Help stocking my 72G

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RDTigger

RDTigger

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 28, 2009
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Have been cycling this 72G since late Nov and have a small collection of Africans...

  • 5 Yellow labs ~1-1.5"
  • 1 Yellow tail acei ~2+"
  • 1 Socolofi/Kenyi (yes I know aggression means I will have to rehome)

I have builtin standing pipe overflow to a Tidepool2 wet/dry moving ~500gph and will be adding a Mag 350 with purigen and micron filtration for water polishing. I think that will let me stock it pretty deep.
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I am looking at adding some of the following and unsure what to expect and what kind of numbers to shoot for.

  • Placid. Johnstoni solo ~2"
  • 5 more yellow tail acei ~2"
  • some Peacock with red/orange or some other coloration I like
  • maybe another specie if I feel it will be happy in the tank

Really close to completing this setup and need to get a better idea of what I am getting into...

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I'd say with a tank that size you could do 3 species.

An example:

Ps. Acei
Yellow labs
Rusties(Iodotropheus sprengerae)
Then some sort of Cynotilapia species. I'm a huge fan of white top haras.

Peacocks generally don't do well with mbuna though you have some pretty peaceful species so it might work.

I have an 80 gallon bowfront(only a little taller than a 72).
My stocking is
Cyno white top haras
Maingano
Metriaclima Msobo
Ps socolofi (albino) If they could stop dying on me.
I also have a few cobalt blue zebras that will replace the albinos if I can't keep them alive.

Here's a fun link to look through when deciding on what mbuna you like:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/category.php?cat=2
 
Scratch the Acei then. The swimming patterns of the Acei really designate that you have a 6' long tank.

You could go with Yellow labs, P. Scolofi, rusties or cobalt blue zebras. In a 4ft tank you should limit yourself to 3 species as ash said. I would probably get rid of the kenyi as they can be rather aggressive in tanks with small territory. I also wouldn't put peacocks with any Mbunas. Even if the Mbuna that you pick are known to not be as aggressive, I've seen aggressive labs that terrorize anything.

Ash: any ideas on why your albino scolofi are dying? I have some in my tank and they seem to be hardier than the labs and blue cobalts.
 
I disagree about the acei. A lot of people keep acie in a 4 foot tank without an issue. They are larger for mbuna but they don't get THAT big. When I had mine in the 55 they just swam in the upper regions which worked out fine since most of the other mbuna staid near the bottom.

Also I meant to say that 4 species would work fine with a 72 bowfront and I would get 5 of each species. 1 male to every 4 females.



I've talked to some people about the albinos and most say they are just delicate. In this area they seem especially so. I've been through at least 12 of them from different sources. If I look at them funny they seem to die. All of my other fish are fine.
 
It's not the size of the Acei that makes them need a 6' tank, it's their natural open swimming patterns/habits that designate the 6'. They would be ok in the 4' tank and you'd have no problems with aggression, but watching them swim in a 6' is awesome. The barely have enough room to get started in a 4' tank.

That's odd about your albinos. I've had more issues with the cobalt blues around here than with the albinos. Shame you're having so many problems, they really add something to the tank
 
I think the aggressive reputations are to be taken with a grain of salt and it's really the law of percentages. There's a higher percentage change of certain fish being aggressive, but that doesn't mean they won't be. Like I said, everyone automatically think labs are gentle Mbuna and will just happily get along with everyone. I have one in the 'time out' tank right now who bosses anyone and anything. Other factors are territory space, hiding spots etc etc..

throw a Kenyi and a Lab in a 10g and see what happens ;)
 
soxfan692;3990799; said:
I think the aggressive reputations are to be taken with a grain of salt and it's really the law of percentages. There's a higher percentage change of certain fish being aggressive, but that doesn't mean they won't be. Like I said, everyone automatically think labs are gentle Mbuna and will just happily get along with everyone. I have one in the 'time out' tank right now who bosses anyone and anything. Other factors are territory space, hiding spots etc etc..

throw a Kenyi and a Lab in a 10g and see what happens ;)
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I have some juvenile kenyi and bumbles growing out in a 29g biocube with two adult yellow labs...the male lab is quite bossy, but he never hurts anyone, just kind of struts his stuff. When he was in the big tank with the other cichlids, he was a lot bossier than all of the other fish that were 2-3 times his size, so I agree with you on that!
 
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