Joined
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12 Posts
Here is how this all began......been out of hobby for years. One day, three months ago I get a beta and a three and a half gallon tank from PetSmart for my son. After two weeks I start to feel bad for the beta and buy a 20 gallon. I enjoy setting that up, and somehow ended up at petco during their one dollar a gallon sale and bought a 40 breeder. Then ordered a 40 gallon long and planted it. I've been watching you tube videos every night on fishkeeping, starting planted tanks, etc. my wife thinks I have gone off the deep end. Point being, every fish I have purchased with the exception of 2 for these tanks are still alive including some less hardy species that require more attention. But I had no idea, until after I stocked my 40 breeder with Mbuna, that I was creating the tank from ****.
This tank is beautiful, stocked with 14 2 inch fish. I've got a red zebra, 3 Snow White, 2 yellow açaí, 2 bumble bee. 1 cobalt blue, 1 auritus, 1 electric blue , and a couple others. I have no idea the sex of these fish and had no idea that 3-4 of these fish would grow up to be monsters. I since have read optimal species groupings, male to female ratios, etc for a more peaceful tank. How one would go about selecting the specific sex of the fish at pet stores is beyond me but I will take the blame for picking out some species that aren't great for this community. But in my opinion, based on what I understand now, local fish stores shouldn't even be selling some of these fish if they are such notorious destroyers.
But really, I don't see how it matters all that much, because from my experience over the last two months, all the Mbuna sin my tank hate each other and all other living things. I have tried everything. I've rearranged my tank 6 times in two months. I have segregated problem fish and reintroduced, I alter line of sight, I leave the light off for days. Nothing erases the hate in these fish. It's a guessing game as to what fish will become the next evil dictator or when his reign will end. I could remove the worst one, but what good would it do.
At one point I thought about moving the tank into my bedroom, but it would just cause anxiety and guilt as I ponder the living **** I created inside that tank. All seem healthy and eat, but there are some seriously stressed out fish and I know it's just a matter of time before the deaths begin. I could buy a larger tank and plan to, but I don't want to waste a beautiful big tank on these hateful fish. I am almost certain no tank is big enough the curb the disdain they have for all other life forms.
I'm not going to give up on this tank. I spent a good bit of money on these fish and the set up. However, I will never ever buy another Mbuna for as long as I keep fish and I find it hard to believe any Mbuna tank is peaceful. Those that say it's possible must have a high threshold for fish on fish violence. That, Or I just happened to but the 14 most degenerate in humane fish known to man.
That being said, I have still enjoyed getting back into the hobby.
This tank is beautiful, stocked with 14 2 inch fish. I've got a red zebra, 3 Snow White, 2 yellow açaí, 2 bumble bee. 1 cobalt blue, 1 auritus, 1 electric blue , and a couple others. I have no idea the sex of these fish and had no idea that 3-4 of these fish would grow up to be monsters. I since have read optimal species groupings, male to female ratios, etc for a more peaceful tank. How one would go about selecting the specific sex of the fish at pet stores is beyond me but I will take the blame for picking out some species that aren't great for this community. But in my opinion, based on what I understand now, local fish stores shouldn't even be selling some of these fish if they are such notorious destroyers.
But really, I don't see how it matters all that much, because from my experience over the last two months, all the Mbuna sin my tank hate each other and all other living things. I have tried everything. I've rearranged my tank 6 times in two months. I have segregated problem fish and reintroduced, I alter line of sight, I leave the light off for days. Nothing erases the hate in these fish. It's a guessing game as to what fish will become the next evil dictator or when his reign will end. I could remove the worst one, but what good would it do.
At one point I thought about moving the tank into my bedroom, but it would just cause anxiety and guilt as I ponder the living **** I created inside that tank. All seem healthy and eat, but there are some seriously stressed out fish and I know it's just a matter of time before the deaths begin. I could buy a larger tank and plan to, but I don't want to waste a beautiful big tank on these hateful fish. I am almost certain no tank is big enough the curb the disdain they have for all other life forms.
I'm not going to give up on this tank. I spent a good bit of money on these fish and the set up. However, I will never ever buy another Mbuna for as long as I keep fish and I find it hard to believe any Mbuna tank is peaceful. Those that say it's possible must have a high threshold for fish on fish violence. That, Or I just happened to but the 14 most degenerate in humane fish known to man.
That being said, I have still enjoyed getting back into the hobby.