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I have decided to stock my 55 with mbuna fishes, and so have been reding up on them. Most of the stocking guides say that a max of 3 species can be placed in this tank. WHy?. Also, they are said to predominantley eat algae growing on the rocks in the tank. Does this mean i should have the lights on for extended periods of time to grow this algae?. SHould plecos and other catfishes be removed to allow for the growth of the algae?. Finally, what type of rocks are actually found in lake malawi?
Thanks

I'll have to answer your questions in something of a roundabout manner in order to give you the complete picture.

Part of the reason that Lake Malawi is hard and alkaline is that the water is sitting on top of a LOT of limestone based rock. So the kind of rocks that make sense in an aquarium containing fishes from this lake (the same applies to Lake Tanganyika too by the way) are calcareous rocks. Tufa rock is an excellent choice because it is a limestone type rock, and it is also soft enough for you to work it without requiring special tools (so you can make cave holes in it for example).

In the lake itself, the calcareous boulder screes along the shoreline and found around the shores of various islands in the lake are the substrate upon which algal mats grow. These mats are described in aquaristic circles using the German word Aufwuchs (it was a German scientist that first studied the ecology of such systems) and the term has since broadened to apply to any filamentous aquatic algal mats, but the principal use of the word still centres upon the mats growing in Lake Malawi. Now these mats are not totally devoid of animal matter by any stretch of the imagination, but the populations of such creatures as insect larvae and small invertebrates are subject to wide fluctuations, and during the 'lean times', the fishes inhabiting the rock screes have to make do with the algae as the principal foodstuff. That the fishes have adapted to do so is one reason why aquarium Mbuna specimens should be fed with care - too much concentrated animal protein leads to an irreversible and fatal digestive congestion known as "Malawi Bloat" - which is to these fishes what the years of eating batter fried peanut butter sandwiches was to Elvis Presley. So, the way to go with these fishes is to use calcareous rocks, and deliberately cultivate algae upon them so that the fishes have a readily available algal supplement to their diet. Even so, you should consider feeding Mbuna with special flake foods manufactured specifically for them, or else preparing fresh vegetables to supplement the diet alongside any animal matter content to avoid "Malawi Bloat".

Because the fishes have evolved over the millennia to be dependent upon the rocks and their aufwuchs mats for food, it shoudl come as no surprise that they are dependent upon those rocks for breeding as well. Although Mbuna are principally haremic maternal mouthbrooders, with a male courting and mating with several females, a spawning site has to be prepared for the deposition of the eggs prior to the female scooping the eggs into her buccal nursing pouches. Prime spawning sites that allow for Mbuna to breed in relative safety away from the attentions of predators (such as the large open water Haplochromine predatory fishes Nimbochromis livingstonii and Nimbochromis venustus, to name two) are in relatively short supply, and the competition for them is consequently pretty intense. Depending upon location, species involved, and the kind of spawning site that the individual species is looking for, the competition ranges from moderately intense (Iodotropheus sprengerae and the Labidochromis species) to violently cut-throat (Melanochromis chipokae and the Petrotilapia species). This is why Mbuna are graded according to their territorial demands and propensity to exterminate the opposition, and why you should heed those gradings when choosing fishes for a given aquarium setup. In a 55 gallon setup, even the mild mannered Iodotropheus sprengerae and Labidochromis species are going to need some space, and will exhibit the usual Cichlid signs of frustration if they aren't given that space, which means that even cramming three species of Mbuna into a 55 is a delicate balancing act, and sticking to two is probably a wiser policy especially if you are a newcomer to these fishes. Likewise, starting off with the relatively mild mannered and relatively undemanding Iodotropheus sprengerae and Labidochromis species is strongly advised until some experience at maintaining a Malawi aquarium is gained, because you'll have your work cut out keeping a 55 gallon Malawi setup running in a trouble free fashion vis-a-vis water chemistry (ammonia from the fishes is more toxic in alkaline water than in acidic water) and dealing with water management AND aggression from the fishes is likely to be too much to handle in one go. Once the requisite skills are obtained, then it's time to consider something a little more challenging, but by this time the confirmed Mbuna fan will be looking at considerably larger aquaria than 55 gallons to accomodate them.

