New year, new setup. Seeking advice!

[bucketaquatics]

So, unfortunately, my turtle has recently passed on. I had him for ten years and IDK how long the previous owners we got him from had him. I now have a 75 gallon tank that I'm going to turn into an mbuna tank. This will be the first time I've ventured into African cichlids and I know I want yellow labs and possibly demasoni. I know overstocking is key with African cichlids and aggression, I'm looking for advice on how to keep them and what's best for feeding. I'm going to make sure I have plenty of rocks and caves as well. Any advice or even stocking options are welcomed!

 

[A201]

Be a good idea to start with easy to keep Mbuna such as the Rusty Cichlid and Yellow Tail Acei. A group of both, along with a few smaller variety of Synodontis Catfish would make a colorful, and relatively peaceful Mbuna community.

Yellow Labs are very flashy, but are just as territorial as Red Zebras & Kenyi. Even though Demasoni are small, they too are little buggers.

If you make your hardscape out of limestone, it should lock in your PH at or near 8.2.

Keeping Mbuna can be a real headache. The constant fighting and digging of most species
takes a lot of the enjoyment out of hobby.

 

[bucketaquatics]

Be a good idea to start with easy to keep Mbuna such as the Rusty Cichlid and Yellow Tail Acei. A group of both, along with a few smaller variety of Synodontis Catfish would make a colorful, and relatively peaceful Mbuna community.

Yellow Labs are very flashy, but are just as territorial as Red Zebras & Kenyi. Even though Demasoni are small, they too are little buggers.

If you make your hardscape out of limestone, it should lock in your PH at or near 8.2.

Keeping Mbuna can be a real headache. The constant fighting and digging of most species
takes a lot of the enjoyment out of hobby.

I'll look more into them! Honestly though, after keeping South American cichlids for a few years, the aggression and digging isn't a huge bother for me. The limestone tip is awesome! Thank you for your response!

 

[A201]

I've also kept big new world Cichlids and of course Africans.

Unless you are just set on Mbuna, you might look at keeping mid sized male Haps. They get along a lot better than Mbuna

The Tiawan Reef. Red Empress & the Borleyi were three of my favorites.

 

[bucketaquatics]

Would a 75 gallon be large enough and how many would you recommend? I know the mbuna stay a bit smaller than haps,

 

[A201]

The Haps I listed grow between 5 - 8 inches.

A 75 gallon could hold 5 or 6 midsized male Haps.

Avoid the XL predatory Haps such as the Nimbochomis Fusco, Venustus & Livingstoni.

 

[bucketaquatics]

The Haps I listed grow between 5 - 8 inches.

A 75 gallon could hold 5 or 6 midsized male Haps.

Avoid the XL predatory Haps such as the Nimbochomis Fusco, Venustus & Livingstoni.

What are your thoughts on peacocks?

 

[A201]

Peacocks are secondary to Haps in my opinion. Generally speaking Peacocks tend to be more territorial than Haps, and fight. That leads to injuries and disease.

Peacock varieties for the most part have the same shape and only differ by coloration.

I kept some really pretty Peacocks but they never lived more than two years.

That's not to say that mixing one special male Peacock in a group of male Haps wouldn't work.