jewels with mbuna?

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Nellynel

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Jul 19, 2013
Messages
71
Does anybody else have experience with jewels and mbunas together? When i tell some people i have that in my tank they act like its impossible and should never be done but I've been doing it for over 15 years with. Also some seem to think jewels aren't very Hardy and can't hang with mbunas and other aggressive fish
 
:hide: I know it's a no no but I have two with my mbuna. :hide:

I've noticed they are more calm then the mbuna but I.never have issues between the two
 
:hide: I know it's a no no but I have two with my mbuna. :hide:

I've noticed they are more calm then the mbuna but I.never have issues between the two

Yeah they can be calmer at times but definitely not soft. Jewels are one fish that I've been able to put with everything...I've had then successfully with jacks, convicts, mbunas, and more. I'm looking at my turquoise jewel right now...he keeps following around my bumble bee trying to pick a fight but the bee wants none of it. Only my auratus backs him down at times. It never get too serious they mostly just blow up at each other and the auratus circles around him so fast he just leaves


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I've been thinking about re homing mine because all they do is hide and hang out. They don't get around much in my fast pace tank. They never start fights or investigate a thing.
 
I've been thinking about re homing mine because all they do is hide and hang out. They don't get around much in my fast pace tank. They never start fights or investigate a thing.

Yeah you definitely want them displaying that curiosity. A little altercation every now and then is kinda the way of life for these fish IMO.....as long as it doesn't get too serious. I add pieces and remove pieces every now and then and move them around every now and then.
 
I wanna add a demasoni any one i find at PSs in my area are too small. I was gonna get one shipped but out but the price jumped from $19.99 to $55 at check out so I'll just look around a little longer
 
Just because they "seem" to get along doesn't mean its okay. Id look for a new home for whichever one or move one to a different tank. It may seem okay to you but to them, it could be h*ll
 
I wanna add a demasoni any one i find at PSs in my area are too small. I was gonna get one shipped but out but the price jumped from $19.99 to $55 at check out so I'll just look around a little longer

You dont want to add just one demasoni. They are best in groups of 12 or more.
 
Just because they "seem" to get along doesn't mean its okay. Id look for a new home for whichever one or move one to a different tank. It may seem okay to you but to them, it could be h*ll

You can say that about many tank set UPS. Many people have 14+ African cichlids in a 55gal and say they're happy but i wonder if they are. I can only go by their actions and experience. No skin or scales are flying everyone looks pretty....they're eating well and always out. I'm not gonna get rid of fish because they chase each other off every now and then. Even guppies and tiger barbs do that. Nothing has been serious....if it ever gets that way then of course i know i would need to do something
 
You dont want to add just one demasoni. They are best in groups of 12 or more.

I know some say to do that to spread out the aggression but i wonder if that's a tank with only demasoni or mostly....do you know? Every time i see video of a tank with more than one they're always fighting each other hard. I'm thinking if I put one in a tank other fish the aggression would still be spread but I've never had one. Have you ever had just one or two in a tank with others? If i put one in would he just roll over for other fish or what?
 
My mbuna and jewel got along GREAT.....until I woke up one morning to a shredded jewel. And I literally mean shredded. You can do it and you might get away with it....for a time.
 
My mbuna and jewel got along GREAT.....until I woke up one morning to a shredded jewel. And I literally mean shredded. You can do it and you might get away with it....for a time.

Its a case by case thing i don't think its a guarantee. Was there a size difference with the two? How many fish were in the tank? What kind of tank were they in? Did the Mbuna have fry? Where there enough chill spots for all fish? Haha not trying to interrogate you but too many times people leave out all the variables and just state the end result......
 
Its a case by case thing i don't think its a guarantee. Was there a size difference with the two? How many fish were in the tank? What kind of tank were they in? Did the Mbuna have fry? Where there enough chill spots for all fish? Haha not trying to interrogate you but too many times people leave out all the variables and just state the end result......

The jewel was a tad smaller than the mbuna but nothing major. I had probably 15ish mbuna in the tank with TONS of plants, caves, stumps and hidey holes. I've added other mbuna to the tank and never had an issue. And the jewel was fine for several weeks....until he wasn't fine anymore. I'm not new to the cichlid game lol. Mbunas are jerks! I love em, but they're still jerks! In my opinion, mbuna should ONLY be with other mbuna. Why take the chance with something's life? Just my opinion ;)
 
The jewel was a tad smaller than the mbuna but nothing major. I had probably 15ish mbuna in the tank with TONS of plants, caves, stumps and hidey holes. I've added other mbuna to the tank and never had an issue. And the jewel was fine for several weeks....until he wasn't fine anymore. I'm not new to the cichlid game lol. Mbunas are jerks! I love em, but they're still jerks! In my opinion, mbuna should ONLY be with other mbuna. Why take the chance with something's life? Just my opinion ;)

Maybe that was the problem in your tank. I've always had the mbuna as the smallest fish in the tank. Until now the auratus is the only kind I've ever had. Now I have an auratus and a bumble bee. My jewels are almost twice the size of the auratus and one is a little bigger than the bee and the other is about the same size as the bee. They have been together for ten months. I would never put a jewel or probably any fish in a tank with 15+ mbunas especially if the jewel is smaller. That's like a death trap. Why would you take that chance with the fish's life?
 
I know some say to do that to spread out the aggression but i wonder if that's a tank with only demasoni or mostly....do you know? Every time i see video of a tank with more than one they're always fighting each other hard. I'm thinking if I put one in a tank other fish the aggression would still be spread but I've never had one. Have you ever had just one or two in a tank with others? If i put one in would he just roll over for other fish or what?

I have a single demasoni in my 55 mix and he hasn't killed any one but there are a select few he harasses but nothing serious and doesn't mess with the tank bosses. Also I had a jewel with my mbuna when I started out and from what I can remember they were ok together like what was said they kinda just keep to them self.
 
Also when dealing with mbuna imo any fish at any point can get took out
 
I have a single demasoni in my 55 mix and he hasn't killed any one but there are a select few he harasses but nothing serious and doesn't mess with the tank bosses. Also I had a jewel with my mbuna when I started out and from what I can remember they were ok together like what was said they kinda just keep to them self.

Yeah might try one if i can find the right size
 
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