Mbuna Stocking For A 75 Gallon

[RTCfan86]

currently have 16 Mbuna in a 75 gallon, and just got a 2nd Aquaclear 110. The tank boss is a Kenyi cichlid, and there’s been a lot of nipped fins lately…maybe more so because I got some Kenyi fry not long ago. Or maybe just because he’s the most aggressive regardless. I have a few blue, pearl and red zebras, 3 Kenyi (1M, 2F) and a couple yellow labs. Should I have more fish in the tank for it to be ‘overstocked’ and reduce his aggression? Or could replacing the male Kenyi with a different species bring peace and less fin damage? Besides him, everyone else gets along fairly well.

 

[danotaylor]

Mbunas are just mean fish in general. Adding more will disperse the aggression, but you have females in the mix so there will always be competition for male dominance and breeding. Mbuna are world famous for hybridization in glass cages. Game on

 

[phreeflow]

Add more hiding spots. Getting rid of the Kenyi will only allow for a successor to take over the role of being the bastard fish. Or if you just want more peaceful species, maybe you can swap the Kenyi for some acei or rusties

 

[DJRansome]

I would choose one Metriaclima that is not yellow and is not estherae. I would stock the yellow labs and the Metriaclima (I would probably choose Metriaclima callainos...your solid blue zebra) 1m:7f each and call it stocked.

You want 20 mbuna in a mixed gender 75G but you need many more females for each male within a species group. Your problem is too many males (because of too many species and species of the same genus) and not enough females.

I would do kenyi in a 72" tank ideally...rehome them. If the kenyi fry were born in the tank...set up a separate tank for these suspected hybrids for their 8-year lifespan.

 

[RTCfan86]

I would choose one Metriaclima that is not yellow and is not estherae. I would stock the yellow labs and the Metriaclima (I would probably choose Metriaclima callainos...your solid blue zebra) 1m:7f each and call it stocked.

You want 20 mbuna in a mixed gender 75G but you need many more females for each male within a species group. Your problem is too many males (because of too many species and species of the same genus) and not enough females.

I would do kenyi in a 72" tank ideally...rehome them. If the kenyi fry were born in the tank...set up a separate tank for these suspected hybrids for their 8-year lifespan.

Thanks a ton for the response. I will rehome the Kenyi. I have the fry in a breeder box and another tank set up for grow outs. I’m fairly certain they are not hybrids. The Kenyi male is the only one who could come close to the female.

What advice do you have for sexing metroaclima though? Through my research, I have not found there is a sure way to do this besides venting, and I doubt that’s going to happen at the LFS.

 

[DJRansome]

As always with mbuna, you buy extra unsexed juveniles (say 8 if you want 4 females) and rehome the extra males as they mature/cause trouble.

Don't sell or give away the "kenyi" fry since they were spawned in a tank not conducive to pure fish...keep them with you forever.

 

[RTCfan86]

Thank you. Always appreciate the info and opinions.

 

[RTCfan86]

Here’s my setup…