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Pseudotropheus or Cynotilapia?

Wblaze

Members
[FONT=&quot]Hello All. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]I am planning out my tank and have while I am trying not to have more than 1 species of each, I am confused. I was thinking about doing [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Cynotilapia Green Mbeca, Pseudotropheus sp. ''Polit'' Lion's Cove, along with yellow labs and rustys. When I looked online, some people have the Lions Cove listed as a Pseudotropheus and others have it as a cynotilapia. Which one do I go by?

Also, what about adding Cheware to the mix?
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DiscusnAfricans

Past President
I can't say which is right because that's probably still under debate, but I would avoid mixing them with the rusties. I think mixing them with afra could lead to interspecific aggression. I think afra or chewere (Elongatus correct?) with labs and rusties would probably be fine.
 

dogofwar

CCA Members
Mbuna taxonomy is a subject of great scientific disagreement. Pseudotropheus, Tropheops, Metriaclima...who knows (or cares).

Cichlid Room Companion calls them Pseudotropheus sp. "polit", which is good enough for me: http://www.cichlidae.com/gallery/species.php?id=1194

They're quite different from Cynotilapia in color (males are light blue, females are rusty gold) and, in my experience, level of aggression (Cynotilapia are pretty mild as mbuna go, polit males can be pretty aggressive). That said, I bred lots and lots of polits back in Sacramento in a 2'x2'x1' tank with 2 males, about 8 females and a couple of PVC "condos" (a rubber band around a bunch of 3/4" PVC pieces).

Elongatus "chewere" (elongatus in general) can be some of the nastiest mbuna around, especially as they get 4-5". I kept them in a 6' tank with a colony of albino zebras...and they were still nasty.

I'd go with Cynotilapia, rusties and yellow labs.

Matt
 
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