The basic plan is to order the 'Prestige Assortment' from Bluegrass Aquatics. The site claims 20-30 fish in a 55 gallon aquarium. I'm just thinking from the looks of my tank 10-15 might be more accurate. I currently have an Emp280 and I'm either going to upgrade to a Emp400 or run both. Would I be able to handle the 20 count stock with both filters? I'm using Black Beauty as my substrate and still finding/arranging rocks for environment. Any other comments suggestion with what I could/should stock with?
55 Gallon Mbuna Community
- Thread starter chief420
- Start date
I'd be weary of someone hundreds of miles away picking out fish for my tank. Are they compatible? Will they interbreed? Will they outgrow your tank?
Just asking for problems imo.
Just asking for problems imo.
How does one of each sound, going to try and get all males.
Pseudotropheus sp. "Elongatus Chewere
Metriaclima callainos (albino)
Metriaclima estherae (Red)
Melanochromis Mainganoi
Melanochromis auratus (albino)
Metriaclima pyrsonotos (Red Top Cobalt )
Cynotilapia afra (Jalo Reef)
Labidochromis chisumulae
Cynotilapia afra "Purple Lupingu"
Cynotilapia afra (Cobue)
petrotilapia nkhata orange
Labeotropheus trewavasae (Maleri)
Labidochromis caeruleus (Nkhata Bay)
Metriaclima sp. "daktari"
Pseudotropheus sp. "Elongatus Chewere
Metriaclima callainos (albino)
Metriaclima estherae (Red)
Melanochromis Mainganoi
Melanochromis auratus (albino)
Metriaclima pyrsonotos (Red Top Cobalt )
Cynotilapia afra (Jalo Reef)
Labidochromis chisumulae
Cynotilapia afra "Purple Lupingu"
Cynotilapia afra (Cobue)
petrotilapia nkhata orange
Labeotropheus trewavasae (Maleri)
Labidochromis caeruleus (Nkhata Bay)
Metriaclima sp. "daktari"
To put it plainly many of those fish will cross breed, that dramatically effects aggression levels and honestly I don't consider a 55 gallon a tank that any real cichlid community can ever healthily mature in. Min for me is a 75 gallon that added depth goes a long way but I've found that something like a 110 tall would still feel cramped with more than 10 adult cichlids the size of the ones you are talking about. Its really hard to keep a true cichlid community made up of the more aggressive species like the ones you have listed in a tank that size. I've had more success keeping Tanganyikan cichlids in smaller tanks under 100 gallons. If you get those fish they may be fine, for 6-12 months but once they all mature I've found that you loose a fish every 3-6 months from aggression until you have a core group of 5-10. Honestly my greatest success with cichlids is keeping dither fish. I use mono's but I've seen giant danios, or tiger barbs work fine depending on stock. A small school of 5-10 of such fish depending on tank size seems to do lots to soak up ambient aggression. I still feel that the stock and tank size will not work out as planned in the long run.
How about this stock list, all male.
Metriaclima Pyrsonotos
Pseudotropheus sp. Elongatus "Chewere"
Cynotilapia Afra Cobue Orange Back
Labidochromis Chismulae
Labidochromis Caeruleus
Labeotropheus fuelleborni
Also there are other Cynotilapia and Pseudotrophus I would love to add. But I'm not sure how compatible they would be. Any suggestions? Keep in mind I will be getting all males so hybridization shouldn't be an issue.
Metriaclima Pyrsonotos
Pseudotropheus sp. Elongatus "Chewere"
Cynotilapia Afra Cobue Orange Back
Labidochromis Chismulae
Labidochromis Caeruleus
Labeotropheus fuelleborni
Also there are other Cynotilapia and Pseudotrophus I would love to add. But I'm not sure how compatible they would be. Any suggestions? Keep in mind I will be getting all males so hybridization shouldn't be an issue.