Smallest tank for pair of mbuna?

markstrimaran

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Yellow labs. 20180908_120844.jpg
The grow out tank the two chambers on the right are reserved for breeding, 22" wide 18" tall. I have not glued yet. Like to go 12" as It leaves sump space on the left.
 
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james99

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I'm not sure one this one. I've never tried just placing 2 fish in to breed, normally you would stock 1 male with a few females, let them breed, then pull the holding female. I would guess a 20 long could work maybe?
 
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jcarson

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Breeding pair of Mbuna kept as pair!?!? Im interested in this thread.
Unless the male is younger and smaller he could just beat the crap out of her.
To be honest this is uncharted water for me......
Are they housed "together" right now? and the only fish in the tank currently?

Yellow labs. View attachment 1334234
The grow out tank the two chambers on the right are reserved for breeding, 22" wide 18" tall. I have not glued yet. Like to go 12" as It leaves sump space on the left.
Btw I love these tank with its compartments. It gives me ideas.
 
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markstrimaran

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I have had poor luck with pulling females, seems to stress them out, were they swallow their eggs. My main tank is very difficult to extract holding females from.
 

markstrimaran

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Breeding pair of Mbuna kept as pair!?!? Im interested in this thread.
Unless the male is younger and smaller he could just beat the crap out of her.
To be honest this is uncharted water for me......
Are they housed "together" right now? and the only fish in the tank currently?



Btw I love these tank with its compartments. It gives me ideas.
My experiance has been, that with good habitat a female can hide and evade. She will find a Male at her convenience.

I should do a pair in my 20 x 20 x 20. divided into a 12x20x20.
 
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RD.

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What's the point of this exercise? Obviously a single female will be harassed endlessly by the male, especially in such tight quarters, and as I recall your yellow labs are common aquarium strain, so not exactly worth the effort to breed for $$. Unless you are using the offspring for feeders for larger carnivorous fish that you keep, I'm not sure what the point is? Let the females spit in the main tank and let nature take its course.
 
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RD.

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My experiance has been, that with good habitat a female can hide and evade. She will find a Male at her convenience.
Good habitat? Such as that acrylic contraption that you are building? A life of hiding and evading = a life of stress for a fish. And females don't find males, in captivity males are always on the prowl to spawn, unlike females that require a period of rest and conditioning in between spawning.
 
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