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Input About A Mbuna Tank

zackcrack00

zackcrack00

Members
I am planning a large tank in December this year, or January next year. Here were my plans for the tank:

1 Tank- for breeding, and I want to be able to catch holding females easily.

(Already have) 29 Gallon- I will use this as a grow-out for 1 or 2 broods to 2" size

(Already Have) 5 Gallon- I will use this as a fry tank for newborn fry


My Questions are:

What size tank is appropriate for me if I want to be able to catch holding females in it?

I am new to big tanks. What is required heater and filtration wise? And please explain in detail. If you say I need a "sump", what is a sump?

I really like Demasoni, and plan on getting some. What are compatible tankmates?

I was thinking a 125 Gallon, how many Mbuna will that hold?

What kinds of equipment do you guys recommend???

Do you guys think I could buy some fry around October or September to grow in my 29 gallon to put in my big tank as juvies?
Thanks for all of the help. I will post follow-up questions after I get some answers!!! :D
 
A

Ading522

Members
wow! welcome to the monster tank family if you get a 125! i myself just got one, and i love it! looking to upgrade to bigger and beyond..LOL.. here's my humble opinion.. demasoni are smaller mbunas belonging to the "dwarf" kind and may only reach up to 4" in length as adults.. other mbunas may grow larger.. on a 125, it will depend on what type of mbuna you are planning to keep that may affect your stocking options.. some mbunas may be very aggressive to others, so space is really an issue.. demasoni for example are aggressive towards each other, but don't mind the bigger fish.. (observed that in my tank as well, so maybe it might be different) for tankmates, i really do not keep other mbunas now except for those demasoni and plan on getting some white tailed acei (some members have it on the forum but have not gotten back to me yet) and i guess that would be it for my mbuna..i just find them too aggressive.. anyway, you can ask other members who are more experienced.. this is just my two cents..

filtration and heating:

since african cichlids are known to have a lot of waste, i think overfiltration is key to keeping my tanks clean..otherwise i would be cleaning the tank and filters a lot! i run at least 4 times the size of my tank in filters, and also aeration is important..i have 3 heaters in my tank, at 6W/gallon.. i have a total of 750 W.. it mught be excessive, but i want to have the ability to heat the tank to 90F if i have some itch or other parasites to kill.. looking to put a UV in soon..

sump: most freshwater setups do not run a sump.. i found it more common in saltwater setups.. this is needed when a "refugium" is needed to keep certain corals or fish alive.. in freshwater cases, it is made into a filter and maybe a place where all heating, sterilizing, of filtration occurs to hide the "wire and tube mess" in the tank.. i think in freshwater setups, a sump is entirely "owners choice" and not necessary..

I am also learning more about keeping monster tanks, have found it fun and hopefully this helps you out in your quest..Good luck! :)
 
Becca

Becca

Members
All you want for Christmas???

Since big tanks are long, i'd recommend a heater on each side and a filter on each side.

For filters I like Eheim canister filters and AquaClear HOB filters - you could do either or, or do one of each. On our 150 we have two Eheim 2217 canisters.

AquaClear filters will be more affordable and easier to clean. You can also adjust the flow on them a little, if needed. Eheims are pricier, don't need cleaning nearly as often, and have more output options (spray bar, diffuser, spout thing I don't know the name of). Eheims can also be disastrous to clean and a pain in the derriere to get started again, but they do let you keep your big, bulky tank closer to the wall.

I like Eheim Jaeger heaters. I never had one go bad on me and they're easy to use and adjust. The Uglies tend to abuse their furnishings and those heaters have held up despite constantly being knocked around.

I can't really speak to Mbunas, just the maintenance involved in a large tank. If you don't have a Python already, get one. It can take a looooong time to do even a 20% water change with a bucket.
 
A

Ading522

Members
I like Eheim Jaeger heaters. I never had one go bad on me and they're easy to use and adjust. The Uglies tend to abuse their furnishings and those heaters have held up despite constantly being knocked around.


i love the jaeger heaters too! i think they look really nice in my tank..

I can't really speak to Mbunas, just the maintenance involved in a large tank. If you don't have a Python already, get one. It can take a looooong time to do even a 20% water change with a bucket.


been there..done that.. luckily it was before i got the 125.. it was still exhausting though..LOL
 
verbal

verbal

CCA Members
For Filtration, I think 2 of the large AquaClear filters(500 or 110, depending on the age) would be the way to go.

Demasoni are cool fish, but I am not sure they are a good starter mbuna in a 125. I think yellow labs and rusties are good choices. I think with that tank you want big groups rather than a ton of different species.

If Demasoni are a must have I would start with 20 to 25 around 1". I would start them in the 29 or even better if you could upgrade to a 40 breeder. Let them grow in the smaller tank and remove some of the troublesome males. If you can get the group stable and breeding in the smaller tank, I would move them to the larger tank. If you add enough hiding spots, you should have a relatively stable colony with a few surviving fry hiding out in the small crevices. You will still have to keep an eye out for aggression and remove the bullies and victims.
 
londonloco

londonloco

Members
On my125 Mbuna set up I have a sump (there are not only for saltwater set ups, google is your friend here), an AC110 and a Filstar 4. Two heaters in sump, both set to 78 degrees. Tank is clean and healthy.
 
dogofwar

dogofwar

CCA Members
A 125g is a great size for African cichlids. It's big enough for just about any kind of mbuna.

