[steve p gardiner]

Please can someone advise me as to how many fish i should introduce to my NEW 6x2x2 mbuna tank initially. I am planning on Dems, Yellow Labs, Red zebra, Cobalt zebra and some hara. Any advice as to how to build up this stock from new and comments on my choice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Fogelhund]

Unfortunately the mix is not the best. Many of these fish would hybridize, or simply not get along.

The demasoni and hara often don't get along.
Cobalts and hara often don't get along, and risk hybridization.
Cobalts and Red Zebras don't get along and risk hybridization.
Red Zebras and Yellow Labs are a huge hybridization risk.

You could do Dems, Labs, Cobalts.... plus a couple of other species, such as Melanochromis cyaenorhabdos and perhaps and OB Labeotropheus....

Does that sound interesting? I'll give you numbers if so.

 

[steve p gardiner]

Yes, please do, i am still laerning so much and i wont proceed with the plan until i know i have it right.

 

[JoelRHale]

Fogelhund, not questioning your knowledge but mine, dems can work with cyaneorhabdos?

 

[Fogelhund]

Fogelhund, not questioning your knowledge but mine, dems can work with cyaneorhabdos?

I've had them together, yes.

 

[JoelRHale]

Huh, well all right. With the similar colors I never even thought about trying, I had always thought it was a shame since they are two of my favorites.

 

[travisbundo]

Both are going to be fairly aggressive/territorial but with one being vertically striped and the other horizontally. Should be feasbile with proper space.

 

[steve p gardiner]

Ok I will rethink a bit guys, but how about initial stocking levels in a brand new set up. My local shop suggested around 25 fish the first week and then add another 20 the following week. Is this sound advice or not? They will all be juvenile fish by the way.

 

[DJRansome]

I think I would only put about 25 fish in the tank total, depending on the species. And if you cycle with ammonia you can probably put them all in at once.

 

[II25tolifeII]

i have haras and dems together they just leave each other alone although the demasoni went selfdestructive lol

 

[steve p gardiner]

DJRansome really , only 25 fish in a 6ft x2 x2 tank? That sounds contrary to what I have been advised so far.

 

[dielikemoviestars]

That number seems awfully low to me, too, especially if one of the species if demasoni. I would've put it at more like 40, with 16 being dems, then 4x 1m:5f of the others.

 

[DJRansome]

Yes if one of the species is demasoni it would change upward. And if one of the species is auratus or crabro it would change downward.

You can cram more in. I had a really nice mbuna tank that wasw 72" for 2 years with 5 species and most of them were 1m:4f.