Hello! I have just aquaried a new 125 gallon tank and was wanting some suggestions on a stocking list. I am new to africans, generally being a new world kinda guy. So please do spoil me with information. I am pretty sure I want Mbuna, a high stocking rate, and lots of colors. So let the brainstorming begin!
125 brainstorming session
- Thread starter TravisLovett
- Start date
So you are for sure on mbuna... make sure before you decide. Because when I started I ended up saying I was going to do mbuna in a 135... then thought oh lets try one of these more exspensive haps... then I sort of freeked when I noticed the mbuna were picking the hap apart... which got me to buy a 75 for the mbuna and make the 135 a hap tank.
I am not saying that mbuna aren't fun I just tend to feel that well a 6ft long tank is too tempting not to try haps/peacocks.
That said I have seen some very cool mbuna tanks. Though on the larger ones I actually tend to like a ton of say saulosi. But well how are you planning on getting the fish? IE local or mail?
I am not saying that mbuna aren't fun I just tend to feel that well a 6ft long tank is too tempting not to try haps/peacocks.
That said I have seen some very cool mbuna tanks. Though on the larger ones I actually tend to like a ton of say saulosi. But well how are you planning on getting the fish? IE local or mail?
I have a 135 mbuna tank, and it is great, tons of color. You can stock a lot. Think lots of rock work, and sand...
Well I like to get my fish online, the LFS in north georgia that I have been able to locate are not that nice in my experience. Also, I was planning on getting the bulk of my stock at the 2008 ACA convention in atlanta.
Ok sounds good. (I assume you are also going to be going to the march auction, though obviously there wont be nearly the variety of mbuna as there will in July.)
Anyways do you have any clue on where you want to go with the tank mbuna wise?
If you haven't skim through this: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/category.php?cat=2
Anyways do you have any clue on where you want to go with the tank mbuna wise?
If you haven't skim through this: http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/category.php?cat=2
Wow, I live in Ellijay. Ikevi what auction are you speaking of? I am a new member of the ACA and I havent heard anything about the auction in march. Is it in atlanta also? In a direction I want to take this tank.......as of right now I have no idea. I am going to look into the haps that you suggested though, as well as the peacocks.
Wow, so I am way overwhelmed here. The amount of species and genus is staggering. I only know a few things.
1. I want fish with very good coloring, I do not like the bland females that I have seen in some mbuna.
2. I do want my fish to breed though, so fish with better looking females is a must.
3. I want to see a lot of activity.
4. Colors, and a variety of them.
5. I am not completely sold on mbuna if something sparks my attention.
6. I am sold on africans for this tank.
Oh and I DO like demasoni's, though I am finding out that they are mean little guys.
1. I want fish with very good coloring, I do not like the bland females that I have seen in some mbuna.
2. I do want my fish to breed though, so fish with better looking females is a must.
3. I want to see a lot of activity.
4. Colors, and a variety of them.
5. I am not completely sold on mbuna if something sparks my attention.
6. I am sold on africans for this tank.
Oh and I DO like demasoni's, though I am finding out that they are mean little guys.
Ok, so I will send you a pm about the Atlanta stuff, but I think you might (I know it will be hard) just want to wait till March 9th to decide... well you can get the tank running and put in say some yellow labs but trust me if you want cheap fish, either haps/peacocks for less than a buck... or mbuna (not nearly as many mbuna but well there are always say 5-10 bags of 6 a piece just not that large of a selection and more often the kinds you can find at the stores.)
Now if you want to breed it means a lot of fish of the same type, but less species. The good thing about mbuna is that at least the females have color, while with the peacocks if color is what you want you really can't/don't want and females.
I know waiting till March would be impossible for me to wait... But can you wait till Feb 7th? (Like I said feel free to put in say some yellow labs but really you should wait at least till the 7th.) The reason being is that we will have our meeting at 8:00pm and Chuck Rambo is coming to talk about.... Malawi Cichlids... (It is his talk about when he went over there to collect.) I assume that there will be at least a few bags of peacocks/haps and maybe a few mbuna there that will go for cheap. (6 fish for likely 5 bucks at most). I will tell you more about it via pm.
Here is are web-page:
http://www.atlantaaquarium.com/events.htm
Now if you want to breed it means a lot of fish of the same type, but less species. The good thing about mbuna is that at least the females have color, while with the peacocks if color is what you want you really can't/don't want and females.
I know waiting till March would be impossible for me to wait... But can you wait till Feb 7th? (Like I said feel free to put in say some yellow labs but really you should wait at least till the 7th.) The reason being is that we will have our meeting at 8:00pm and Chuck Rambo is coming to talk about.... Malawi Cichlids... (It is his talk about when he went over there to collect.) I assume that there will be at least a few bags of peacocks/haps and maybe a few mbuna there that will go for cheap. (6 fish for likely 5 bucks at most). I will tell you more about it via pm.
Here is are web-page:
http://www.atlantaaquarium.com/events.htm
How about a mixed African tank? That way you don't limit yourself. Start with the nice guys, plan to stock about 30 to 40 adults in the 4 to 5" range, and get the mean guys last. Here are some of my favorites:
Lab. caeruleus "Yellow Lab"
Lab. Hongi "Red Top Kimpuma"
Pse. saulosi
Pse. polit
Pse. perspicax "Orange Cap"
Pse demasoni "Pombo"
Pro. taeniolatus "Red Empress"
Oto. lithobates "Yellow Blaze"
Cop. azureus
Cop. borleyi
Cop. trewavasae
Cyr. moorii "Blue Dolphin"
Cha. caeruleus "Malawi Trout"
Sci fryeri "Electric Blue Ahli"
Aul. stuartgranti "Ngara Flametail"
Aul. baenschi "Benga Yellow"
Aul. sp. "Ruby Red"
Cyph. frontosa
Par. bleekeri
Synodontis catfish (multipunctatus, angelicus, decorus, etc.)
These are a few of my favorites. I'm sure I missed a few. Some of these guys will get quite large, but you could always trade them in further down the road.
Lab. caeruleus "Yellow Lab"
Lab. Hongi "Red Top Kimpuma"
Pse. saulosi
Pse. polit
Pse. perspicax "Orange Cap"
Pse demasoni "Pombo"
Pro. taeniolatus "Red Empress"
Oto. lithobates "Yellow Blaze"
Cop. azureus
Cop. borleyi
Cop. trewavasae
Cyr. moorii "Blue Dolphin"
Cha. caeruleus "Malawi Trout"
Sci fryeri "Electric Blue Ahli"
Aul. stuartgranti "Ngara Flametail"
Aul. baenschi "Benga Yellow"
Aul. sp. "Ruby Red"
Cyph. frontosa
Par. bleekeri
Synodontis catfish (multipunctatus, angelicus, decorus, etc.)
These are a few of my favorites. I'm sure I missed a few. Some of these guys will get quite large, but you could always trade them in further down the road.