color, but can begin to wash out the fishes colors.
The Water
To achieve the most accurate reading of your tap water, fill a container or bucket and run an air stone in it for a few hours. This will release co2 from the water and give a more accurate reading.
The ideal PH for mbuna is in the general region of 8.0, but they are very adaptable and can handle a fairly wide range. If your tap water falls between 7.5 and 8.5 you have good water, and are best off using it as-is, with no adjustments. More important is KH, which acts as a buffer and keeps the PH stable. A KH of 8 or more is most desirable.
If your water is not quite desirable for them then there are a few ways to bring it up to spec. Crushed coral can help, as can limestone and other mineral rich rocks. These can be used as substrate or decoration, and can also be placed in a filter. This method is great because more water is forced through the media then as a substrate, and it leaves you with free choice for substrate. Canisters are best for this because they hold more media then most types. The more finely crushed the coral is, the more effective it will be, but at the same time if it is crushed to a sand it will impede water flow.
Another option for an easy method is to use baking soda. If may sound strange, but it actually works very well and costs next to nothing. Baking soda will raise the PH to 8.2, and no further no matter how much you use. The more you use, the higher the KH will rise. The elements of baking soda do get used up, so it is important to check the KH weekly to make sure things are good, and add more if necessary. You also need to add more for the water that you replace at each water change. Even if it sounds a little complicated now, you will quickly get into the rhythm and these additions will become second nature.
You can also use store bought additives, but keep in mind many of them are unstable, and you would be no further ahead then using baking soda, and you’d be spending more money too.
Regardless of what additive, if any, that you choose to use, it is important to keep an eye on parameters regularly to make sure values are remaining stable. Test weekly and add more as you need to. In general it’s best to avoid all additives if you can. More often then not the water is suitable right out of the tap, and weekly water changes will keep it stable.
If your tap water PH is unusually low, less then 7, the best thing you can do for stability is keep fish that respond to that type of water better, this way you don’t need to worry about messing with the water parameters. There is no lack of interesting and aesthetically pleasing new-world cichlids.
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Stocking the Tank
Overstocking
Overstocking is the most common way of dealing with aggression with mbuna. The idea is that more fish means less aggression toward any one fish. Any fish that is picked on can easily ‘get lost in the crowd’. This is true, but don’t take it too far. Overstocking does not mean cramming the tank wall to wall with fish, it just means keeping enough to avoid any one fish getting beat on. Overstocked tanks are less stable, more susceptible to problems, foul the tank more quickly and require more maintenance. There is something called a ‘happy medium’ and that is what we are looking to achieve.
So how many can you keep? Well that depends on what fish you are keeping, what size aquarium you have, what filtration you are running, and how often you maintain the tank. It is best to list your aquarium specs and desired fish on a forum to get advice specific to your situation; any rules of thumb are bound to be inaccurate, if not plain wrong.
Choosing the right fish
Because of the different levels of aggression it is important to make sure that the fish you are choosing are suitable for your tank, and each other. How many you can fit, and what gender ratio’s are best depends on what fish you will be keeping. Before stocking the tank browse through some galleries and make a list of what catches your eye. Then post this list on a forum and experienced fish keepers can help you sort out which fish are not compatible with each other, and which are not suitable to the size of your tank. Take the advice seriously, or you may be the cause of death of otherwise healthy fish. There are some tips to choosing species that can get you started however. The following are methods that are best used with the Overstocking method to keep aggression to a minimum.
-When it comes to the number of species in a mbuna tank, less is more. Keeping each type in higher numbers spreads out aggression and has the tendancy to keep any aggression within the species. Kept in groups the fish exhibit better behavior and arguably result in a more impressive setup then a tank full of random singles.
-Keep approriate gender ratios and purchase extra juveniles to make sure there are enough females. With a couple of exceptions, the aggression of the male needs to be distributed among several females. Mbuna are not 'pairing' fish as so many New World and Tanganyikan species are and keeping just two of anything will lead to problems. Multiple males may or may not work together, depending on the species chosen.
-Fish of different species that look too similar will end up fighting. Choosing species of varied appearance can avoid this common problem. If they look similar to you, they'll look similar to the fish. We might think that a fish might detect the minor differences between species, especially considering their keen eyesight and instincts, but this just isn't the case.
