54 gallon corner bowfront tank for Mbunas

[Oscarum monstruoso]

These are the 5 mbunas I put together based on what Ive been able to discern from my research. I was considering building some caves and setting up some mbuna compatible plants, cycling the tank in then ordering up some fish. I tried to pick small, colorful carnivores of similar size and temperament. I was thinking about going with one male and two females of each.



Is this a workable mbuna tank plan?



Cynotilapia sp. "white top hara" Gallireya Reef
Cynotilapia sp. "Maleri" (Nakantenga)
Cynotilapia afra (Lundu)
Cynotilapia afra (Chinuni)
Cynotilapia afra (Chitande)

 

[Otherone]

Mbuna x Carnivore = Bloat - Mbunas are omnivores they need both fish protiens and vegatation for good overall dietary tract health, also for good coloration. Mbunas will generally eat all live plant material. Supirulina flake is a great source of vegation for your Mbunas.

 

[Blue2Fyre]

What carnivore is in that mix? They are all mbuna.


For that size tank I would pick 3-4 species and get 4-5 of each. I would also not mix all of those cynotilapia species. They look too similar and you have a lot of fighting and cross breeding. You need to pick species that look different enough to avoid fighting. I would pick 1 cynotilapia species then some other species like yellow labs ( Labidochromis caeruleus) and Rusty cichlids (Iodotropheus sprengerae). Both would be very colorful and pretty easy going.

 

[Otherone]

What carnivore is in that mix? They are all mbuna.

Sorry for your confusion - Mbunas are not true Carnivores/Piscavores they are omnivores - if give an exclusive high protien diet consisting of flesh they will develop a condition called bloat. Bloat is a dietary condition in which excessives gases overstretch the stomach causing death.

 

[Oscarum monstruoso]

What carnivore is in that mix? They are all mbuna.


For that size tank I would pick 3-4 species and get 4-5 of each. I would also not mix all of those cynotilapia species. They look too similar and you have a lot of fighting and cross breeding. You need to pick species that look different enough to avoid fighting. I would pick 1 cynotilapia species then some other species like yellow labs ( Labidochromis caeruleus) and Rusty cichlids (Iodotropheus sprengerae). Both would be very colorful and pretty easy going.

Very good advice, thank you. I was going off a description on a website that had different mbuna species listed, if I can find it again I will link it. I will definitely make sure to double check any dubious facts before I commit to anything. Too bad about ther cynotilapia, but you make sense, so its back to the drawing board.

 

[Oscarum monstruoso]

Heres an updated list of possibilities. Please forgive me if any of these are not really available. I basically picked different smaller mbunas that I liked the looks of.

Cynotilapia sp. "Maleri" (Nakantenga)
Pseudotropheus polit
Metriaclima pulpican
Melanochromis interruptus OR Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos

 

[Blue2Fyre]

That's a good starting point IMO.

 

[Oscarum monstruoso]

That's a good starting point IMO.

Thanks for the comment, I appreciate it. Rest assured that I will do my best to give any fish I get the very best life possible. This is my second time around in the fish hobby and I dont plan on repeating past mistakes.