[fox]

>snip<
i would LOVE to let them be and keep it all natural in the 180, but i am afraid of massive fry loss.... i will have it set up with a lot of rocks and what not, what do you think?

We have a tank with a 6' x 2' footprint and overstocked with predatory Haps and mbuna. Believe it or not fry survive in there. About 3 from each spawn and after a few years that adds up. More rock work and more can survive.

We remove the venustus before she spits since the LFS gives us food for her fry in trade. We used to do the same with the yellow labs but I guess our area is swamped with them and we can no longer trade them so let nature take its course.