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Female Mbuna or Peacock Tank

maramc

Members
Is there such a thing as an all female mbuna or peacock tank?

I was wanting to create a 75 gallon all male tank for my living room, but will be getting juveniles to stock, especially if I plan to overstock it. I imagine I'll end up with some accidental females. I'm wondering what I'll eventually need to do with them. Can I separate them into two tanks - boys and girls? If so, will the females get nasty with other similar girls? I realize they aren't as pretty, but would it still be an interesting tank?

Still planning my stocking...
 

Ading522

Members
depending on what you have stocked in the tank, you might just end up with a tank full of silver colored fish..which isn't really that much to look at.. but, who knows.. i do not think one has tried, and maybe you can get some interesting behaviour .. i have some juvie fish im currently growing out, would you like to trade males for males? i have taiwan reefs, albino eureka reds, demasoni, yellow collar, otter point, lithobates yellow top, and some victorians.. let me know!
 

maramc

Members
What does everyone suggest in regards of buying unsexed juveniles in regards to numbers to hopefully get a male in group? Does buying two really give you a 50/50 shot at getting a male? I have some time to grow out some fish and the price is more palatable.

So Ading 522, are you proposing I raise some juvies and you raise yours, then we trade males to get a diverse tank? If so, I'd be interested.
 

Ading522

Members
What does everyone suggest in regards of buying unsexed juveniles in regards to numbers to hopefully get a male in group? Does buying two really give you a 50/50 shot at getting a male? I have some time to grow out some fish and the price is more palatable.

So Ading 522, are you proposing I raise some juvies and you raise yours, then we trade males to get a diverse tank? If so, I'd be interested.

When you buy juvies that are really small,you have absolutely no guarantee you will have a male or two.. You may end up with all females or mix or all males.. In regards to your second question,yes that's what I propose..as long as there are extra males.. I gave you a list of what I'm growing out ,I hope you have a different group..let me know.

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jonclark96

Past CCA President
When purchasing fish hoping to get a pair, the math says that you should get 6 to have a very likely chance of getting at a minimum of one of each gender (can't remember the exact percentage, but once Using that same logic, if you are worried about it, get at a minimum of 6, but 4 would probably get you close. In my experience, juvie groups tend to be male heavy. The males tend to grow faster and eat more when young, so they get sold faster.
 

ezrk

Members
Assuming it is 50-50.

If you buy four fish the chance of all male or all female is 1/16 each so there is a 1 in 8 chance of not having a pair.

With six fish there is a 1/64 chance of all male or all female so 1/32 chance of not not a pair.

When we buy Mbuna we generally assume it will be 50-50 and buy a group large enough to get us the number of females we want to keep and then plan to sell of the extra males (usually at a loss) and just assume this is part of the group.

For a typical Mbuna cluster when we want to get something like 2m/6f we would buy a dozen juvies and then sell off all but two males. We also regularly pay MUCH more for proven females than for unsexed fish as we would plan on selling the males at some point in the future anyway.
 

maramc

Members
Well, based on the replies, a question on stocking strategy. Would I better be served by looking for individuals parting with males vs. buying an unsexed group hoping to get a male? My goal is the all male tank and not interested in breeding. I was under the misconception that the females were less desirable and was concerned with the feasibility of rehoming any females. I was figuring buying fish that are that were less than 2" because I can get 3 or 4 for the price of a mature male and that's the size of the current tank mates. I only have 9 now (actually will be 8 because I have 2 cherry red zebras, one of which will need to go). Normally what size are the males that folks want to get rid of? I'm about 2 or 3 weeks from putting the 75 gallon in service.


Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 

Ading522

Members
Well, based on the replies, a question on stocking strategy. Would I better be served by looking for individuals parting with males vs. buying an unsexed group hoping to get a male? My goal is the all male tank and not interested in breeding. I was under the misconception that the females were less desirable and was concerned with the feasibility of rehoming any females. I was figuring buying fish that are that were less than 2" because I can get 3 or 4 for the price of a mature male and that's the size of the current tank mates. I only have 9 now (actually will be 8 because I have 2 cherry red zebras, one of which will need to go). Normally what size are the males that folks want to get rid of? I'm about 2 or 3 weeks from putting the 75 gallon in service.


Sent from my iPad using MonsterAquariaNetwork app

Male size can be anywhere from 3"+ - full size depending on the type of fish..the bigger the males are the more $$$.. Its up to you if you want to grow them out and take chances or buy a male from the beginning and spend the extra $$$

Sent from my XT1060 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
I've always recommended getting juveniles that are showing enough color that they can be identified as male. I can figure gender out in my ruby red peacocks even when they are quite immature.

I think an all female tank would be strange . . .
 

verbal

CCA Members
I've always recommended getting juveniles that are showing enough color that they can be identified as male. I can figure gender out in my ruby red peacocks even when they are quite immature.

I think an all female tank would be strange . . .

In general peacocks tend to color up the earliest. IME haps tend to take longer to show color and may not in the presence of a dominant male.
 
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