Happy Healthy Mbuna Tank?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
ive got a 55 gallon african cichlid tank.. theres a few mbuna in there, along with a bunch of peacocks and a hap...
all males
bought most as juvies
the mbuna in there are a red zebra, johanni, yellow lab, jewels (??? dont really know if this is where these guys fall)
ive also got a chinese algae eater (prettey much same as golden except its brown and sickkk) and i have definitly seen him take a cichlid by his sucker and thrash it around
he can definitly hold his own and hes a gorgeous fish
 
Theres no real way to tell 100% if any communities or compatabilities are gonna work out. As someone else said - "sounds like your on the right track." As for similiar fish living togather - can also go either way theres plenty of us who have Johannii's, Auratus, Maingano's and all males living just fine togather for many years. Not to mention Haps, Mbunas, peacocks, and more. I think having larger tanks helps alot in my case esp. w/ the Haps. I guess what I wanta say is go for it - in the end your fish will dictate who stays and who goes.
 
Why so many heaters?

I understand if one fails, but that is a lot of extra equipment in the tank. Maybe keeep another on hand and only use it if you are going out of town for a few days or more as a piece of mind measure. With all the digging, I would be more affraid of the rocks falling and smashing a heater than the water dropping a few degreees.
 
I'm just a little paranoid I guess. I don't know just how much I can depend on the old big heater sense it came with the used tank. I already had the two almost new submersible small heaters. Small enough that I can tuck them in out of harms way.
I had a heater fail once when I was at work and after I got home I did not check the temp. I keep my home very cool, around 65 year round. Well to make a long story short, by the time that saw the temp in the tank, it was to late....major ick break-out that cost me half my fish.
 
Thats a great chart that helped ease my mind about a few things, Thanks. There seem to be some broken links on it now, but still helpful.
 
I am looking to by my fish at BluegrassAquatics.com It's a fish farm around Tampa Fl.
They seem to have a good slection and great prices even after shipping. I have never bought fish on-line, only snails. My LFS around me are real hight and not much to choise from. Has anyone bought from BluegrassAquatics.com? If so share your experance.
What is the best site to buy fish from?:nilly:
 
i have bought fish from bluegrass probably 5 times total.. his mbuna are in great shape, great stock-not imbred. they should arrive healthy and hungry lol.. i think an all male tank would look great, and like someone else stated, try not to pick fish that look alike, or have the same barring...i have bought a few batches of his mbuna "prestige" package then added in a few more of the must haves lol..

africans are pretty aggressive, so as they sexually mature you should expect some beating up as they establish their pecking order-and possibly a death or two. i love the idea of male peacocks and haps, but IMO a 55 gallon is too small for that mix.

hope to see you share some pics when they come in!
 
:headbang2Melissa and Mike Thank You both for the thumbs up on BluegrassAquatics.com. That is real good to know before I throw down the plastic.

Melissa you have bought the "prestige" package. So how does that work? It says: "Assorted packages are price per fish. Order how ever many you want and the shopping cart will calculate the total cost" Thats $4.95 each fish and they do the picken right? So if I bought 12 fish it would cost me $59.40 plus shipping, right?
Is it a realy nice mix that look and do well togather? Or would I get a better look and mix if I picked each one and paid double.
I'm not sure if he will send me all mails ether way but I will ask when I go to buy.
Thanks again, Jay
 
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