[Bob19]

I want some of your opinions on tank dimensions/sizes. I currently have a 75g bow front with mbunas and will upgrading here shortly to at least a 120g. Now I know lots of people say longer is better then tall, what about the depth? I have an option to buy a standard 6' 125g or a used custom tank that is 130g and it's only 48" long but is 28" deep and like 22-23" tall and I think would look awesome built into a wall with that depth, and all set up for an overflow (which I'm leaning more towards for filtration).

Is giving them that much more depth essentially the same as length in the eyes of a mbuna keeper? Or would you still stick to a 6' tank?

I'll be moving some of my mbunas over to it from my main tank but will be adding a couple other species and the biggest fish (if I decide to put them in there) would be Snow White socolofi for cichlids and a feather fin cat. Will mainly consist of demasoni, albino red top zebras, marmalade fuelleborni and probably just my big male yellow lab and probably my big male Snow White.

If I set it up right with piles of rocks placed in different locations would you think that would work just peachy or am I wishful thinking?

Thanks

 

[ken31cay]

More width is always good but doesn't make up for the loss in length. You'd still be looking at a 6' tank vs. 4' tank. That being said, my fish love the 3' width of my 450gal much more than they would a 2' width.

 

[DJRansome]

Length is king. If they were both 72" I would buy the wider tank, but longer is always better.

 

[Steve C]

Count me in with Ken & DJ. While I love a wide tank, losing 2ft of length just to gain the extra width is not worth it. Especially with mbuna who love to go on long chases.