Instead of rusties and yellow labs, check out some of the Cynotilapia and other mbuna types on Dave's list: http://www.davesfish.com/

I'd recommend 2-3 groups of different fish in a 125g. Maybe a group of Cynotilapa, another of Labeotropheus and another of a Hap or Peacock.

If I'm planning to pull holding fish out of a tank, I decorate with PVC condos: rubberbanded-together rolls of PVC pipe. Catch the condo in a big net and you've got the fish...

I'm not a fan of moving around hundreds of pounds of rocks!

Matt
 
jonclark96

jonclark96

Past CCA President
Just to set your expectations to the right place, there isn't an "easy" way to catch fish out of a 6 foot tank if you have many decorations in it. That said, get a 6 foot tank. They are really fun to work with and give you a ton of options stocking wise. I'll leave it to the mbuna experts in the club to help with stocking suggestions.

As for filtration, more is always better in my opinion. Don't skimp on it either. On my 5 foot 120, I run 2 AC110's, a Eheim 2028, and a large sponge filter. I know that if one of the filters ever goes down, I always have enough to keep the tank going until I can get it fixed or replaced. On my 180, I run 2 FX5's and 2 sponges.

I'd also suggest looking for a tank on the forum or via Craig's List instead of buying new. A new 6 footer is going to cost a pretty penny.
 
Forester

Forester

Members
jonclark96 said:
Just to set your expectations to the right place, there isn't an "easy" way to catch fish out of a 6 foot tank if you have many decorations in it. That said, get a 6 foot tank. They are really fun to work with and give you a ton of options stocking wise. I'll leave it to the mbuna experts in the club to help with stocking suggestions.

As for filtration, more is always better in my opinion. Don't skimp on it either. On my 5 foot 120, I run 2 AC110's, a Eheim 2028, and a large sponge filter. I know that if one of the filters ever goes down, I always have enough to keep the tank going until I can get it fixed or replaced. On my 180, I run 2 FX5's and 2 sponges.

I'd also suggest looking for a tank on the forum or via Craig's List instead of buying new. A new 6 footer is going to cost a pretty penny.
Click to expand...

+1 i have a fx5 and a large sponge filter on my 75g

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
hollyfish2000

hollyfish2000

Members
Absolutely get your tank off of Craig's list or even this forum. You will pay a fraction of what the tank will cost you new.

Make sure you have a substantial and appropriate stand. That size tank is VERY heavy.

I'm a fan of Fluval canister filters myself. I also like redundancy in all my tanks so if one filter fails for some reason I always have a second one running. All my tanks have a Fluval 305 and 405, even my 40 breeder. If it were my 125, I'd get two FX5s. And look for these on Ebay for new in box at good prices.

I would strongly urge you not to do demonsoni. First, they are extremely aggressive and will challenge your ability to keep a peaceful, happy, breeding tank. They will kill each other off and I personally don't like pulling beaten up fish out of my tanks. Also, I don't think anyone in CCA are interested in buying them.

I also strongly encourage you to have a conversation with Dave of Dave's Rare Fish. He is a great guy and very knowledgeable. And he has fantastic fish. I'd think about three breeding groups in a 125. Labs are good because they are easy and flexible. You won't make money with them, but they will be easy and pretty and good tankmates. You might think about a peacock or hap breeding group. These often have a good market. Avoid the ones already prevalent in the club (like the ruby/german red) and go for something a bit more exotic. The blue orchid (kandeese) and maylandi are great peacocks that are difficult to breed, but if you do, there is a good market.
 
zackcrack00

zackcrack00

Members
Okay, no Dems. How many mbuna can I get in that tank? Are you guys sure I can't do 4 or 5 breeding groups, around 6-8 per group??? I like Benga Peacocks, Cynotilapia "mbweca", Labidochromis Hongi, Maylandia Frainzberi, and Maylandia Greshakei. The names are mostly outdated, but you guys probably know what they are.
 
Forester

Forester

Members
Zack if you overstock you will be even less likely of getting babies and with that many fish you might need up to 3 FX5's. And that would be expensive. It would be better to do 3 groups and have the fish be happy then do 5 groups and have them be killing each other.

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF300T using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
 
chriscoli

chriscoli

Administrator
Jmoore said:
Hongi are mean too
Click to expand...

I have kept Hongi and I don't think they are any meaner than other "average" Mbuna. They were certainly less aggressive than my Cynotilapia. Probably about the same as my Mainganos.

I did find that i would have one spectacular male and a bunch of mud-colored subdominant males and females, though.
 
hollyfish2000

hollyfish2000

Members
Zack -- you're doing the right thing by asking questions before going off and buying fish willynilly. That usually works out poorly for the fish. But you will also find that we will eventually tire of answering questions when you're ignoring the advice we're provided previously. You can do four or five different breeding groups in a 125 and you will either get NO surviving fry or you will get hybrid fry and have no idea who the father is, which CCA and most legitimate fishkeepers frown on greatly. You need to do some research on which fish are less likely to interbreed, which are less aggressive and can live well together, and then from that list, determine which ones you like the look of. You are going to be looking at them, after all.

Cichlid forum is a good source of species information, as well as general stocking advice.
 
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