Mixed African tank

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
IT WORKS FINE... trial and error your tank still but i have 2" africans who have foot long tank mates that eat feeder fish but not them.
 
I agree with Moto. You can try, but if it doesn't work, make sure you have a backup plan for the fish that has to be separated from the tank.


Nothing about tank compatibility is gospel; there's always cases of exceptions to the rules.
 
There is so much bad advice being given on this forum, its shocking!

And then there are people that make a thread, asking for advice, then when its given, say you are wrong, they are right, and they will do it any way!

I dont know why I bother!
 
I would much rather KNOW a combination is going to work instead of just trying it and figuring it out. I think this combo would be super stressful for the poor gourami. They aren't very fast swimmers and mbuna are always on the move.
 
Lets remember, Common Sense should apply!!! (though I think we "Americans" maybe be running a bit low on it)

Will a mbuna-Gourami tank work forever? Depends; most likely no. Short term, possibly.

I would not recommend buying a fish to "experiment" compatibility. If you don't have a backup plan for a fish, DON'T BUY IT!

As a perfect case to this (actually pretty similar to this guy's case), I have a pink kissing gourami in a 40 gallon tank with 2 inch mbunas. They get along fine, never seen the mbuna ever chase "pinky" (in fact their afraid of him). Another case, I have a 120 with Africans along with a few Americans (severum, convict).
 
Kissing gourami are some of the most aggressive types. Hints the name kissing (lip locking). They are also some of the larger types (not giant) I have seen 7 to 8 inchers in with smaller mbuna, but most of the gourami at petsmart are not kissing gourami.

Lets all remember that when we give advice it is always with our experience. Lets also remember to think about what happens most of the time in a set , rather than I saw once, or currently I have one or for a while it worked. This website has help break a lot of the old rules to keeping fish, but lets not throw the baby out with the bath water here.

Lets also remember to keep it civil on all sides. Feel free to share your experience and your advice, but not attack or become rude to others.
 
Thank you to all and I will take in any and all info given to help me be a better aquariumist in this hobby. But when you just want to try something that you know may not work but you have in the back of you head that what if it does. Then you can be a new trend set to be able to say I did it with this breed and those mates. Its just a hit and miss that you hope you hit on. Thanks again for all and I agree with most that it is all on the person who prints the thread to do or try but it is always great, GREAT, to get info on what others have delt with in past experiences.
 
I can become a bit passionate at times. Sorry to the people I offended (no hard feelings I hope :) ) Thank you to the moderator for reminding us of our civility.
 
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