How many Mbuna in a 75?

[Rafini]

Oh I would possibly keep some fry for myself but I don't sell. so that won't really be an issue.

I know where you are coming from, I have heard stories of yellow labs being complete *******s but in general they are considered to be a safe bet as far as aggression in Mbuna. I mean we all know what psycho's Auratus and m. Crabro can be, compared to that a yellow lab is "Peaceful" but youre right, all Mbuna are aggressive by nature.

Acei behave a lot more like haps in the sense that they spend virtually all their time out in the water column swimming around, which is why I would think they would be unlikely to hybridize with yellow labs, but if the assorted african tanks are anything to go by those yellow labs will breed with a lot of different mbuna haha

 

[flukekiller]

personally im a fan of rusty cichlids.. and 20+ mbunas in a 75 wont be a problem just make sure you have plenty
of caves. just be prepared for tons of poop. i had a 75 with 2 x eheim2217 on it and ended up with 23 mbunas about
10 or 11 different types with minimal agression before i sold the set up off.

 

[Rafini]

Yeah I know that they prefer to be somewhat overcrowded, it takes a lot of dedicated waterchanges and good filtration to have a functioning african aquarium. I'm perfectly happy to upgrade the filtration if I felt it was lacking but I plan on overfiltering.

I hadn't considered the rusty cichlid, I thought that they were too closely related to the yellow labs but now that I do a little looking up I see they are in a different family

 

[Oscarum monstruoso]

Yeah I know that they prefer to be somewhat overcrowded, it takes a lot of dedicated waterchanges and good filtration to have a functioning african aquarium. I'm perfectly happy to upgrade the filtration if I felt it was lacking but I plan on overfiltering.

I hadn't considered the rusty cichlid, I thought that they were too closely related to the yellow labs but now that I do a little looking up I see they are in a different family

Keep in mind that just because a filter is listed at say a 150 gallons does not automatically mean that it will overfilter a 75 gallon tank.

 

[Rafini]

Keep in mind that just because a filter is listed at say a 150 gallons does not automatically mean that it will overfilter a 75 gallon tank.

I know that, Its listed for more than 150 and I go by the GPH. The brands loosely calculate the recommended size by the GPH anyway but in general I believe in overfiltering and lots of regular waterchanges

 

[paulW]

Thanks RD. I was thinking mainly of adding some other non aggresssive Mbuna to the mix mainly for growout purposes and then maybe a year or so down the line curb the numbers to where I am happy or possibly even upgrade, Any species you would suggest, I was thinking maybe Socolofi or something else mild

I guess I wouldn't consider pseudotropheus socolofi a mildly tempered fish. I had some, the males claimed pretty large territory. Maybe other people's experience is different though.

Saulosi and Cynotalpia Afra are nice mellow mbuna

You'll be fine with 10 acei and 10 yellow labs.

 

[paulW]

Yeah thats True, I know quite a bit about african cichlids especially which species to avoid, but I was just curious what would be some good colors to introduce without too much aggression

I know peacocks haps and mbuna are not really supposed to be mixed but I feel like some of the more peaceful haps or peacocks would mix nicely with Acei and yellow labs. that way there is no real risk of hybridization as all the species would be very different.

That or socolofi or perhaps some zebras but I hear they are quite aggressive for Mbuna although the ones I've kept have been fine

Yes, you could do peacocks and haps.
People overly freak out about the risk of hybridization.
Don't put any hiding places in your tank for fry (no holey rock)
Maybe put a few syndonditis in there if the budget allows (They eat fry)
This is what I do in my mixed tank, no fry survive. In fact, if the tank is crowded enough, usually other fish swoop in and eat the eggs when two fish try to spawn.

Worst case, maybe once a year, you have to net out some hybrids and freeze them.
As long as you aren't distributing the hybrids to other people, it's really no big deal.

 

[Rafini]

Yes, you could do peacocks and haps.
People overly freak out about the risk of hybridization.
Don't put any hiding places in your tank for fry (no holey rock)
Maybe put a few syndonditis in there if the budget allows (They eat fry)
This is what I do in my mixed tank, no fry survive. In fact, if the tank is crowded enough, usually other fish swoop in and eat the eggs when two fish try to spawn.

Worst case, maybe once a year, you have to net out some hybrids and freeze them.
As long as you aren't distributing the hybrids to other people, it's really no big deal.

I was thinking more along the lines of 8 Acei and 6 or so yellow labs, leaving me some space for other colors and species. Oh I have no interest in distributing fry even if they are pure. very few would survive if any with Synodontis in the aquarium haha.

I was thinking about possibly some peacocks or Protomelas Fenestratus, just to add color and mix things up. Although I am more than happy to have only Mbuna, its just an idea

 

[paulW]

I was thinking more along the lines of 8 Acei and 6 or so yellow labs, leaving me some space for other colors and species. Oh I have no interest in distributing fry even if they are pure. very few would survive if any with Synodontis in the aquarium haha.

I was thinking about possibly some peacocks or Protomelas Fenestratus, just to add color and mix things up. Although I am more than happy to have only Mbuna, its just an idea

That would work out fine.
My own tank has mellow mbuna, but mostly Peacocks/Haps. It's 300g, so the size reduces some aggression.
But yellow labs and Acei are about as tame as you can get.
I have some 6" Acei in my tank now. They've never been a problem. Had yellow labs in the past, never a problem. Nice fish, just moved on to different things.
And Protomelas are great haps.. Also a very safe pick in terms of aggression.
You are on the right track, it should work out great.

 

[Rafini]

That would work out fine.
My own tank has mellow mbuna, but mostly Peacocks/Haps. It's 300g, so the size reduces some aggression.
But yellow labs and Acei are about as tame as you can get.
I have some 6" Acei in my tank now. They've never been a problem. Had yellow labs in the past, never a problem. Nice fish, just moved on to different things.
And Protomelas are great haps.. Also a very safe pick in terms of aggression.
You are on the right track, it should work out great.

Thank you so much for the advice and kind words, I'm just throwing out ideas while at the same time trying to make a tank with a balance that works, I think all African cichlid keepers have had that problem fish that terrorizes their other stock but is just to pretty to remove. The way I see it if I stay within the same aggression levels I should be fine.

The fenestratus or peacocks that I get will be all male, I don't want to chance getting unidentifiable females that will make hybrids