Who Gives A Fish Forums

Hey everyone,

I'm planning on keeping and breeding mbuna, and I'm trying to figure out the best tank setup. Here's what I've got so far:

- 90 gallon show tank with 5-6 harems, each with a different species and a 1:3 or 1:4 ratio.
- 30 gallon breeding tank - I'll move the harem I want to breed from the 90 gallon to this tank to avoid hybrids.
- 10 gallon fry tank - this is where I'll keep the female from the breeding tank and raise the fry until they're about an inch long.
- 20 or 30 gallon grow out tank - this is where the larger fry and juveniles will go until I find them a new home.

What do you guys think? I'm open to any criticism or suggestions you've got.

Your setup sounds solid, have you narrowed down the species you're interested in keeping yet?

You could simplify things by stocking the main tank with species that won't cross breed, then just catch the holding females to strip or spit. That way, you'd eliminate the need for a separate breeding tank. Just make sure you've got a plan in place for rehoming the fish before you start breeding.

I think they want variety in the main tank, which is fair. Your approach is safer, though. I'm actually planning something similar for my new setup - a 120G with Tangazos and Yellow labs, and a 20G below for stripping holding females. Choosing species for a community tank can be tough when you're interested in breeding.

Trimming the species list to 3-4 and keeping bigger groups might be a good idea. You can't rule out hybridization entirely, but you can reduce the odds.

My tank's a bit chaotic at the moment, but I've got around 200 fry to care for, so I'm not too fussed for the next 6-12 months. The only fish I've got that really shouldn't breed with anything else are my saulosi, but even then, I'll only intervene if I catch them in the act.