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Planning a 125G 6feet for mbunas

3K views 27 replies 9 participants last post by  Zythum 
#1 ·
Hi,

After dealing with my girlfriend, I got the autoriazation for a 126G 6 feet instead of a 180G. But I will be able to make my reef 45G instead of 30G.

For the new tank, I will build the stand myself and include a 55G sump (48x13x20) with 2 wet dry for a total of 10G of coralife bioballs and 2 mag 7 return pump. Lighting will be my 2x T5-HO in a 14 inch high hood (I take my plans on www.garf.org). I already have a lot of rocks from my 2 previous tanks + 2 koralia powerheads. For the sand, I will try to get something darker than PFS, maybe aragonite. For the background, either black or blue, I am not sure yet.

A second stand beside will contain a 40G (36x13x20) for the water change and a 20G (30x12x12) for the evaporation. In the top part I will place my electrical panel and some storage space.

The goals:
- A lot of colour and movement
- Not too much maintenance
- Noiseless tank
- Cheap to run

The population, with a total water volume of 170G
8x Synodontis multipunctatus
1m/5f Labidochromis caeruleus (Mbowe)
1m/5f Pseudotropheus sp. "acei" (Itungi)
1m/5f Iodotropheus sprengeraes(Makokola Reef) Rusty cichlid
1m/5f Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos (Likoma Island)
1m/5f Pseudotropheus socolofi (Mara Point)
1m/5f Metriaclima sp. dolphin (Ndonga) (giant demasoni)

I wil post pics when I start, maybe in september, I have to finish unpacking and setting the place first.

Any comment suggestions?
 
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#4 ·
Yeah I'd skip on the socolofi if going with the dolphins. There won't be a lot of contrast between them and the dolphin females. The dolphins are a great fish but the females stay mostly a light to dark powdery blue color with faint bars, at least in my experience. Not sure if they'd color up more in a different setting. The males color up great though, especially as the become older and larger. In general, I've found them to be undeserving of their poor reputation around here of being shy, underwhelming fish. There've been times I've considered ditching my rusty and fuelliborni harems to keep a larger group of dolphins.
 
#5 ·
*** put the dolphin instead of the demasoni which are also striped vertically black and blue. Any othe fish that could replace the dolphin that is striped vertically and colourful (males and females)?

Thank you
 
#6 ·
Zythum said:
I've put the dolphin instead of the demasoni which are also striped vertically black and blue. Any othe fish that could replace the dolphin that is striped vertically and colourful (males and females)?

Thank you
A few options that meet your criteria. The first two are common enough, but the last two would be tougher to find (definitely need to mail order).

Ps. Saulosi. Males are black/blue vertical striped, while the females are a yellow-orange. Note that the females are fairly close in color to yellow labs, though I wouldn't expect crossbreeding if your ratios are good.

Cynotilapia sp. Hara.

Metriaclima sp. Msobo 'Heteropictus'

Metriaclima flavifemina

*Edit: Upon rereading I noticed you have Mel. Cyaneorhabdos. I have had trouble in the past getting Met. Msobo to color up and breed in the presence of M. Cyaneorhabdos.
 
#7 ·
Hi,

I was looking at maybe doing a mixed (haps/peacocks/mbunas) malawi, but finally I will stick to mbunas. The tank will be a 125G 6 feet, that is my height limit (22 inches) because of a low ceiling in the basement (+ sump in stand with enough clearance to work in it).

Can you guys propose some mixes of 5-6 species of mbunas for a coulourful and a lot of movement tank. I will be putting around 100 river rocks (4-6 inches diameter), so a lot of hiding places. Just like the cookie cutter, but for a 125G, no dull colored females please.

thank you
 
#9 ·
Another idea of population. Is there a colourful metriaclama that could replace the socolofi?

6x Synodontis multipunctatus
1m/4f Labidochromis caeruleus (Mbowe)
1m/4f Pseudotropheus sp. "acei" (Itungi)
1m/4f Iodotropheus sprengeraes(Makokola Reef) Rusty cichlid
1m/5f Pseudotropheus socolofi (Mara Point)
12-15 Pseudotropheus Demasoni

Thank you
 
#11 ·
Ok, a little update.

