New tank for Mbuna need advice

[migdem]

I am going to build an aquarium for Mbuna species in my garage. Untill now I do not know what is the best size to do. Maybe a help from you is great I am going to get a few Labidochromis caeruleus and a few Pseudotropheus demasoni or Pseudotropheus saulosi but then there will be too much yellow maybe 10-15 of each group.


1. Firstly the tank 75gallon, 80gallon or larger? (I prefer not larger then 80 gallon)
2. How can I make sure that I get most females and not much males?
3. I am going to get a few bristlenose for a clean up crew.
4. As for stones I got some limescale stones already.
5. As for gravel I am going to get some black sand.
6. Temperature would be set for about 25°C.
7. Would they interbreed?

 

[jhutch]

i dont think labs and demasoni will cross. mine never did. I had a 75 gallon with about 10-15 demasoni, 3 yellow labs and some srt hongi and a few others. it worked out great. as far as telling males from females labs are near impossible and its been a few years since ive had demasoni but i believe they look pretty similar as well so be hard to tell m/f ratio.

 

[migdem]

so if i get a 75-80 gallon it would be fine then?

 

[jhutch]

yeah it would be for just the two species.

 

[migdem]

is there something else that I could get (colorful) as the yellow labs and the demasoni?

 

[jhutch]

super red top hongi are colorful, thats what i had with my demasoni and labs.

 

[mike dunagan]

Most mbuna are colorful. Which species do you like?

 

[migdem]

i like the hongi but wouldn't they interbreed? also i like yellow tail acei but I think they interbreed or no?

 

[jhutch]

this is true, they could cross breed. i suppose you could always throw a victorian in such as a nyereri or something. hard to avoid interbreeding when you are talking about a mixed species tank. if you care about breeding dont mix them. the acei being mbuna could cross with the demasoni too.

 

[Redskins forever 21]

I love my Cynotilapia afra and White top haras, they have great color, their teeth are unicuspid and jar out, makes them intimidating. White top haras look like demasoni but are a little more light colored, not to mention the mouth difference. The cynotilapia species are a bit smaller than the ones you have fore mentioned, but what they lack in size they make up for in personality. Check out aquabid.com thats where I purchased mine. Happy fishing!