135 malawi stock list, will it work?

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dzydvl33

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 27, 2010
17
1
0
Parlier, CA.
ok first draft of a stock list for my 135 with an Fx5

pseudotropheus sp. "elongatus chailosi" 2:6

red zebra "metriaclima estherae" 2:6

pseudotropheus saulsi 2:6

metriaclima sp. "msobo" 2:6

cynotilapia afra 2:6

and 3 synodontis multipunctatus

will this work help me fine tune it and where is the best place to buy these fish
thanks for all your help
 
cross breeding? i'm not trying to breed but if it happens o well... ... funny, that's what i told my wife 3 kids ago... hmm... anyway. what would cross breed? and do all male tanks work, or will it be like prison:eek: where they start :WHOA: and shanking each other... :ROFL:

public service announcement: Don't drink and post this is what happens :headbang2
 
I'm more of a peacock/hap guy, but I think most of those guys would interbreed, being pseudotropheus/metriaclima.... especially with the saulosi, msobo and red zebras. That's a lot of orange females in one tank.

Maybe mix in some labeotropheus, melanochromis or some tropheops.. something totally different. The latter two can be a bit more on the aggressive side, but you have a large tank, so it should work.

Again, I'm no expert when it comes to mbuna, but that's the direction I'd go in.

Good luck. :)
 
I have 1 synodontis multipunctatus and was told that they would fight if group together. I like this guy so much that i want to add more if they get along. Let me know how yours do with each other and I might just add 2 more.
 
I had a simaler set-up & found the more rockwork I used the less murders I ended up with.
Add some compresiseps & polystimas or setup another tank for meat eaters to take care of all the feeder fish you'll end up with. Because with that list you will have lots of hybrid fry
 
I think you will have issues with the following species.

dzydvl33;4598174; said:
pseudotropheus saulsi 2:6

metriaclima sp. "msobo" 2:6

cynotilapia afra 2:6
Click to expand...

While the males look different on the first two species, the females are very similar. Males may end up spawning with the wrong female - or males between the two species may fight over the whole lot of females.

Depending on the variant of C. afra you get - the male may not get along with the Ps. saulosi.

While you may not worry about spawning now, I like to suggest that people consider it while stocking anyway. You may change your mind down the road and have to do some species removal then - and if the females are too hard to tell apart you may end up creating hybrid fry down the road without even knowing it. Keep breeding in mind even if you don't plan to keep fry.

If you do decide to just let the females spit (and the fry get eaten) you may want more Synodontis to aide in fry control. Synodontis lucipinnis and S. multipunctatus do better in larger groups anyways....
 
all male tanks are really the best way to go unless your trying to breed, in which case you should be using a species only tank to prevent hybridization! I tried "saving" a female strawberry peacock from imminent death when a man at the LFS said he was going to toss her out his car window because this particular species was only sold in pairs. So I take her home, and within 5 min every male was trying to get jiggy and by morning i had lost 2 of my pretty males. In my opinion, its a risk not worth taking!
 
Most of these guys will cross breed if given the opportunity but they will remain happy at those m/f ratios.
As for the Synodontis catfish they are fine with multiple of the same species, i have 3 in my tank and if anything they seem to buddy up and swim together.

Good Luck

Dave
 
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