[Ryanblackheart]

Mbuna related pondering , I have no plans to do this I'm just stuck in isolation and haven't seen this subject come up before just a hypothetical so for a 55 it's recommended 3 mixed groups and a 75 it's 4 etc this is due to floor space based on 3/4 males requiring a patch to call their own, would you be able to add an extra group if you went exclusively female? Let's assume you aren't pushing the limit with overstocking hypothetically could you run more groups if you excluded males?

 

[DJRansome]

I don't think many (any?) have tried all female and 4 species with 4 of each. Sixteen individuals. How would you get females that are colorful and look nothing alike? I assume you are not talking demasoni or auratus or kenyi here. Acei are out due to size.

My thoughts: Females also have a a pecking order and will chase other females. I think you will still have more issues with 4 species than 3 species but I don't think it will be a whole lot different without males.

Lets face it...the guidelines give you a better chance of success than stocking randomly. But other things can work and if you are an experienced fishkeeper and know how to detect issues and deal with issues (and are willing to do what it takes when there is an issue) then try it.

I guess in the end the question is this. If you have a 55 and a burning desire to try another species why not buy a 75? A lot of us want to see the natural behavior (as much as possible in a glass box) and a glimpse approximating what it might look like in the lake with males and females.

 

[Ryanblackheart]

*
I was just wondering more about how an extra group with removed males would do for example if you had

White top hara 1m4f
Yellow labs 1m4f
Rustys 1m4f

And then for example supplemented 3/4 maingano females

I appreciate a bigger aquarium is always a solution I was just interested in the potential addition of a small group of females to a stocked aquarium for an additional species

 

[DJRansome]

Oh no...I thought you meant no males. The 3 existing males could try to spawn with the maingano females. Also I would still limit to 15 fish in a 55G regardless of the extra females.

And you don't care about fry?

 

[Ryanblackheart]

Yeah I will have 5 synos lucipinis for fry

Basically I was just wondering as all the brilliant blue colours seem to be problematic fish maingano demansoni etc was just wondering if a small female group could be a way to add the colour without the drama

 

[Ryanblackheart]

I have my stocking set with beginner level mbuna for my first tank
Hara's
Yellow Lab's
Rusty's

I just know I'm gonna look in the tank and feel like there is a lack blue

 

[DJRansome]

Hard to get the bright blue in a 55G. Maingano have had problems for some in a 55G and seem to have better success in a 75G.

I went from 36" first tank to 72" tank so I get the desire to stock more species. :thumb: