Chris’ African/mbuna Journal

[chr15_8]

thanks ste. i had a nasty thought a few weeks ago when a few of my cpd’s passed away of changing there tank to a pair/trio to a nice dwarf. but after i changed the tank around i love them to bits again.

i also want a bigger malawi tank already! (going to let them grow and say to my mum they need a bigger tank and play it that way) mmmm say around 5/6ft x2x2?

chris

[aquaholic85]

dude jus remember your gonna move out in a few years. trust me and i’m sure many others, moving fish from one place to another is no cheerful task, and find a place to keep all them fish is another task,

So do as you wish, but just giving you a heads up…………can’t live in the nest forever bud….but a that size tank would be a fun project..great for malawis…just be sure to house fish compatible wit eachother. try and pick one that goes with your aqua scaping (i.e. rock dwellers, open water). when you get something set up snap some shots and post em’

good luck

[chr15_8]

yep im finishing it off today (it raining here and i need to brake up more rocks etc)

i wish i could afford to move out in my own place :cry: the only way for me to move out is to rent and the price here around london area are crazy! the cheapist ive seen isaround £650 per month (about $1300) plus bills etc

so will report back after ive finished with the rockwork

chris

[chr15_8]

well ive finished now!

the rocks are all in place the tank is full of water.

the only problem is no pics! when i filled up the tank i used the hose form the garden, there is alot of condensation on the outside of the tank due to the water being so cold anyway the water is reading just below 60 degree f and about 10 degree c.

so ill take pics after the condensation has gone (every time i wipe it its back in seconds)

chris

edit.
my mum says she’s worried about the weight of rocks in the tank being to much lol :lol:

[chr15_8]

some piccy’s

the pump for the ugj

front view of the rock

right hand side

left hand side

view from the right hand side of the tank as you come into the room

[Crazedpuffer]

Nice! can’t wait to see it totally finished with fish and all.

[ste12000]

Thats looking fantastic. I cant wait to see it with fish!!! A question for aquaholic85 are shell dwellers Neolamprologus multifasciatus ect suitable for mixing with Mbuna??
Neolamprologus are the closest to south American dwarf cichlids that lake Tanganyika has.

[aquaholic85]

ste12000
personally never have that kept Neolamprologus multifasciatus , but i would never mix the two, and just would never mix mbuna or shelldwellers in the same tank…maybe labs but thats it. Mbuna are crazy diggers and just would reign hell on the shellies, esp with size difference. Neolamprologus multifasciatus only grow max 2in so no way would be able to contend against the constant harrassment of mbuna.

shellies breed tho, and whats nice some are pairing fish,
ste you ever keep african cichlids?

[chr15_8]

ive added 6 yellow lab. today

just got to think about what other kind to put in there.

not sure if ive already said it but i beleive i was told on cichlid forum that i could add M. Cyaneorhabdos (5-?

also is there any chance of adding labidochromis sp.Mbamba?

thanks
chris

[aquaholic85]

Melanochromis in general i found are very aggressive and wouldn’t put them in your tank they need some ‘space’ as they can get pretty crazy. I would go with the mbamba in stead, plus they look alot cooler.

your tank looks good, in the future your gonnna need to make bigger caves, as your fish grow. also remember that your fish will breed so, either get some sort of syno, catfish to reduce the fry population when that time comes, or be perpared to fish out the fry. trust me when i first started to get fry thought it was the coolest, but if you don’t control them than your tank will be overstocked and soon will be pulling out your hair.

question did you rinse the slate super good? slate is all layered rock and lots of dirt gets in there.

so good luck and get us some pics

[chr15_8]

thanks

will the labidochromis mix at all? i mean the yellows and the mbamba

i like the mbamba as well looks good in most the pics ive seen.

the slate
i gave it a rinse and a brush down while rinsing.

the water stats
i tested again the results stayed the same except the ammonia which was down to 0! i done a 50% waterchange and after just before i put the fish in it was still reading 0!

i tested the lfs water as soon as i got back the ph is identical to mine however there ammonia was reading between 0.25-0.5

chris
thanks for all the help aswell

[ste12000]

@aquaholic85 wrote:

shellies breed tho, and whats nice some are pairing fish,
ste you ever keep african cichlids?

No, iv never kept African lake cichlids, i keep and breed Pelvicachromis but they are more like south american (soft acidic water) the Mbuna and others arnt really suitable for my water, i cannot provide the ideal conditions easily so have never kept them. They are stunning though and the nearest to a freshwater reef tank as you can get. Thats something else ive never kept, Marine…..

I am contemplating setting up a small tank for shelldwellers in my fishroom and experimenting with hardwater.. Mine is extreamly soft straight out of the tap. The shelldwellers are the only ones at the minute that look really interesting..

[chr15_8]

ive just been to wildwoods and bought a few more fish.
before i set off i tested me water everything seems to be perfect.

so as i said i went to wildwoods andwas surprised to hear they keep them in tap water. (when i got home it was at around 7.2) they also feed them bloodworms which i thought was a nono. they also feed them cichlids pellets/flakes.

the fish i got are cynotilapia afra ‘white top’. i got 6.
they are a little bigger than my yellow lab. i have 2 which seem to be more coloured up than the females.

will post pictures when i take them and get them uploaded
chris

[aquaholic85]

Whats up with this tank bro?? when we gonna see some more pics?? My demasoni are starting to over populate my tank…gonna have to fish some out looks like…

[chr15_8]

alright

surpose i better update it then

the tanks doing very well at the moment

as i said i added some afra’s

these pics where taken a few hours after i added them. they look alot different now. all the fish seem to be getting on very well.

chris

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