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Rtc/tsn

Redtail Catfish
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Apr 22, 2021
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With African cichlids it's honestly better to over stock then understock. An understocked tank has territories to stake claim to while in an over stocked tank there are no territories as everybody is in everybody else's space. It's actually a pretty common thing to see with African cichlid tanks as it helps to reduce aggression and the over all fry output. Granted you'll still get babies just not as frequently or in such quantity. Granted 6-7 is still not bad for only a 40g but you'll have em breeding more regularly then.
I’d suggest 10 yellow labs for a 40 breeder. Correct me if I’m wrong but wouldn’t more than 6 make them less aggressive plus give a better look without having big open gaps in Between fish and like you said less breeding
 

Deadeye

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I would think 6-7 is safe. I tried mbunas in a 36, they were the bigger meaner guys, but past 6-8, the chaos began and the numbers dropped due to aggression and unstable params. It’s all about balance of reasonable overstocking while not putting too much.
 

Matteus

Potamotrygon
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True that I think I'll keep the stock to maybe 6 yellow labs cause any less won't be ideal to spread aggression and any more would be very overstocked ( not like those where there is no space left) .
But lets have some more members tune in .
kno4te kno4te Deadeye Deadeye Matteus Matteus Cich Mind Cich Mind
Sorry I don’t know much about cichlids.

Cichla and geophagus are possibly the only ones that would willingly graze the surface of my tanks.
 

..puSkar..

Dovii
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Dec 6, 2020
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I would think 6-7 is safe. I tried mbunas in a 36, they were the bigger meaner guys, but past 6-8, the chaos began and the numbers dropped due to aggression and unstable params. It’s all about balance of reasonable overstocking while not putting too much.
Can we see a fts? Always wanted to see your tank ?
 
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Deadeye

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Can we see a fts? Always wanted to see your tank ?
This was the mbuna setup
88E39754-B1D6-455F-9BC9-77682EC2B452.jpeg
Eventually, the big boulders became too much of algae magnets, so I swapped it out for real rock:
44786EC1-4295-41A7-8A83-0E5A37A0F2F3.jpeg
11E97821-45E7-4BFC-92A3-42C40DB7B40F.jpeg
Then I got the idea to add manzanita wood:
466357E4-504E-4BAA-80C8-55EF1142ADB5.jpeg
That was a mistake, it caused a chain reaction of territorial battles and later a disease outbreak (one bad fish ruins it all), and killed all but one, who was rehomed.
The tank is now my puffer tank:
1D4D17E0-65F8-4F4E-ADC2-CAB128CA64E6.jpeg
 

..puSkar..

Dovii
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Dec 6, 2020
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Just a random one but 6-8 tigerbarbs
6 corys 1 cichlid (firemouth/ eba/ yellow lab / convict) and maybe 6 black skirts? What say?
 
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Deadeye

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Just a random one but 6-8 tigerbarbs
6 corys 1 cichlid (firemouth/ eba/ yellow lab / convict) and maybe 6 black skirts? What say?
Instead of the mbunas?
Sure that would work. I would watch out for the barbs though, they always just pick down to one unless in massive schools. Better off avoiding them and upping the tetra count imo.
I wouldn’t do the mbuna, they aren’t good community fish the way a solo CA/SA is. EBA is most geographically correct of all the mentions and least likely to cause problems with water needs or aggression. I would pick that one.
 

Joshuakahan

Redtail Catfish
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Jul 9, 2019
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This was the mbuna setup
View attachment 1466692
Eventually, the big boulders became too much of algae magnets, so I swapped it out for real rock:
View attachment 1466693
View attachment 1466694
Then I got the idea to add manzanita wood:
View attachment 1466695
That was a mistake, it caused a chain reaction of territorial battles and later a disease outbreak (one bad fish ruins it all), and killed all but one, who was rehomed.
The tank is now my puffer tank:
View attachment 1466696
I really like the mbuna tank how it was in the first picture, but they all look sweet!
 
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