First time African tank

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ddot82

ddot82

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Jun 7, 2015
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Olympia Washington
I decided to build a 90 gallon African tank. I have kept south Americans for 2 years but have zero experience with Africans. My houses water has a 7.0 ph. The tank is a standard 90 with a fx5 filter but I can add more if necessary. I want a busy and colorful tank, the more fish the better. Someone recommended I get mbuna's. I'm looking for any info or advice. I have no real knowledge of or experience with Africans. What type of African should I get? How many? What type of rock and substrate? I am doing my own research as well but figured it wouldn't hurt to make a post about it.
 
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For color you would want all male peacocks or mbuna. Peacock females are drab brown or silver. The only mbuna that work well with peacocks are yellow labs and acei.
 
Thanks! Is there a ratio I want to stick to? I really like the peacocks but volume of fish is also important. The more activity the better. I'd like at least 4 peacocks, how much room would that leave for mbuna's? I'm used to Americans so having more than a couple fish in a tank is alien to me.
 
If you want male and females, you only do one species of peacock per tank to prevent cross breeding. But smaller haps can be mixed in also. For the most color all males would be the best route. Pick 15 or so males that look different from one another and get no bigger than 8".
 
I'm sorry I meant if I wanted to do a peacock mbuna mix. How many mbuna would I add to 6 peacocks? Also how many mbuna should I put in the tank if I choose to just go with them?
 
It really boils down to rock structure to open water area if your mbuna have plenty of rock to live in u can be ok with a few peacocks but rest assured eventually the mbuna will get big and attack I've however got them to mix for years with no problems but my peacocks get picked on quite a bit but they still look good
 
Maybe I'll just go with mbuna then. There seems to be a large variety of them and I'm looking for a busy tank. My plan was to do a 2 tier cave system. If I can duplicate what's in my head there will be plenty of cover. Somebody told me about 35 mbuna's, is that about right?
 
The only mbuna species that have been proven successful with peacocks numerous times are yellow labs and acei. You would probably have a good chance of success with 6 male peacocks and haps with a group of 1m/4f of both labs and acei. The male peacocks in my experience have completely ignored the female acei I have in my tank over the last 6 years.
 
For I 90G I like 20 mbuna (4 species), depending on species. If you select the peacocks (and haps) carefully you can mix a group of 5 yellow labs and 7 male haps and peacocks.

As other members have mentioned...be sure you are up for the challenge of a male tank...have extra tanks and a rehoming plan for individuals that don't work out.
 
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