Enough hiding spots for Mbuna?

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jllapin

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jun 5, 2012
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I am wondering if this 75 gallon with 29 gallon sump has enough hiding spots for 20-30 juvenile Mbuna.

Thanks!
 

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You mean 15-20 and staying under 6" for each mbuna. Looks like a nice setup, you may want to try for a little more. But they will dig under the rocks and make their own.
 
Thanks! It was suggested to me, by someone who owns an aquarium setup and maintenance company, to get 20-30 that are around 1" each and "let nature take its course". If doing 30-50% water changes weekly, is this still too much?
 
Make sure the rocks are rooted in the substrate and actually touch the bottom of the tank.Mbuna can and will dig in the sand underneath rocks and the possibility for cave ins can be present.
I rule out that pissibility.Tank looks great by the way good job.Simple and not too cluttered.
 
jllapin said:
Thanks! It was suggested to me, by someone who owns an aquarium setup and maintenance company, to get 20-30 that are around 1" each and "let nature take its course". If doing 30-50% water changes weekly, is this still too much?

Letting nature take its course is not the nicest or best thing for the fish.
 
Even so, with 25-30 fish all under 3" in 100 gal of water is manageable with the idea of selling/donating males as they grow to get the appropriate male/female ratio isn't it? Or do you not think they would make it that long?
 
jllapin said:
Even so, with 25-30 fish all under 3" in 100 gal of water is manageable with the idea of selling/donating males as they grow to get the appropriate male/female ratio isn't it? Or do you not think they would make it that long?

That is feasible
 
jllapin said:
Even so, with 25-30 fish all under 3" in 100 gal of water is manageable with the idea of selling/donating males as they grow to get the appropriate male/female ratio isn't it? Or do you not think they would make it that long?

With that many fish no. Normally at 2- 2.5" they start getting really aggressive. I have even seen fry that looks like specks in my tank fight. Are you going to keep all the same or mix the breeds up? If you mix them they are going to interbreed and not to many people are going to take them from you. It's not the water quality its the aggression that makes them hard
 
I think it unlikely with that many fish that any fry would survive.
If a close eye is kept on things then I think the troublesome fish can be removed as you go leaving you with a good mix of compatible fish.
This is a method I have personally used to great effect.
 
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