what to put with mbuna...?

queenbee · Post by **queenbee** » 30 Dec 2005, 05:57

i just purchased my 125 gallon and am going to fill it with peacock cichlids and african cichlids.now i need help picking out catfish.i know there's a couple syndontis that will be o.k. in the 8.0 ph but what else is there i could go with?it would have to be a omnivore.also could i get a plecostomus,and i don't care for the common one.thanks in advance

sidguppy · Post by **sidguppy** » 30 Dec 2005, 09:46

If your Mbuna need a fairly veggie-based diet (OSI spirulina flake, Wardley's or a similar brand), the best choices are:
-Synodontis petricola (this one's quite rare in the trade and often expensive wildcaught)
-Synodontis "petricola dwarf" (this is the one commonly sold as 'petricola') from Zambia
-Synodontis sp "Giant petricola" from Tanzania
-Synodontis "polli White" from Zambia (commonly sold as polli)

All do best in shoals (5-7 fish), and 1 petricola-species can be combined with the "polli White" as well, but best not combine petricola-species. even if you don't intend to breed with those, fierce fights can occur between the dominant individuals of the species.

With -example- 5 "polli Whites" and 7 "petricola dwarf" in your Mbuna-tank, you'll have plenty visible catfish

NONE of these are broodparasites btw.

Riverines wich can handle both the Mbuna, the veggie-food and the higher pH include S eupterus and S nigrita.

Other Synodontis-species (Lake or riverine) need a more varied foodregime (frozen crustaceans, flakes or granules with more protein). if your Mbuna can handle that, the list gets a bit longer!.

Plecs:
THE plec for Rifttanks is the Bristlenose, because it doesn't grow to monstertruck-size

and it also keeps cleaning algae to the very end. BN's reach 4" or so; the captive-bred brown/albino/L144 are most suitable.
I wouldn't put a "veiltail" or "longfin"bristlenose in with Mbuna

for obvious reasons.

If a bigger Plec is more to your liking, 2 are suitable: the Gibby (Pterygopichthys gibbiceps) wich is very pretty but reaches the same size as the Common Plec, and the L001 (Pterygoplichthys joselimaianus) wich usually stays a bit smaller at 10" or so. that one has the coloration of an "inverted" Gibby

instead of brown spots in an orange network it has orange spots in a brown network. very goodlooking fish.
ALL Plecs/Bristlenoses need a cave where they will not be buggered by the Mbuna, or they can loose their eyes, finparts and die. it happens quite often.

kimmers318 · Post by **kimmers318** » 14 Jun 2006, 14:20

Sorry this is so late coming to this post...but...hubby wants a bristlenose for his mbuna tank. The albino is the only one we have seen around here, so that is the only option. I have one in my 29 gal and love "Fugly" to death. My question is in your guys' experience, any issues with them living in the higher ph water? I plan on quarantining in a 20 gal I have just for that purpose, matching the ph of the store to start, and with small water changes gradually bring the ph up to match mbuna tank. Our tap water is hard/high ph so it will be easy to raise tank ph! If there is anything I should keep an eye out for pertaining to the higher ph please let me know. As for a hidey hole for the bristlenose...not a problem, have several that would work fine!

Jackster · Post by **Jackster** » 15 Jun 2006, 05:21

My ABNs spawned in very hard water at 8.3 pH. I keep mostly African fish but I think
you'll find that albino bristlenose will be fine in water that's better for African cichlids.
They are tough catfish and seem to do well in a wide range of water conditions.

kimmers318 · Post by **kimmers318** » 15 Jun 2006, 06:09

Thanks so much! His tank is horrible with algae because he (over) feeds the spirulina flake and another "fugly" would be a great answer!

laurab5 · Post by **laurab5** » 15 Jun 2006, 13:31

I keep 12 Syno. Petricola in my 75g mbuna tank which i have 3 species breeding regular and producing great fry counts. They are 1.5-2.5 inches, but are fairly active. Not as active as i thought they would be, but as they get bigger and get more used to the tank i am sure they will.

DJRansome · Post by **DJRansome** » 15 Jun 2006, 13:42

Bristlenose are very highly recommended for African tanks on the cichlid forum I belong to. I don't have personal experience with plecs, as I have the Petricola. (I control algae by limiting the amount I feed.)