-As with fish of the same appearance, multiple fish of the same genus, yet different species, can also lead to further problems. The Genus is the group of fish the species in question belongs to. For example, Melanochromis Auratus and Melanochromis Johanni are two different species of the same genus.
Choosing Non-Cichlid Tankmates
There are very few fish that can live with mbuna because of their very aggressive nature. Community fish don't stand a chance, and even those tough enough to survive will end up living in constant stress. It is best to make the aquarium specific to mbuna, with a few specific exceptions. Haps from Malawi can be included if the mbuna chosen are of the less aggressive varieties, and provided that the aquarium is big enough. Some catfish can make excellent tankmates, specifically those from the Synodontis family. Remember, catfish tend to do best in numbers, so try to get them in groups. If you are interested in keeping biotopes, Synodontis Njassae is native to lake Malawi.
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Diet
There are many myths involving mbuna, and some of these should be cleared up right away.
1: Pellets cause bloat. This is not true, pellets are a clean and efficient way to feed fish, and makes it easy to ration. It is often thought that because pellets expand in water, they will expand in the fish too. As the pellets soften they expand in water, but they actually break down in the fish. If you squeeze a pellet that has been soaking, it just falls apart, right? There is no need to soak pellets before hand either, though this may make it easier for younger fish to eat. Pellets are very condensed and dry nutrition though, so don't go overboard with them because they don't need as much as it seems.
2: Protein causes bloat. This is the most popular myth of all. Spirulina, the food most recommended for these herbivorous creatures, has a protien level of over fifty percent! It’s not the protein that causes harm as much as the source of it. Fatty, slimy foods foreign to their natural diet will cause the problems. Avoid any type of worms, including the larvae known as blood worms, and any products from mammals, like beefheart, will only complicate matters. Bloat is not just caused by diet, but by any type of stress including foul water and improper tank mates or tank size.
The best kind of food is a variety of food. Actual diet depends on the mbuna. On one end of the scale there are mbuna that feed almost exclusively on algae. On the other end are mbuna that eat almost no algae. Most of them fall somewhere in the middle, hence the variety.
Regardless of what brands you go with, don’t cheap out on the food. Big Bob’s budget line of fish food is not the same as a high quality brand. Check the ingredients and look out for an over-abundance of fillers, or the use of any non-aquatic animal products. Since prepared foods loose nutrients over time, puchasing bulk is best avoided unless it can be stored properly.
For the staple diet it’s best to feed two types of food. A good spirulina flake along with a good standard cichlid pellet or flake. A balance between the two of them will provide a complete diet. For some species like labeotropheus the diet should contain primarily spirulina, while others, like labidochromis, don't need much at all, learn diet of the species you are keeping.
As supplements you can use live frozen foods like brine shrimp, mysis, and Cyclops. These are supplements, and should only make up a smaller portion of the diet, but provide an excellent source of nutrition in moderation. Again, some species can handle more of this then others.
Fresh vegetables can be fed as a supplement also. Shelled peas, spinach, and zucchini are common choices. If you do decide to do this, don’t leave the veggies in long enough to foul the water. Remove the uneaten portions after 24 hours at most. I've always found them messy to feed, but many aquarists enjoy feeding these treats.
Cichlids are pigs. They will always appear hungry and will eat more then what is good for them. Overfeeding is easy to do and quite common because of this. There is no magic method to use for feeding, but use discretion and common sense. Mbuna are grazers, and in the wild are continuously foraging for food and eating small amounts throughout the day. Feeding small portions more often is generally the best way to feed, but twice per day is fine, and fits into most peoples schedules. If you do feed the fish every time they swim to the top and beg for food, which may be every time you pass the tank, you will end up with fat, unhealthy fish and a dirty aquarium.
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Breeding
Breeding mbuna is easy. All you need to do is provide proper conditions and they will do the rest themselves. Many of them are so prolific that they will breed readily in less then ideal conditions, so don’t fool yourself into thinking that things in the tank are perfect just because the fish are breeding.
Mbuna are mouth brooders. They hold the fertilized eggs in their mouths until they hatch and the fry grow large enough to be free from their yolks. When fish have a mouthful of eggs or fry are considered to be ‘holding’. A holding fish looks like her mouth is full of chewing gum. Depending on species, this is typically close to a month long period. The females don't eat while they're holding, though they may cruise around with the others when you feed them and appear to ‘sniff out’ the food. Some will even sneak a bite or two in.
