Mbuna + Red Tailed Shark?

[coldmachineUK]

Hi,

I was just wondering if anyone had attempted housing a red tailed (not finned/rainbow) shark with cichlids before? Specifically, Malawi Mbunas? I am stocking a tank with 8 Pseudotropheus Saulosi and wondered if it would hold its own? From what I've read elsewhere, I believe so, but I wanted to see if anyone had tried it here first!

 

[JDogg]

my LFS keeps a couple red tails in with there "mixed" africans... they seem to be in good shape.

 

[coldmachineUK]

Thx JDogg, looks like it may be possible. The reason I ask is that my friend has rescued (she is always rescuing!) some fish among which are inc. a redtailed shark. I was looking for one a long time ago but moved on with different setups, but now the opportunity might be there and since I'm part way through setting my cichlid tank up then I figured it might be a home for him.

Btw, after all that messing about with gravel and weight and aquascaping, I finally got myself sorted! Tank has been cycled using the prawn fishless method (which I got yelled at for using by my LFS manager, who clearly thought I was crazy... ), for 2 months now just waiting for occupants!

The internal filter is only in there temporarily: I'm preparing it for use in a breeding tank. The actual filter is my usual Tetratec EX.

The plants I am using are varieties that the veggie mbunas will apparently not like: vallisneria (twisted grass) and the good 'ole java fern. I've planted them down in pots (ceramic), but even if they dig them out or they eat them I'm not so concerned. It's just an experiment!

 

[JDogg]

looks and sounds good! i realy like my malawi step up, no plants though, but i have been thinking about trying to add some

 

[WaterPond]

that is an amazing tank!

 

[severum mama]

GREAT looking tank, coldmachineUK! I also think that the red tailed shark will be ok with the saulosi, just keep an eye on things and be ready to move the shark in case it doesn't work out.

 

[triazole]

wow! stunning tank! i call first dibs on it!

i think the shark would be fine too. i have a rainbow (less aggressive) with my jewels, and believe it or not, he/she chases the jewels around (well, the jewels are still juvies - evil grin).

and a teeny tiny aquascaping tip (can't believe i'm writing this - my tanks look like crap) - all your rocks are in the same level. so your tank gets divided into two compartments by a horizontal line. you might want to break the monotony...but no pressure...

 

[coldmachineUK]

The more tips the merrier I will look into something for the left hand side I think, to raise the aquascape a bit that side (so its taller on the left). I was worried about a non-uniform design for purposes of tank weight and stuff, but I'm sure I can work something in!

Glad reaction seems positive, this is my first attempt at keeping malawis so I have spent about 2 months prepping the tank to make sure it's right. There's no rush and I'd rather things were good for the inhabitants than 'ok'
Good news on the shark front too! Thx for the advice Looks like he will have a rescue home here after all then!

 

[jibboo]

I can't say for sure that it'll work, but I've had a redtail in with my mbuna for about year. Of course, My redtail is about 5" and was that size when I added my mbuna juneniles (1" maybe) last year. The redtail probably isn't getting any bigger and my mbunas are almost the same length as the redtail now. My redtail still runs the tank. I'm sure the mbunas could hurt him if they wanted to, but I think in my scenario (having the redtail full size before adding the mbunas + the redtail stays in his hollow log most of the time) probably worked out all right (same thing with my yo-yos). But when my redtail comes out, he is rarely messed with (although he takes great joy in chasing my yo-yos). I've seen my redtail chase my mbunas, but its rare.

The mbunas are just starting to breed, so we'll see how that all turns out. You can see what I'm stocking in my sig.

 

[coldmachineUK]

Wow, amazing tank! I love that wood on the left side, I bet the loaches have a field day in that
What fish are you stocking? They look a lot like the saulosi, or are they yellow labs (or something totally different!? lol).

The redtail would be bigger than the cichlids (they'll be about 2"). I'm still waiting to hear from the friend who rescued him temporarily to find a date to sort it; the cichlids are arriving this coming Wednesday (but will be quarantined for a day or two -> not long enough IMO, but there you go that's my LFS for you). I'm going to see if I can push taking them until Saturday though.
I'll see how it all goes :S Wish me luck!

 

[coldmachineUK]

Ok, it definitely didn't go to plan!
The redtail is now in my breeding tank (poor thing): I will either hand him back to the friend who rescued him, or send him to my LFS. He was so aggressive to my eight saulosi cichlids that I had to remove him from the tank (and that was a nightmare I can tell you!).
He was extremely timid, but the moment I introduced the eight cichlids he wouldn't let up on them. Terrible. You'd have thought eight saulosi would have matched him but ohhhh no it looks like I got weakling ones lol

 

[Asher]

Yes, the shark should be fine. I saw one at my LFS in with a bunch of asst. africans and he was chasing the cichlids around. Just test him in the tank and see what happens.