Who Gives A Fish Forums

Your rocks will work just fine, I've got a similar setup with mostly thin slices of slate and just a few chunkier bits. Try standing a few pieces upright, then lay others across and build from there - you'll be surprised at how many cave areas you can create. I'm not entirely happy with my tank's ...

I think your fish choices are spot on, they're all compatible and visually interesting which is key when keeping mbuna to minimize crossbreeding.

As I have personal experience with the same fish, I'd recommend considering socolofi and mpanga as additions to your list - they'd fit in well. You ...

Albino Corydoras are easier to photograph too, if that matters to you. Bronze ones always come out blurry in my pics.

My tank's similar, 20 gallons with a basic LED. My Java Fern took forever to grow until I added root tabs. Maybe it's not just the light?

I think Tangs are one of those things you either love or you don't. They can be quite acquired taste to be honest.

Why not just stick with your Rainbows in the tank they're in now and get a new 4ft tank for a mbuna setup?

Hi Chilli,

As Fishguy mentioned, a 3ft tank isn't ideal for Malawi cichlids - even mbuna require a larger space. The Yellow Labs are lovely, but Demasoni can be quite aggressive, and I wouldn't recommend them for someone new to mbuna. Acei are generally peaceful, but to reduce aggression in mbuna ...

She does indeed. Good addition, extra circulation is great, helps keep waste moving towards the filter, as Mark said.

Malawi cichlids just have something about them, and I'm totally hooked now. Before discovering them, I thought a nice planted tank with tetras would be the way to go, but then I stumbled upon a photo of a Malawi mbuna tank and I was sold. I just need to be careful with my stock list, since I'm still ...

I'll be keeping an eye on your progress, great to see someone else drawn in by the vibrant colours and fascinating behaviour of the Malawi cichlids.

If you're still looking for some mature media, I think zenrow is based in Scotland - might be worth reaching out to him, he's been setting up some ...