Hello...Mbuna, are you there? I can't see you!

[JDogg]

ok my 45 gal tank is in my classroom at school...

it currently contains

2 Red Empress Cichlids: Protomelas taeniolatus
3 Yellow Labs: Labidochromis caeruleus
2 Cobalt Blue Zebra: Maylandia callainos
1 Featherfin Syno: Synodontis eupterus

the problem with these guy and gals is that as a class tank, my students want to see the fish, who of course hid in the rock work and only come out for a few minuets, darting about at feeding time...

now i know that it is considered "ok" to overstock malawi cichlids, and my tank is "over-filtered" i have a HOB that is rated for a 75 gal tank. but considering that these fish are all still juvenals they are going to get more crowded as they grow?

so... how can i get them to show themselves

1. overstock the tank more?
2. dither fish, this poses a problem as i want to stay with the Rift lake theme. yes i know the catfish is not REALLY from lake malawi
3. other idea to help my fish reach there full, and visible, educational potential?

thanks

 

[Fishyfanatic]

The only thing I can recommend is to increase the number of labs and cobalts. But given the tank size, I wouldn't recommend it. You could probably get away with adding 2 more labs, tops. But if you are wanting to increase any more than that, upgrade.

 

[JDogg]

The only thing I can recommend is to increase the number of labs and cobalts. But given the tank size, I wouldn't recommend it. You could probably get away with adding 2 more labs, tops. But if you are wanting to increase any more than that, upgrade.

bigger tank is not an option right now... there might be a used 55 on the horizon, but i am not holding my breath, that would not really afford me that much more space though :?

 

[JustOneMore20]

Are they juveniles or adults? I always thought Mbuna would be more bold and less shy, but I have a tank full of juvies and they are easily frightened. I hope when they grow up they will be alot bolder. When I come near the tank, they will come out, but are really timid. I think it helps having them in big groups, but really you are limited on how many you can have in the tank. If they are juvies, you could add a few more to each group and then bring the numbers down when they get full grown (or close to it). Thats the plan for my tank. I am quite overstocked now, but they are all 2 inches and under.

 

[JDogg]

Are they juveniles or adults?

juvies, ~3 inches each

 

[DeFeKt]

are your students noisy?
Could just be a matter of to much traffic and comotion

 

[JustOneMore20]

Could just be a matter of to much traffic and comotion

I thought about this also. Like I said above, my Mbuna are easily startled so any noise near the tank and they are in the rocks. Even if my brother is raising his voice in another room, the fish hide.

 

[maxwell1295]

My mbuna are the exact opposite. Any noise and they come looking for food. They are always out when someone is in the room. Even as young juvies they never really hid unless it was from another fish. I would add 3 more labs and probably 2 more cobalts....females if at all possible.

Personally, I think you are understocked.....you could definitely add a more fish. There is comfort in numbers. The one thing holding you back may be filtration. A 75g filter, even for a tank that size, might not be enough if you want to stock it heavily. My 55G has 20 fish, but I also have a Eheim 2217 and Fluval 304 to clean up the mess.

 

[JDogg]

are your students noisy?

i think that question aswers it's self, they are typical high school students...

 

[DeFeKt]

are your students noisy?

i think that question aswers it's self, they are typical high school students...

hahaha good point,
dumb question

 

[hamburgler]

You have plenty of room to add more fish. You can easily fit more than you have now in a 55, it makes no sense to say that 10 gallons makes that much difference.

Like others...my mbuna greet anyone, and seem especially excited when there is a commotion outside the tank.

 

[JDogg]

My mbuna are the exact opposite. Any noise and they come looking for food. They are always out when someone is in the room. Even as young juvies they never really hid unless it was from another fish. I would add 3 more labs and probably 2 more cobalts....females if at all possible.

Cool

Personally, I think you are understocked.....you could definitely add a more fish. There is comfort in numbers. The one thing holding you back may be filtration. A 75g filter, even for a tank that size, might not be enough if you want to stock it heavily. My 55G has 20 fish, but I also have a Eheim 2217 and Fluval 304 to clean up the mess.

this is like the filter i have, but i think mine is the next size up or atleast a newer addition to this...http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS/ctl3684/cp19169/si1379661/cl0/marinelandpenguin350bpowerfilter i could probaly pick up a second one of these, do you think 2 will be sufficent if i up the fish count?

 

[maxwell1295]

Yes, I have a Penguin 350 on my 46G. Two of those will definitely do the job...

 

[JDogg]

Yes, I have a Penguin 350 on my 46G. Two of those will definitely do the job...

cool

 

[davidtcb1]

Perhaps the light in the room? Too much overly bright classroom light?

 

[O ALX O]

This is about 3/4's the stock in my 120 gallon. You can count about 50 in the pic ranging in size (.5"-5") with about another say 25 on the back side of rock formation. You have plenty of room for more fish. Increase your wc's and if you can your filtration, although increasing your surface agitation would help tremendously. By the way all my filtration is a Tidepool Sump running with a ViaAqua 2600.

 

[docrak]

This is about 3/4's the stock in my 120 gallon.

WoW!!! I'm impressed. My 55 doesn't have 10% of your stock level. I still new to Africans and an learning more and more every day.

Do they always stay out like that or they excited because they think they're getting fed?

 

[O ALX O]

They are always out just not concentrated on the left side like they are in pic. (thats the side the food comes in) Believe it or not each individual fish has his/her own little spot to sleep/rest in.

 

[JDogg]

This is about 3/4's the stock in my 120 gallon. You can count about 50 in the pic ranging in size (.5"-5") with about another say 25 on the back side of rock formation. You have plenty of room for more fish. Increase your wc's and if you can your filtration, although increasing your surface agitation would help tremendously.

question #1 what is wc's?

EDIT: dumb question...brain fart :? WATER CHANGES...

EDIT #2: i have currently
2 Red Empress Cichlids: Protomelas taeniolatus
4 Yellow Labs: Labidochromis caeruleus
3 Cobalt Blue Zebra: Maylandia callainos
1 Featherfin Syno: Synodontis eupterus

could i safely add...
some...
Maylandia estherae

and/or

Pseudotropheus socolofi "Albino"

 

[O ALX O]

You could safely add either M. estherae or the P. socolofi. If it were me I would add the P. socolofi as the M. callainos and M. estherae resemble each other. Or you could go with M. estherae OB which would give you a interesting color assortment.
Also i'm sure you already know this but the P. taeniolatus will get to a length of about 10" when full grown. 8)