55g stock question

[COG Commando]

Actually Acei get much larger than others and not just in the tank. Most profiles say they will only hit 6 inches, but I often see them at the 6 inch mark and larger. I had a white tail that was 7 inches. You may see other mbuna get over their normal size, but I see far more Acei that do compared to other species.

I've never noticed this before, but I suppose I haven't seen too many older P. acei and the largest I have at the moment are only about 4.5", and he's a little over a year old. The other fish I mentioned are at least 5 years of age.

Acei are not like other mbuna, in fact I am not sure why we classify them since their behavior is so different. They school and swim in the open area not sticking to the rocks like others. Genetically they may be the same, but behavior they are different..

I always thought this classification was odd too, the same with the classification of Pseudotropheus livingstonii, another sand dweller, although P. acei rarely frequent the sand habitat as often as P. livingstonii does. I think the Hap/Mbuna classification is becoming too dated. Sorry to retract from the original purpose of the thread.

 

[mike dunagan]

Good knowledge is the reason for the site, giving more information for the op only makes his decision easier (or more difficult if it not what you want to hear)lol

 

[Mokujin22]

I always thought this classification was odd too, the same with the classification of Pseudotropheus livingstonii, another sand dweller, although P. acei rarely frequent the sand habitat as often as P. livingstonii does. I think the Hap/Mbuna classification is becoming too dated. Sorry to retract from the original purpose of the thread.

Those guys are pretty neat as well. I was lucky enough to catch Ad Koning's talk at ACA in Milwaukee last year. He gave two presentations on sand dwellers of Lake Malawi and Lake Tang. There are a bunch from Lake Tang, but they are rarer in Malawi. Acei tend to hang out in the sand, but around large pieces of African wood... sort of like a mini-reef. P. livingstoni/M. lanisticola hang in shell beds when they are small. Pretty neat adaptations.