10 TIPS for Managing AGGRESSION with MBUNA CICHLIDS
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ส.ค. 2024
- This video provides 10 ways to manage aggression with mbuna cichlids. This is applicable to most African cichlids, and if followed, can help prevent or minimize fighting in your aquarium.
As always, please like and subscribe!
Top 10 ways for managing aggression with mbuna cichlids is below:
1. Large tank
We recommend a minimum tank size of 55g for keeping mbuna. This is likely on the low end, as a 75g+ would be ideal.
2. Overstocking
The theory here is that overstocking will spread aggression out amongst the tank rather than singling out one fish. Attention is diverted when line of sight is broken, meaning one fish can get away if needed. If you go this route, just make sure to have adequate filtration and increase water changes!
3. Research mbuna types
Some mbuna, such as Demasoni and Bumblebees, are more aggressive than others. Make sure to research your species list before buying.
4. Consider male/female ratio
Males are typically more aggressive, especially when competing for a few females. If you have a higher ratio of females, this aggression can be spread around. Another option is to keep all males; however, males are generally more aggressive anyway, so we wouldn't recommend this route.
5. Plenty of hiding places
Mbuna love to swim in and out of rock crevices. Make sure to provide sufficient hiding places in case your fish need to hide out at times.
6. Rearranging decor, rocks, and hiding places
This helps eliminate territorial behavior. If you change up decor often, the mbuna will be less attached to specific areas, and less defensive overall.
7. Keep fish well fed
Consider feeding mbuna multiple times a day in smaller amounts rather than one large feeding. This decreases aggression when fighting for food and keeps them content throughout the day.
8. Grow mbuna up together
Growing out a group of mbuna allows them to establish a hierarchy. If you introduce a dominate mbuna into an established colony, you will likely see a ton of aggression (and potentially deaths) for awhile until the new hierarchy is set.
9. Contingency plan for rogue fish
Some fish just flip a switch and turn rogue. For whatever reason, this happens occasionally, and it's always wise to have back up plans, whether it be another tank or returning to your LFS.
10. Turning lights on less often
Mbuna are usually more docile without lights on, and since they're typically not kept with live plants, this is an easy one to control. Mbuna color up under bright lights, which can increase aggression. Consider leaving lights on only when you wish to view the tank.
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Great tips and awesome content...Thanks for sharing..Take Care & Stay Wild
MY ANIMAL HOUSE thank you - anytime!
Nice bro ,love the tank very clear water.
Joe Munoz thanks man! Appreciate it
The blue led is sick!!
DS Fishing and Aquatics thank you!
G'day from Australia mate, saw your post on the fishtubers notification page. Can't believe I haven't got you subbed already, as I do Africans as well, although a little differently. Great upload mate 👍👍
The Life Aquatic with Rob Bull thanks so much, and welcome to the channel! I just checked out your channel as well and subscribed 👌🏻
@@CichlidBros No, thank you....keep up the great work :D
Great video Great info. Tip 2. Liked that. I always say fish A, chases fish B, Fish B swims past fish C, fish A seed Fish C. Forgets B. Goes for C. C swims by the rest of the alphabet fish A quits. Peace in the tank 😂😂 Very good tips. I switch up Decor at least once. Twice a month. You got a new subscriber. 👍👍💪💪
Troups Cichlids And Tropical Treasures haha that sums it up perfectly! Thanks for watching, appreciate it!
Some great tips brother for sure.
Rounded Rob thanks man!
For a 55g I would stick with the smaller mbuna like the rusty's, saulosi etc, they still have all the colour and energy of the bigger mbuna but in a smaller package!
Some valid points there bud, this is great aggression survival guide.
Heap Aquatics thanks, really appreciate it!
It's a pleasure, keep up the good work.
Great info man! Thanks for sharing!
I’m with you with liking the males. They’re definitely gorgeous.
Poseidon’s Pets AZ thanks man!!
Cichlid Bros no problem man!
Great tips bro
bipolar aquatics thanks man!
This is similar to the tank I’m building. Thanks for the example!
No problem. Thanks for watching!
👍☘️ nice video
John O toole dog games thank you!
👍👍👍
Nice info bro
Thank you!
👍+👍
I would add careful management of water quality. I have found they are much more aggressive if the quality dips or if there is not enough surface oxygenation.
I'm planning to stock my 55gallon I love your content thank you for all of your time and effort great stuff here in this channel!
Stocking ideas or suggestions for my new 55 gallon set up?
I definitely want some yellow tail acei, some yellow labs. I just dont know what else to get. I also want some catfish 🙃
And recommendations on stocking?
Casey Lee thank you! Happy to help. Those are good options, and to go with it, you could do some red zebras or Tropheus duboisi. Mainganos could work as well 👍🏻
@@CichlidBros tha is for your content and response I've been binging your co tent like crazy amazing channel mate! 👍👍
Casey Lee awesome! glad you’re enjoying the channel, and we appreciate the kind words!
Can different mbunas get along if they have the same aggression level or do they need to be from the same origins geographically to have a better chance of getting along?
I find so many varieties beautiful but wonder if they can co exist if they're at the same aggression levels & if they come from different water sources from Africa? .. namely mild/moderately aggressive types. Hopefully I'm making sense. 🙏
I have an aggressive bumblee as well. Want to add fish. What's the best type to add and how many? I have pleco, looking to add Cichlid ..added one peacock & bumblebee bullied it to death on hours! What can I add safely? I added hiding rocks, understand about lighting, tank size etc. Please help! I was thinking shark if not Cichlid, but unsure.
I keep a successful cichlid tank at 36 gallons. 36 Gal bow front tank with 12 fish in it. African Mbunas all male tank. 2 johanni 2 electric yellows. 1 demansoni, hes the tank boss. I have a snow White albino and a bumble bee. A couple others I dont know their common name
My mbuna fish has nipped my dollarfish please help
I just returned a Demasoni. He was cool with my 2 other cichlids and would protect one from the other. I added more fish and he swam with them in a pack. Out of no where he switched up and had the whole tank in one corner. He would literally be hunting through and between all of the rocks in my 75 gallon tank. Boy lost his marbles man!!!!
Demasoni can be insane 😳
If is not too late for anybody, don't get a bumble bee, those little bastards are mean as hell and they will fight till death if they don't like a fish that usually is more colorful.
My plan in place is always the toilet . Fk em and flush em ….
Does the sun shine on lake Malawi for less than 8 hours a day? I don’t think so.
Juuuust about the worst comment we’ve had