Mbuna vs Venestus or livingstoni

[Christophercanary]

I know some of the basic characteristics of both such as aggression and size etc. but what is it like keeping these species together?

Which species do you all prefer?

Anyone ever experience aggression towards eachother from these species? I know the venestus get way bigger than the mbuna but have there ever been mbuna who were more dominant than venestus in communities?

I'm asking because if I were to ever do africans outside of mbuna the venestus would probably the only species I do. The peacocks and haps just have no appeal to me whatsoever, there colors are beautiful but I just don't like patterns of color blotches, I like solid colors and stripes and spots and jaguar patterns etc.

C.

 

[tlindsey]

I know some of the basic characteristics of both such as aggression and size etc. but what is it like keeping these species together?

Which species do you all prefer?

Anyone ever experience aggression towards eachother from these species? I know the venestus get way bigger than the mbuna but have there ever been mbuna who were more dominant than venestus in communities?

I'm asking because if I were to ever do africans outside of mbuna the venestus would probably the only species I do. The peacocks and haps just have no appeal to me whatsoever, there colors are beautiful but I just don't like patterns of color blotches, I like solid colors and stripes and spots and jaguar patterns etc.

C.

RD.
duanes
james99
D deeda

 

[The Morning]

I am going to preface this by saying every African cichlid has a different personality What may work in one tank could fail miserably in yours. So please take that for what it is worth.
I currently have a predominantly mbuna tank with a variety of peacocks and haps mixed in. It is a heavily stocked tank meant to spread aggression I have a single V and L currently in there. The L is roughly 4-5 inches long and the V is smaller at about 3 Inches. To date neither has been the victim of any aggression and both have perfect fins and have been growing well.
that being said several years ago I had a much larger V roughly 7 inches that was all shades of torn up one morning also in a predominantly mbuna tank. I pulled him out but he didn’t make it. He was easily twice as big as the next largest mbuna And was the biggest fish in tank at the time.
As with any African tank I advocate having a second tank to be able to “shuffle” the stock and possibly rehome if necessary.

 

[Christophercanary]

I am going to preface this by saying every African cichlid has a different personality What may work in one tank could fail miserably in yours. So please take that for what it is worth.
I currently have a predominantly mbuna tank with a variety of peacocks and haps mixed in. It is a heavily stocked tank meant to spread aggression I have a single V and L currently in there. The L is roughly 4-5 inches long and the V is smaller at about 3 Inches. To date neither has been the victim of any aggression and both have perfect fins and have been growing well.
that being said several years ago I had a much larger V roughly 7 inches that was all shades of torn up one morning also in a predominantly mbuna tank. I pulled him out but he didn’t make it. He was easily twice as big as the next largest mbuna And was the biggest fish in tank at the time.
As with any African tank I advocate having a second tank to be able to “shuffle” the stock and possibly rehome if necessary.

Thanks for sharing! Gotta admit those venestus look damn good -- they are the open swimmer type right? What is like keeping those guys? Anyone ever breed them?

Got any pictures?!

C.

 

[The Morning]

Here ya go

 

[duanes]

Here are a couple of the N. Livingstoni I kept.

I however, didn't keep them with Mbuna, so cannot voice an opinion about that. Mine were quite mild mannered, not at all aggressive in 6 ft tanks.
I kept then with Tilapines, female in the foreground below. (if I remember right)

 

[Christophercanary]

Here are a couple of the N. Livingstoni I kept.

I however, didn't keep them with Mbuna, so cannot voice an opinion about that. Mine were quite mild mannered, not at all aggressive in 6 ft tanks.
I kept then with Tilapines, female in the foreground below. (if I remember right)

Thanks everyone for sharing, Nice pictures! Livingstoni get blue like that? What are size are those?

C.

 

[RD.]

I have kept all of the above, at some times separate, at other times in other tanks, together. The main issue when keeping the larger predatory haps, such as Nimbochromis, with smaller species, is if it will fit in their mouth, there is always risk that that's where a smaller fish will end up.

 

[Stephen St.Clair]

For what its worth, I also keep a V & L along with Various Peacocks, other Haps & Mbuna.
The L isn't particularly aggressive, but is fearless like a swimming rock. The V isn't all that aggressive either. Both L & V are 4" long. L is a male, the V's gender is currently unknown.
My 5" Fusco is far more aggressive than either L or V, but the Fusco is kept in check by the ferocity of my 3" Cynotilapia Afra white top. Quite a beautiful Mbuna.
IMO, the best way to keep a relatively stable mixed African community is to construct a elevated complex hardscape reaching upward midway in the tank. The top half of the tank remains bare as to facilitate unobstructed swimming area for the Haps, and to a lesser degree the Peacocks.
Successfully keeping a mixed African community is all about stock research & "Adjustments" when required.

 

[RD.]

For what its worth, I also keep a V & L along with Various Peacocks, other Haps & Mbuna.
The L isn't particularly aggressive, but is fearless like a swimming rock. The V isn't all that aggressive either. Both L & V are 4" long. L is a male, the V's gender is currently unknown.
My 5" Fusco is far more aggressive than either L or V, but the Fusco is kept in check by the ferocity of my 3" Cynotilapia Afra white top. Quite a beautiful Mbuna.
IMO, the best way to keep a relatively stable mixed African community is to construct a elevated complex hardscape reaching upward midway in the tank. The top half of the tank remains bare as to facilitate unobstructed swimming area for the Haps, and to a lesser degree the Peacocks.
Successfully keeping a mixed African community is all about stock research & "Adjustments" when required.

Just to add to that, your predatory haps are all still juveniles. The fact alone changes everything, or will, as your fish gain some size to them. Ditto to The Morning 's tank. Sometimes one will get lucky with the larger predatory haps, and smaller fish, especially if you keep them all well fed. Sometimes, not so much, and as The Morning posted previously, sometimes things can change between dusk & dawn. I seldom advise keeping them together for just that reason. One group are by design open water predators, the others "rock" fish, that spend a good portion of their lives in or close to, caves & crevices.

Good luck