If you choose your species carefully in a LARGE aquarium it is perfectly possible to include more than three Mbuna species, but I emphasise that you need a LARGE aquarium to be successful at this, plus you need considerable experience, and a 55 isn't anywhere near large enough given the territorial demands of these fishes. By the time you're thinking of taking on the demon Melanochromis chipokae or Petrotilapia tridentiger, you'll need 150 gallons if you want to be able to keep them with any other fishes at all, given that their territorial demands are large and their aggression level in dealing with intruders is positively pyroclastic - a male chipokae in terrtitory defence mode is basically a nuclear warhead with fins waiting to go DEFCON 1. Don't even THINK of touching the hardcore ruffians and aquarium terrorists such as chipokae unless you have a MINIMUM of a 6 foot aquarium, and ideally, you should be looking at 8 feet or bigger.

Oh, and I would NOT recommend putting Plecs or Bristlenoses in an aquarium containing Mbuna, because Plecs and Bristlenoses are Amazonian fishes that have adapted to soft, acidic water. They might live in there if forced to, but they won't be happy, and if they're sharing their quarters with a male chipokae their lives will be nasty, brutish and short. Let the algae grow, let the Mbuna themselves munch upon it, and only add other Malawian fishes to the aquarium. Even then, do NOT mix Mbuna with the sand dwelling Utaka (Malawi Peacocks and Copadichromis species), even though they're from the same lake, unless you have a LARGE aquarium, because the Utaka will be bullied by the Mbuna in a confined space, and do NOT mix Mbuna with big Haplochromines such as Nimbochromis venustus, because in the wild, venustus are predators upon the smaller species of Mbuna! Additionally, I would NOT touch Genyochromis mento with a 60 foot barge pole in a mixed setting - the reason being that it makes its living by biting pieces off other Mbuna in the wild (rather like the eye biting Altolamprologus compressiceps and the scale eating Perissodus species of Lake Tanganyika) and is likely to be an unholy terror in anything other than a species aquarium.

Right, this should cover all your bases and more besides.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

HOws would two upside down catfishes go in a mbuna tank?
My idea for stocking is based on that cookie cutter link from Theresa M:
4- red zebra
4- saluosi
8- electric yellows
Is this ove3rstocked / too aggressive for a first time mbuna keeper?
Also, how much is overfiltered enough to be a overstocked mbuna aquarium?

If you're planning on putting a Synodontis in there, there are several Malawi natives you could choose. However, I suspect they're a bit big for a 55.

As for this stocking:

4- red zebra
4- saluosi
8- electric yellows

I'd advise against it. Metriaclima zebra is a feisty fish, and would make life uncomfortable for the saulosi and the Electric Yellows.

I'd think more along the following lines:

8 Electric Yellows
6 Iodotropheus sprengerae
4 Pseudotropheus minutus

Your advantage with that stocking would be as follows:

[1] Iodotropheus sprengerae is probably the most docile of all the Mbuna, even more so than the Electric Yellows (assuming that by 'Electric Yellow' you mean one of the Labidochromis species, which are also fairly tame by Mbuna standards);

[2] Pseudotropheus minutus is not only one of the most docile members of the Genus, it is also one of the smallest, thus reducing your stocking problems (it's definitely smaller than Metriaclima zebra, and a LOT more peaceful).

Those three species would provide you with sufficient entertainment vis-a-vis lively activity without too many worries about internecine warfare breaking out, especially if you plan the rock decor carefully.

As for 'overfiltering' your 55, I would recommend it even sticking to conservative stocking, because with an Mbuna setup, you can never really have too much filtration. Mbuna are somewhat messy eaters, place a farily significant bioloading on the filter system, and don't forget that if they're happy in your setup, you have to contend in addition with the appearance of fry. Planning ahead for such possibilities NOW before you spend a penny on fishes will save a LOT of heartache later - a maxim that applies to fishkeeping as a whole, but which is particularly relevant when moving into the world of more specialised fishes such as Mbuna. While Mbuna are, in the right setting, reasonably adaptable to aquarium life, you have to plan ahead so that they don't have to strain their capabilities too much.

