Seeking advice for my situation

[kalevi]

For some bottom dwelling fish, I think a Synodontis catfish would be a great addition - just be careful with the mbuna you choose, as they can be quite specific in their needs. A species only tank would be perfect for a 190, and I've always been a fan of dwarf mbuna - they just seem to thrive in this type of setup. I had a group of Saulosi in a 190 a while back, and it was just stunning - the colours between the males and females were just incredible, and the fish never got too big for the tank, which was a big plus.

[oceanix_10]

I've taken on board the advice and I'm leaning towards 12 Pseudotropheus saulosi - 2 males and 10 females.

My filtration setup is the internal Juwel filter, which is 1000lph, and an Eheim 2226 Professionel 2 external filter that's 950lph. I've also got an Eheim 1000plh powerhead and a Seio M620 powerhead for water movement, plus the spraybar from the external filter. I think I've got enough, but I'm open to suggestions if anyone has any.

I do like the idea of synodontis catfish for some bottom dwelling interest, but I don't know much about them. I'll have to do some research - are there any that would be better suited to my setup, with the 'dead' live rock and crushed coflake substrate?

[floriks]

I've had experience with synodontis catfish in mbuna tanks, and I gotta say, not all species are created equal. Featherfin catfish, for instance, can grow pretty massive - I've seen them hit a foot long, though 8 inches is more typical. They're also super territorial and fast growers; mine went from tiny to 7 inches in just six months. Honestly, I think your tank might be a bit too small for these guys.

That being said, there are some smaller, more peaceful synodontis species that might work. I'm a fan of shoaling catfish like synodontis petricola and synodontis nigriventris - they're super chill and nocturnal, like most catfish. However, they might get picked on in an mbuna setup, and synodontis don't exactly have thick skin. With the sharp dead rock and territorial mbuna in your tank, I worry those little catfish might get battered around.

[oceanix_10]

I think you're right, larger fish would dominate the tank. I was considering the plecos for that reason, but it seems that's not the best option. I'm leaning towards just stocking the saulosi for now, then I'll post some pictures once they're settled and see what suggestions come up.

I'm a bit concerned about the stocking level, I've got 12 fish planned, but I don't want to overstock. I know it's necessary to some extent for aggression issues, but I also don't want an empty tank. What are your thoughts on this?

[floriks]

"I think you could comfortably stock up to 15 or so, 3 males and 12 females should work fine. The 1 male to 5 females ratio was just an example, not a hard and fast rule by any means."