I wasnt sure between mbunas and trying haps peacocks un groups, *** decided to go with mbunas,

A 125G tank 72x18x22 already drilled with ooverflows at each end
A 55G sump under the tank (homemade stand), Heaters 2x300W and 2 x return pump Mag7
Filtering is 2 wet dry with 5G bioballs each.
Lighting is 2x 60" T5-HO in a homemade top 14" high
I will paint the back and side black
For the sand, about 1.5 inches of Sahara sand from caribsea

A little update on the planned population. In order of introduction:
6x Synodontis multipunctatus
1m/4f Labidochromis caeruleus (Mbowe)
1m/4f Pseudotropheus sp. "acei" (Itungi)
1m/4f Iodotropheus sprengeraes (Makokola Reef) Rusty cichlid
1m/4f Pseudotropheus socolofi (Mara Point)
1m/6f Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos (Likoma Island)
12-15 Pseudotropheus demasoni

Suggestions, comments?

Thank you
 
#13 ·
Hi,

I currently have tropheus Duboisi maswa but its not going as planned. I lost 10 out of my 28 that I started with, If I lose 6 more I will stick to my original plan.

Mbuna stocklist for my 125G:
6x Synodontis multipunctatus
1m/6f Labidochromis caeruleus (Lions cove)
1m/6f Pseudotropheus sp. "acei" (Msuli)
1m/6f Iodotropheus sprengeraes (Makokola Reef) Rusty cichlid
15 Pseudotropheus demasoni

What do you think of that mix?
 
#20 ·
Zythum said:
Hi,

I currently have tropheus Duboisi maswa but its not going as planned. I lost 10 out of my 28 that I started with, If I lose 6 more I will stick to my original plan.

Mbuna stocklist for my 125G:
6x Synodontis multipunctatus
1m/6f Labidochromis caeruleus (Lions cove)
1m/6f Pseudotropheus sp. "acei" (Msuli)
1m/6f Iodotropheus sprengeraes (Makokola Reef) Rusty cichlid
15 Pseudotropheus demasoni

What do you think of that mix?
I have a very similar mix in my tank except instead of rusties I have pseudotropheus cyaneorhabdos. My male female ratios are all over the place and with my rock work lots of fry keep surviving so it would be futile to try and maintain a certain ratio. I strongly considered rusties as my last addition, but my wife wanted the cyaneorhabdos so I conceded. I agree with DJ to up the # of demasoni. I think overall that's a great mix that you'll really enjoy.
 
#21 ·
Hi,

I am selling my tropheus. I want big lights and more rocks, better suited for mbunas. *** checked the inventory at my local store, this is what I was thinking of putting up. I wont put catfish, so fry should survive, I wanna reduce chance of hybrid.

Its for a 125G, with 20G of water in the sump and a 10G wetdry with 1300GPh flow.
I do a 30% water change a week.

- 6x Labidochromis caeruleus (1m/5f)
- 7x Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos (1m/6f)
- 8x Metriaclima callainos (1m/7f)
- 20x Pseudotropheus demasoni (some males, rest females)
- 6x Pseudotropheus sp. acei Itungi (1m/5f)

What do you think?
 
#23 ·
Finally I went:

- 12x Labidochromis caeruleus
- 8x Metriaclima callainos
- 20x Pseudotropheus demasoni
- 6x Pseudotropheus sp. acei Itungi

I just built my wall of rock, currently putting the fishes in.

Pictures to come.
 
#24 ·
Everything is fin, no losses and all fishes are swimming. One of my demasoni went in my corner flo. I cant get my hand in there and the fish didnt go near the net even with a flake in it. I hope he goes in the pipe to the pre-filter on my wet-dry, so I can put him back in the tank. Do you have any tricks to get him out of there? I will put gutter plastic to prevent any other fish from going in there.



 
#25 ·
Small net? Mine jump over the background when I fill the tank too full every time...the pleco too. Then I have to net them out of a 1" space. :x

Or as fry they swim through the grate and grow up (a little) back there. :lol:
 
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