Suprise :)

[DizzCat]

Once a month I take apart my Mbuna tank to do a really good cleaning because they are PIGS!! Never ceases to surprise me when I pick up a rock and there is a little fry hiding out Most times I just let the adults get them because I would be so over run by fry if I did not. Today I decided to save the little kids. Found 3 Red Zebras (from the batch that the mom had a HUGE mouthful) and a little Yellow Lab. Not often a Lab makes it a month in the big tank, even with all the rocks.

I got my net ready and when I lifted the rock I scooped up the kid. Well, I saw the Lab early on, but lost track of it. When I had all the rocks out no lab fry Lectured the adults for eating it (as if they listen to a word I say!) and went to wash the rocks. Picked up one and out popped the little guy! Scooped him out of the sink and into the small tank. Whew! He's a tad disoriented, but fingers crossed he makes it. I want this one too! It is already showing strong black and most of my fry don't at that size!

So, next months clean I will be finding yet more. Have a mom Red Zebra, the mom Yellow Lab and a mom Acei all with mouthfuls. Fingers crossed I have a Permutt with a mouthful soon too. They were flirting the other day, must have been all the spawning that got to them LOL.

Do all of you clean once a month like that? My Mbuna LOVE it when I do, they spend all day exploring, digging, and just having a blast when I do! They know its going to be new too, because when I remove all the rocks they get so hyped up! They do not act like that when I just do a regular clean.

Mbuna are so fun!

 

[Aquarium1]

Could we see a pic of the little guy?

 

[Etunes]

I am still deciding weather i should do mbua in my tank with my fire eels or alot of angel fish.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Dizz, i was wondering if that should be done... I just got to thinking that there has to be tons of junk under all the rocks, and its neat to move them around every now and then watch them explorer... i guess all mine are wierd though because everybody talks about never seeing them because they are always hiding, well i never dont see them. Every time i walk in the door from work, theyre practically jumping out of the water. I guess i will start doing a good cleaning every month or two, i just wish mine would grow!

 

[DizzCat]

I will take a pic soon. He is beautiful! I have not had a Yellow Lab that pretty in a very long time!

 

[Aquarium1]

Do your labs and zebras ever cross breed? I've heard a few discouragements about keeping the two together because of cross breeding.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Do your labs and zebras ever cross breed? I've heard a few discouragements about keeping the two together because of cross breeding.

would that be a red lab or a yellow zebra?

 

[mermaid8]

i would like to see the little guy...im new to this so i don't know too much of fish names or what they look like...

 

[Aquarium1]

I think it would be a Labra.

 

[DizzCat]

I tear my tank down once a month because when you pick up a rock, there is a ton of crap underneath it, literally LOL. I also get tired of looking at the same setup all the time.

As far as cross breeding of Red Zebras and Yellow Labs. Mine don't. Each male has at least 2 females to his own. That is the key to keep it from happening, have enough females for each male. If my Red Zebra tried to entice a Lab female, the male Lab would beat the crap out of him! The Red male would not tolerate the Lab going for his ladies. The females show no interest in the other males either. I would say I have watched 90% of the spawns with these two groups. If I don't actually see it, I don't save the fry to sell later. That way I can say for sure they are pure, even tho I know the are. If you only have a male Lab and a female Red Zebra, or a group of Labs and a single Red Zebra female, then yes, they will cross breed.

The only time my Mbuna hide is when a stranger comes over. They know me, my daughter and a couple other people who are here often. If someone they do not know comes over, they all hide in the rocks. Other than that, they are always out and about, constantly on the move and busy. The trick to keeping Mbuna from getting too shy and skittish is to spend time in front of the tank almost every day. If you ignore them they will be shy.

OK, here is the cute little ones! You cannot see it in these, but the little Lab already has black fins, all of them! He is less than a 1/4 inch too!
First Released, in the main tank:

Out and about in the "kid" tank getting feisty to a Red Zebra fry:

Red Zebras hideout.

 

[DizzCat]

This is the little Red Zebra in the main tank. This is how Mbuna fry survive with adults. They find a tight rock hole and pop out to eat stuff that goes by. See how he ducks for cover every-time a bigger fish comes by?

 

[DizzCat]

AND..........LOL This is the new setup. Its still pretty foggy in the tank, so the pic isn't the best. It will be crystal clear in the morning.

This was before I changed it:

Ok, I think I am done LOL

 

[Aquarium1]

Nice fish. I mite start doing tht although I mite not have time for it every month

 

[Aquarium1]

What kind of rock are u using now?

 

[sub ceroh]

oooo so cute.

 

[mfdrookie516]

hmmm i like the way you made two piles instead of just one big one. you may have just given me an idea for mine

 

[DizzCat]

That is my lace rock. I use a couple big river rocks, some pvc tunnels and then cover it all with the lace rock. They are long flattish pieces so I can make tunnels. I like it better than the river rocks because they make better caves for the bigger fish.

I have to make two piles! I have two very dominant fish and each owns a pile. The Yellow Lab male has the right and the Red Zebra male has the left. If I try to make one big one they fight badly. In fact, just now I was watching and the Lab male was sneaking into the Reds side and a fight broke out! They were REALLY going at it! I knocked on the glass and finally had to stick my hand in to break it up! Usually the Lab backs down, but no more I guess.

The middle is the no fish land. No one fish ever claims it. They all dig in it, hang out in it. They just really like it set up that way.

 

[Etunes]

Lol, now that you mention it if you look at the picture 1 rock pile has all red fish (red zebras) and the other pile has all yellow fish (yellow lab). That is pretty funny.

 

[DizzCat]

1 rock pile has all red fish (red zebras) and the other pile has all yellow fish (yellow lab)

What is even funnier is that the Yellow fish are in the Red Zebra males territory and the Red fish are in the Labs! LOL The males were so wound up with their ladies that they went over to the "enemy's" side LOL. I just realized that looking at that picture (the top one).