To assist in buffering the water, I would also plan for a calcareous substrate. Your problem here being that most calcareous substrates are light coloured, and result in the fishes developing a slightly 'washed out' look. You can avoid this by using one layer of calcareous substrate for buffering purposes, then putting a layer of dark gravel on top. A dark substrate will cause your fishes to intensify their colours accordingly, and if you let algae grow on the rocks before you add the fishes, then you have the added bonus not only of the rocks being darkened by the algal growth, but the presence of a food source that the fishes can nibble upon during the acclimatisation phase.

For the time being, the following commonly available species are ones that I would avoid until you gain more experience:

Metriaclima zebra - feisty, should really have a 75 minimum to coexist with other Mbuna
Melanochromis auratus - domseticated for a long time, but one of the serious hardcore berserkers except in a large aquarium
Pseudotropheus lombardoi - reversed sexual colouration compared to many other Mbuna, thus requiring special care for integration into an Mbuna community
Labeotropheus trewavasae - too big for a 55, can become hyperdominant in thewrong setting, needs a LOT of vegetable matter in the diet for successful long term maintenance

Basically I would avoid ALL Melanochromis species full stop for your first year of Mbuna keeping because they're hardcore criminals with a frightening propensity for violence except in large aquaria (150 gallons and up), with the demon chipokae being a fish you ONLY take on when you have a LOT of experience with less aggressive fishes - not because of hardiness constraints, but quite simply because it makes HUGE territorial demands and will gleefully exterminate competition if placed in the wrong setting. For the same reason (namely pyroclastic bad temper) I would avoid ALL Petrotilapia species even though some of them are gorgeous.

Additionally, I'd exercise particular care when selecting your Pseudotropheus minutus. There's a lookalike species, Pseudotropheus elongatus, but the similarity ends with looks. Pseudotropheus minutus is a well behaved fish, while Pseudotropheus elongatus is a psychopathic berserker. Find a dealer that labels the fishes correctly with their scientific names, pay the extra for going to a specialist dealer in Mbuna/Rift Lake Fishes generally, and be sure that what you take home has been properly identified and has a good provenance. Buying Mbuna from big chains that don't have proper expert/specialist staff on hand is fraught with complications, because if they don't know what they're dealing with, they're hardly in a position to sell you the right fishes!


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

by 'electric yellow' i mean Labidochromis carelus.
ALso, the fishes i chose, were chosen from a list of "small and Peaceful mbuna" which were reccomened in those stocking levels for a 55 here:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/cookie_cutter_55g.php
ONe of the reasins i thought this set up would be OK aggression wise was because the fish are very different colours.
ALso, can your calcareous material be placeb in a mesh bag in your filter?
finally: how many times per hour should the water be filtered per hour for an overstocked mbuna tank? My filter currently filters at 4.5x tank volume per hour

well, what you want to do would most likely work. The problem would be in getting the male to female ratio right. Another aspect that might be a problem is that females saulosi are yellow which might cause issue between them and the the labs. While everything that Cali has said is true, I like your mix better. Red Zebra's can be tough but Saulosi's should be able to hold their own. The Labs might get beat up though. In my opinion I would only do two species, which would be the saulosi and red zebra's. When starting Mbuna tanks people tend to try and get as many species as possible. I did the same and wish I only went with two species in my 55. Also your tank, once settled, will end up a constant breeding ground. Just make sure you create lots of caves with lots of rocks, GL

By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.
Socrates-
I happen to have become a philosopher

Ah, it seems the taxonomists have been at work again.

Your 'Red Zebra' is in fact Metriaclima estherae, and NOT Metriaclima zebra ...!!!

Once again, a case in point where scientific names are invaluable. And unambiguous.

In the case of Metriaclima estherae, it's reported to be less aggressive than Metriaclima zebra, and potentially a suitable candidate for your aquarium. However, given that it IS a Metriaclima species, and the majority of these are fairly feisty, it pays to be cautious here - I would seek out someone who already has these fishes in a 55 similar to the setup you're planning, and gather intelligence on any problems (or absence thereof) that have been encountered by said previous owner. It ALWAYS pays to plan ahead and gather prior intelligence with Mbuna, because they can pull some unpleasant surprises on you.

