It has been a while since I have visited the forum, much less posted, but am back and looking for some advice and suggestions.
I have been keeping mbuna for the past three years. When I started again, after years out of the hobby, I had a plan after months of research. It did not work so well. I tweaked by adding (mostly) and removing fish. I currently have the following eclectic mix of mbuna in my aquarium:
8 L. caeruleus (2m/6?)
1 M. cyaneorhabdos (m)
7 M. callainos (1m/2f/4?)
1 M. sp. "Msobo" (f?)
2 Ps. demasoni (1m/1f)
5 Ps. sp. "Acei" (Ngara) (juvies)
I think I have become bored with my mbuna-only tank and would like to try keeping Peacocks and Haps. The tank is 66 gallons (250 L); 48" x 16" footprint (120 cm x 40 cm).
Now my dilemma: Do I go all male? Do I do breeding groups of pairs or trios?
I would really like to keep some of the yellow labs, especially the juveniles as they are of surprisingly good quality.
I wouldn't mind keeping some of the cobalts; my dominant male - a striking fish - has been with me from day one. Or, I wouldn't mind keeping the demasoni pair; they are the last of my colony (guess what happened) and have been alone together for almost a year, breeding several times.
The others: good bye. Gone.
Here are the species I would like to try:
Aulonocara species: stuartgranti or one of the line bred reds; maybe Lwanda?
Protomleas sp. "Steveni Taiwan"
Otopharynx lithobates
Copadichromis azureus
If you have come this far - my apologies for my life story - I ask of you: Can I do any or all of the above peacock/haps in my tank? Pairs? Trios? Or just do the all male route?
Which mbuna (besides the labs) should I even attempt to keep? Any other suggestions or recommendations?
I am in no particular rush, so feel free to think this over the Christmas holiday ...
Thanks!
I have been keeping mbuna for the past three years. When I started again, after years out of the hobby, I had a plan after months of research. It did not work so well. I tweaked by adding (mostly) and removing fish. I currently have the following eclectic mix of mbuna in my aquarium:
8 L. caeruleus (2m/6?)
1 M. cyaneorhabdos (m)
7 M. callainos (1m/2f/4?)
1 M. sp. "Msobo" (f?)
2 Ps. demasoni (1m/1f)
5 Ps. sp. "Acei" (Ngara) (juvies)
I think I have become bored with my mbuna-only tank and would like to try keeping Peacocks and Haps. The tank is 66 gallons (250 L); 48" x 16" footprint (120 cm x 40 cm).
Now my dilemma: Do I go all male? Do I do breeding groups of pairs or trios?
I would really like to keep some of the yellow labs, especially the juveniles as they are of surprisingly good quality.
I wouldn't mind keeping some of the cobalts; my dominant male - a striking fish - has been with me from day one. Or, I wouldn't mind keeping the demasoni pair; they are the last of my colony (guess what happened) and have been alone together for almost a year, breeding several times.
The others: good bye. Gone.
Here are the species I would like to try:
Aulonocara species: stuartgranti or one of the line bred reds; maybe Lwanda?
Protomleas sp. "Steveni Taiwan"
Otopharynx lithobates
Copadichromis azureus
If you have come this far - my apologies for my life story - I ask of you: Can I do any or all of the above peacock/haps in my tank? Pairs? Trios? Or just do the all male route?
Which mbuna (besides the labs) should I even attempt to keep? Any other suggestions or recommendations?
I am in no particular rush, so feel free to think this over the Christmas holiday ...
Thanks!
