Your top advice for a new Mbuna keeper

[Penny]

Hi everyone

I was wondering what would be your top tips for someone new to keeping Mbunas? 

Many thanks

[Cory]

Don't buy into the hype of the all male show tank. Also I recommend fewer species of 6-10 individuals instead of 1-2 of everything.

[Penny]

Thank you.

I wasn't planning on an all male tank, that's part of the reason why I chose mbuna as the females tend to be as brightly coloured as the males ☺️ 

I'm getting the biggest tank I can at 450 lt/ 120 us gallon. I'll be running 2 large canister filters, a wave maker and airstone. I don't think i'll need to buffer my ph as i have very hard water out of the tap but if i need to I'll add crushed coral.

I've been watching loads of videos and reading everything I can, but there's nothing like the advice from the forum

[Brian]

I would suggest adding all the fish at the same time.  If this isn’t possible, never add just one or two new fish.   And when you do add fish, rearrange the aquarium some.  Puts everyone on a more level playing field.  Also sight line blocks (maybe a large rock) can be helpful.   When the fish grow up together they seem to establish a pecking order and settle in a little easier.   In my opinion 

Good Luck

[Bruce Leroi]

+1 on the line of sight blocks, I gave up on replacing Jungle Val and use large artificial plants to also help with that.  I use a hospital tank or a large breeder box often (5 Mbuna tanks here) to separate fish as needed.

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

Chindongo (formerly Pseudotropheus) Saulosi, you get 3 different colors of fish in 1 population. Resale is excellent on the offspring. Plus they’re gorgeous. George Farmer on YT has been posting some videos of his tank.