It's not uncommon for a young female to fail on the first attempt at holding, and they will often swallow or spit the eggs, so don't get nervous and think that you did something wrong.
If you want to save and raise the fry you will need to separate the holding fish (the mother). In general the fish are more comfortable in the tank they are used to, so it is best to separate them as close to the end of the holding term as possible. Three weeks is usually a good time to move them. Sometimes holding fish cannot find a good enough hiding spot and will get overly harassed by the male, in which case it would be a good idea to move the female sooner.
I don't separate the holding fish at all. After three weeks I 'strip' the holding fish. To strip a fish means to (gently) force the female to spit the fry. The fry get stripped directly into a fry tank, and the female goes back into the main tank to resume life. If you want to try stripping the fish read up on it fish as much as you can before attempting it to avoid harming the fish.
The fry grow quickly, so 10 gallons is the absolute minimum I recommend for the fry tank, and even still they will be limited in the size that they can grow under these conditions. If you want to grow them out to a nice, sellable size then a larger tank is best.
Filtration needs to be something that is effective yet safe for fry. Sponge or box filters are ideal, and power filters can be used provided you put netting or foam on the intake so that smaller fry cannot be sucked up into the filter.
The fry should have staple similar to the adults. In fact, the adult food can be crushed into a powder, and makes an excellent diet. There are some brands of food that make specific ‘fry food’, but crushing adult food is just as effective. Baby brine shrimp are readily accepted as a fresh supplement.
Fry don’t eat very much, but they like to eat often. Feeding smaller portions more often is always the best method. Three times per day is typically reasonable for the average working person.
Harvesting algae on rocks is a great way to keep the fry busy, and provide a bit of nutrition too.
For the best growth the water should be as clean as possible, and fry can be messier then one might think. You simply can’t do too many water changes on a fry tank. The cleaner the water, the better the results, and daily water changes are not unheard of.
To keep the fry tank as clean as possible consider going with a ‘bare bottom’ tank, that is, with no substrate. Any excess debris can easily be vacuumed away. There is no need to provide heavy decoration in a fry tank, a couple of rocks, or something easy to remove and clean, is enough to provide some security.
You can move the female back to the main tank when you notice that she has ‘spit’ (released) the fry.
Sexing Mbuna and Deciding on gender ratios
Almost all mbuna are tough or impossible to sex when they are young juveniles. Gender specific traits tend to develop as they become sexually mature.
When they are mature the difficulty in sexing varies. With some species the males and females are completely different colors, with others it is minor marking and shape differences. A few species are near impossible to tell apart no matter how old they are.
The best way to achieve the gender ratios we want is to buy extra fish. Since the fish are young and small, the tank can handle more juvenile fish then adults. For example if you wanted one male and three females of a certain species, it’s best to get 6 or 7 young fish, so that you can remove extra males as they become identifiable. In addition there is always a chance that a fish can be occasionally lost through no fault of the fish keeper. If you choose fish that are difficult to sex physically you will need to rely on behavior – males will be more aggressive, and a dominant male will often extra aggressive toward other males then toward females most of the time. The good news is that with many of these difficult–to-sex species males will grudgingly co-exist in the same tank, given that there is enough room.
The most common ‘rule of thumb’ when establishing ratios is the ‘trio’, which is one male and two females. This is, in general, a safe way to go, but there are exceptions. A couple of species are hyper aggressive and you should really have at least 5 females to a male, while some varieties can exist without problem at a 1:1 ratio. This is where learning about the fish you will be specifically keeping comes into play, and research is your best friend. In addition there is personal preference. You may want four, five, or ten of a species, rather then three. Keeping them singly is a good way to reduce aggression in a tank as well. In small tanks especially, having a single breeding group in the tank is a good way to curb aggression. Single specimens can still be added for variety. Females are generally less aggressive then males, but this is by no means always the case. Cichlids are generally social fish, and interact with each other in many ways. Keeping species in groups is, in my opinion, the most rewarding way of keeping them.
It is impossible to answer every question in one article, so take advantage of fish forums to get answers from various aquarists!
Good luck!
