New lighting system pics, and questions...

[Spontaneous]

I know, I know, it's too small for the fish I have but it's not a forever thing! I have a 20g setup that my BF gave me for christmas. I have since then aquired a job at a local pet supply store and they get in Hagen products. So today the Hagen rep came in and I started talking to him about how I don't like the low, ugly yellow lighting that my tank hood came with. Well.... He hooked me up with a GLO T5 HO Linear Fluorescent Lighting System. Normally priced at my store at 126, I paid 56 for it AND a bulb to go in it! I was TOOOO excited lol. And Holy what a defferance!

Before it was drab... Ugly yellow glowing lights and now it's bright and I can actually see my fish! I felt it was a little bright and added some Nutrafin tropical extracts, made the water darker and not AS bright.

Right now, my current stock in the tank is as follows....

Female Melanochromis auratus
Female OB Peacock
3 Bala Shark
1 blue lobster

So it's not alot of fish. I took the male OB back because he demolished the females tail and I wanted to be able to have other fish in my tank even though he was quiet the looker. So I traded him for the mbuna. The OB doesn't like the mbuna but she doesn't really act too bad, just chases her. Normally the OB is in her log and doesn't come out while the mbuna is either digging holes in my sand or racing up and down the glass waiting for me to feed her lol. Anyways, any suggestions or comments on this tank? So far everything is fine. No one bothers the Bala's, and the lobster is TINY still and hides under the log. I plan on getting more decorations along the lines of caves and such but I can only spend so much as a time.

In this one you can see the OB, the Mbuna and the tiny little crawfish lol

 

[Gruntking]

Looks very nice, where are the questions ?

 

[College fishman]

WOAH BRIGHT LIGHTS..... lol nice. cant wait to see the upgrade later

 

[Spontaneous]

Well, I guess my question's are, is the OB and the mbuna a good combination? The lighting system a decent one or does anyone have experience with it? Also if my tank is over stocked. I'm really just not fond of the OB anymore. She hides all the time. When she comes out she ZIPS across the tank. She just hasn't been the same since the male tore her up yet he's gone and the mbuna doesn't bother her. I donno. I like the mbuna, she's cute. The sharks are fine. The OB just isn't coming out.

 

[Spontaneous]

Heres some better pics. Those were taken at night with all the light off.

So it is bright but not too bad. These are also taken with my Iphone lol so quality is lacking.

 

[Gruntking]

It looks great. If you want just get more mbyna, IME they are always active and colorful to look at. Some blue johannis and other mbuna would look nice

 

[Brian_Indiana]

Well, I guess my question's are, is the OB and the mbuna a good combination? The lighting system a decent one or does anyone have experience with it? Also if my tank is over stocked. I'm really just not fond of the OB anymore. She hides all the time. When she comes out she ZIPS across the tank. She just hasn't been the same since the male tore her up yet he's gone and the mbuna doesn't bother her. I donno. I like the mbuna, she's cute. The sharks are fine. The OB just isn't coming out.

Personally I wouldn't mix an Auratus with an OB peacock. They are just too aggressive. Some mbuna are fine, but some of the most common ones are very aggressive (such as Auratus and Bumblebee). I have mixed Acei and Yellow Labs with OBs and had no problems.

 

[joecoulson]

FYI, Bala sharks can reach up to 16" so they are not a long term fit for that setup. I would imagine trading the bala's and lobster back in for a couple more sub aggressive Africans would be a nice fit, maybe a yellow Lab and a red Zebra? If you like the fish out and swimming, I would do all Mbuna. Though a 20 may be too little and they may get pretty nasty with each other in there. And looking at that filter, you WILL need to upgrade that.