Stocking for a 55g

[Mebbid]

I am hoping to have a 55g mbuna aquarium up and running by the end of this week but had a question on stocking. I saw the cookie cutter tank builds for a 55g suggesting 3 groups for a total of 12 fish. But checking the stocking level on AqAdvisor following the cookie cutter build would be understocking the aquarium.

I was thinking of doing 4 different groups of fish with 1 male and 3 females of each

Yellow Tail Acei x4
Red Zebra x4
Yellow Lab x4
Afra Edwardi x4

Would it be better to stick with what the cookie cutter build says or should I instead follow AqAdvisor's advice?

 

[CameronCade]

They say to over stock for aggression but I only have 10 mbunas in my 55. They are young but no problems. It's kinda your call. If you got the filtration or not

 

[Andrew McFadden]

I am hoping to have a 55g mbuna aquarium up and running by the end of this week but had a question on stocking. I saw the cookie cutter tank builds for a 55g suggesting 3 groups for a total of 12 fish. But checking the stocking level on AqAdvisor following the cookie cutter build would be understocking the aquarium.

I was thinking of doing 4 different groups of fish with 1 male and 3 females of each

Yellow Tail Acei x4
Red Zebra x4
Yellow Lab x4
Afra Edwardi x4

Would it be better to stick with what the cookie cutter build says or should I instead follow AqAdvisor's advice?

Leave out the acei in a 55 gallon, they get a little big and like to have lots of room to swim. Its not always best to over stock a tank. If you can get a group that works well together then there is no need to do that IMO. Aggression can be difficult because I've seen it go bad over stocking or not having enough or the right mix. If you have to many then that means more of a bio load that your filters can probably handle but the nitrates is going to be a pain to keep down.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/guide-to-starting-a-freshwater-aquarium/

Edit

Sorry didn't mean to give you that link lol this is the one
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/lake-malawi-mbuna-stocking-dcor-hardware/

 

[Mebbid]

Thanks for the link! I ended up saying no to the acei and changing the red zebra to a rusty so that I can keep the fry from that tank. Instead of a 4th species I'm just going to increase the numbers of the other 3. Just waiting for my rocks, heater, and filter to get the fish now

 

[Andrew McFadden]

I dont think your going to be happy with Rusty, I would pick something else. My afra cobue killed my rusty because it was tryng to breed with everything in my tank almost. He acted super aggressive to all the females and tryed to bull the other males. It created a ton of hybrids with yellow fin mbamba and my yellow labs.

 

[Mebbid]

How many rustys did you have in your tank at that time?

 

[Andrew McFadden]

How many rustys did you have in your tank at that time?

5 and the male killed all the females almost all the mbamba and then he steped over the line with the afra


But there are a lot of other fish that look better imo

 

[Mebbid]

Wow, that sounds like a fish that has some pent up anger issues. I've never read about anyone that's had problems like that with rustys

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Wow, that sounds like a fish that has some pent up anger issues. I've never read about anyone that's had problems like that with rustys

Agreed it was a rare case im sure but im never adding them again

 

[Congoman]

That's to bad rustys are supposed to be one of the more docile mbuna like labs.

 

[Rare]

I went with this setup with I saw Andrew link sometime back. I was to have 18, but they added 3 fish more just in case they didnt make it. (online order) So I have a total of 21 right now which puts me in the 19-22 heavily stocked. The way I have my rocks setup is a island style giving them room on both side to swim & water flow to run through. Im safe with that amount cause I have a big filter & a hob filter as well.

Wow about the Rusty..When I get the bigger fish tank I was thinking about adding some...

55 Gallon 208.1 Litters
For an example of a great beginner tank would be:
2 males 6 females – Labidochromis Caeruleus
1 male 4 females – Cynotilapia Afra (Got Jalo Reef)
1 male 4 females – Pseudotropheus Saulosi
Stocking #s:
12-15 lightly stocked
16-18 medium
19-22 heavily stocked
GPH filtered at the least: 330
Filter recommendation: ac70 and xp2
*Heater watts: 200
*Power head GPH: 750