Saulosis mbuna tank set up question

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Nyrkorey

Plecostomus
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Jul 19, 2021
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I got a 40 gallon breeder tank. I wanna go the Saulosis mbuna route and just keep it species specific. My question is I like the minimal look to tanks. Do these species need rock caved or could I just get a always with a big center piece and that's it?

For stocking is 2males to about 9 females ok?
 
If you don't like rocks, skip the mbuna...they are "rock" fish. You would never want 2 males...better 1 or 3 so each cannot focus 100% on the other to the death.
 
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DJRansome said:
If you don't like rocks, skip the mbuna...they are "rock" fish. You would never want 2 males...better 1 or 3 so each cannot focus 100% on the other to the death.
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Rocks it is then! Okay maybe ill do 3 then would 9 females still be ok?
 
Mbuna literally means "rockfish" in the language of the Tonga people of Malawi. Rocks are not optional with mbuna, and you really can't have too many in an mbuna tank. The more rocks, the better.

Personally, I'd aim for 3 males with 9-12 females.
 
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Chet E. said:
You might srart with just females too. A dominant female will turn into a male.
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No, they don't. Older dominant female may sometimes show a bit of stripes but thats it. They never lose their yellow (older females of some other mbuna species can nearly look like males) and more important they never turn into males because they can't change their sex.
 
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Sorry, below is direct link to the 40 gallon saulosi set up.


RD. said:
This is a saulosi species tank that my friend John Labbe set up many years ago. I believe that it was a standard 40 gallon tank. With enough escapes & line of sight barriers you could probably get away with more than 1 male, so I wouldn't worry too much about sexing if you buy small juvies. The sub dominants may not color up (blue) and stay more in female dress. (yellow) If things get too aggressive as they all mature, you can always thin the males out. I would start with at least 12 unsexed juvies. Good luck.

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