how many africans
- Thread starter firefito
- Start date
You will be able to fit more mbuna in extensive rock caves , in general, but will have to more careful about your stocking list.
you can do the overstocking method if you double up on your filters and water changes to balance having more fish in the tank. I had 18 mbuna in my 4 foot 72 bow front tank (young ones about 4 inches) and had no problems and lots of room I ran a tetra tek 500 on it. (500 gph). As far as overstocking goes i was on the light side. I have seen many people with far more but just could never make my self do it LOL, too many years keeping oscars to truly embrace overstocking. i know a person that had 40 peacock and mbuna in a 75 gallon 4 foot tank. I felt that was way too many. But to be honest his fish were not shredded, looked healthy, water was crystal clear and had regular spawning going on at all times so the fish must have been fairly happy, always swimming around and what not, the tank was half full of texas holey rocks and had mbuna and peacocks in it.
Peacocks tend to be similar in number and size requirements as mbuna, just watch for hybridization with both mbuna and peacocks.
haps tend to get larger so you will be able to keep fewer. If you were to do any haps i would do it as a species only tank, like one male and 4 or 5 females of what ever species you like. Most haps are in the 8-12 inch range and have bodies similar in looks to oscars and other south american cichlids. thats why you have to have fewer in your tank.
you can do the overstocking method if you double up on your filters and water changes to balance having more fish in the tank. I had 18 mbuna in my 4 foot 72 bow front tank (young ones about 4 inches) and had no problems and lots of room I ran a tetra tek 500 on it. (500 gph). As far as overstocking goes i was on the light side. I have seen many people with far more but just could never make my self do it LOL, too many years keeping oscars to truly embrace overstocking. i know a person that had 40 peacock and mbuna in a 75 gallon 4 foot tank. I felt that was way too many. But to be honest his fish were not shredded, looked healthy, water was crystal clear and had regular spawning going on at all times so the fish must have been fairly happy, always swimming around and what not, the tank was half full of texas holey rocks and had mbuna and peacocks in it.
Peacocks tend to be similar in number and size requirements as mbuna, just watch for hybridization with both mbuna and peacocks.
haps tend to get larger so you will be able to keep fewer. If you were to do any haps i would do it as a species only tank, like one male and 4 or 5 females of what ever species you like. Most haps are in the 8-12 inch range and have bodies similar in looks to oscars and other south american cichlids. thats why you have to have fewer in your tank.
firefito;1750622; said:
I agree you are about full. It does not matter so much the size they are now when calculating how many to fit in a tank, its more about what size they will be as a fully grown adult fish. Unless your doing a temp. grow out tank.