Please HELP!!! :/

[garfy]

They will be fine solo but something to bear in mind is that all mbuna will crossbreed so in the end it's the total number of males to females that will count.Can I ask how you know which are females and which you are males.Also what size are your fish currently?

 

[FishyBusiness]

The only fish in the tank are the ones I got last night. One yellow has the black line on the dorsal fin but it's also the largest. I was assuming that was male due to some research. The other 2 labs from Petsmart are smaller but no black on fins at all. (maybe an error due to age which is why I didn't initially get fully stocked- I have wiggle room for errors!) the blues I have no idea although one of the 3 has egg spots, again that's the largest of those 3. I had NO CLUE on bumble bee and the orange one which I think is a red zebra but thats why I only got one. The other 2 labs I got from petco and they were a little larger (like the male, I think, I got from Petsmart) and the tank was very full. She seemed very knowledgeable and all the fish looked to be in good health so I just told her I needed 2 females. (which total gave me 5 yellow labs). Wow. Just re reading that sounds confusing even for me! Hope u can understand, lol!

 

[FishyBusiness]

Oh, I have one yellow and one acai that's an inch and all the rest are about 1.5"... I have 10 fish total.

 

[garfy]

Ok egg spots are not a reliable way to sex cichlids in the aquarium as females also tend to take them on.And I'm afraid female labs also get black on their fins.The only real way to determine sex is to vent the fish.Alternatively you can watch their behaviour as in time you can easily spot male behaviour as appose to female behaviour.Males are generally more aggressive and they like to perform for the females.

 

[FishyBusiness]

Okay, I'll have to google on how to do that! How big do they have to be to vent them?

 

[garfy]

I think yours are a bit small at the moment and it would be a bit hit and miss.Behaviour would be your best bet for now.Google will show you some good pictures though for future reference.

 

[Labenator65000]

Thanks for the advice. I'll keep it in mind if I have issues. I put my lil cuties in their new 90 gallon! I have:

5 electric yellows (2m 3f)
3 acei (1m 2 f)
1 bumble bee
1 red zebra (I think? It's a $4 orange one from Petsmart) the guy wasn't sure.

I know I can get more but wonder how many more? I have 2 pictus now that when these get bigger (smallest one is an inch and biggest one is 1.5") I have to put in here too. Hope it works, I've heard they do okay with the more mild aggressive Africans. Any suggestions on what other species I can add later? Maybe new ones or add more of what I've got? Sorry to break my thread!

Pictus Catfish?

 

[FishyBusiness]

Yeah I have 2 pictus in a 20 gallon with platys now I need to move soon. I was told they might work ok in with the chiclids. I will (try) it when the chiclids get bigger. My plan is to add more caves and rocks and rearrange when I put them in

 

[Labenator65000]

Yeah I have 2 pictus in a 20 gallon with platys now I need to move soon. I was told they might work ok in with the chiclids. I will (try) it when the chiclids get bigger. My plan is to add more caves and rocks and rearrange when I put them in

Pictus catfish are not robust enough to with Mbuna. One of the Synodontis species (e.g. a Featherfin that Garfy alluded to) or a Bristlenose Pleco are about the only catfish that can hang with Mbuna. I read of stories about Mbuna plucking the eyes out of Pictus catfish.

 

[garfy]

Pictus catfish are not robust enough to with Mbuna. One of the Synodontis species (e.g. a Featherfin that Garfy alluded to) or a Bristlenose Pleco are about the only catfish that can hang with Mbuna. I read of stories about Mbuna plucking the eyes out of Pictus catfish.

Thanks for that labenator65000 I've had no dealings with pictus.Other great synodontis are Petricola and Multipunctatus.

 

[FishyBusiness]

Oh no! I live my pictus. They are so active day and night. I got more semi aggressive mbunas vs aggressive (except the bumblebee I hear) just for this purpose. I don't know what to do! I can't return the pictus, my 2 week period is far from over and I can't keep them in the 20 forever. I don't want to get rid of them. Crap.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Oh no! I live my pictus. They are so active day and night. I got more semi aggressive mbunas vs aggressive (except the bumblebee I hear) just for this purpose. I don't know what to do! I can't return the pictus, my 2 week period is far from over and I can't keep them in the 20 forever. I don't want to get rid of them. Crap.

I have Pictus and do quite well with 50 some Cichlids. I guess I should add mild aggressive african Cichlids

 

[Cichlid-dude]

Ive had a pictus in my mbuna tank going on about 4 years now with no problems at all. The mbuna dont even look at him really.

 

[Labenator65000]

Some time back I added one to my tank, bit then was advises by several seasoned veterans in this forum about the risks of mixing pictus with mbuna, so I exchanged mine. Sounds like it could work, though. Just be warned.

 

[FishyBusiness]

I now have 21 mbunas, mixture of electric yellow labs, acei, and red zebras. They are quite small so when they reach close to 2" I'll put my 2 pictus in there. *fingers crossed*

 

[garfy]

That's a good stock.The red Zebras will be the most aggressive but there not too bad.Mine get along just fine.Good luck with the pictus