With respect to your choosing fishes that are markedly different in colour with respect to minimising aggression, you've done your homework here - this usually works well, though there are instances where a certain amount of caution and judgement has to be brought into play (the dreaded Pseudotropheus lombardoi being a classic case in point) but with the commonly available Mbuna in the hobby, fishes of markedly different colouration are likely to be less aggressive toward each other than fishes of similar hue. That was one motivation for selecting the species I chose in my alternative list - Iodotropheus sprengerae makes life easy because it looks like nothing else in the common Mbuna list, and gives you a LOT of leeway when choosing the other species (plus, it's one of the most docile of them all).

However, I would still substitute Pseudotropheus minutus for Pseudotropheus saulosi, because minutus is less aggressive. Here is a quick peek]http://www.cichlidae.com/gallery/species.php?s=538[/link] at Pseudotropheus minutus. For more information, try [link=this profile which covers the species in some detail.

I had a feeling you did mean Labidochromis caeruleus when you said "Electric Yellow", as this is the usual meaning - however, given the gay abandon with which common names are applied to Mbuna, it pays to be cautious.

So, you have the following possibile species mixes open to you:

[1] Iodotropheus sprengerae, Labidochromis caeruleus, Metriaclima estherae

[2] Iodotropheus sprengerae, Labidochromis caeruleus, Pseudotropheus minutus

[3] Pseudotropheus minutus, Labidochromis caeruleus, Metriaclima estherae

[4] Iodotropheus sprengerae, Labidochromis caeruleus, Cynotilapia afra

Plus several other permutations depending upon stock availability and the size of your wallet. Needless to say, one piece of advice on that "cookie cutter" page I DO agree with for your 55 is NEVER mix two Labidochromis species in the same aquarium - this is something you can get away with in a 150 or larger provided you plan very carefully (but then you run the risk of hybridisation), but in a 55, even the relatively mellow Labs will, if you put two species together, come to blows (either that or they'll hybridise like mad).

As to using calcareous material inside a canister filter, if you sandwich it between filter wool, this would also provide you with some buffering capacity. However, if you have a calcareous substrate and calcareous rocks, you won't need it. While buying lumps of tufa rock from a marine fish store may seem an expensive way of getting your rock decor, it has two BIG advantages - one, the buffering capacity of those rocks is considerable, and two, you can shape Tufa rock to your and your fishes' specific requirements with nothing more elaborate than a large flat bladed screwdriver. Other rocks are likely to be much harder to work with in this respect. Plus, the debris from your working the Tufa Rock can, if you capture it in a plastic tray, be added to your calcareous substrate so that nothing is wasted.

If you're planning on a good number of individuals in your 55, and choosing the overfiltering route, then the way I would plan the setup is to have at least three different filters in the setup, with each filter on its own capable of turning over 3-4 times the tank volume per hour. This will not only provide you with superb filtering capability when all three are operating perfectly, it will give you time to deal with maintenance if one filter should malfunction. With that kind of capacity in place, you would still be overfiltering even if one of the filters died completely and you had to wait 3-4 days to obtain spares or a replacement. I would have a fourth filter 'on standby' waiting to be introduced into the system as a 'belt and braces' measure so that if you are singularly unlucky and have two filters die on you at once, you'll still have two working filters running while you mend the broken ones. If that sounds like an expensive way of achieving your end result of a functioning Mbuna aquarium, then bear in mind that if you adopt this method now, with the fishes you're planning to keep, you'll be prepared for the day when you branch out into much more challenging (and expensive!) species - so that for example, if you ever find yourself filled with a hankering to keep the Victorian Xystichromis phytophagus (take a look at this pic and see why this fish will cost you a week's salary!) you'll be prepared for the challenge if you run your current Mbuna setup with this level of attention to detail. Get used to planning and preparing now, with the fishes you're planning at this stage, get used to doing things conscientiously now, and those good habits will become ingrained and make your migration to challenging and delicate fishes a LOT easier in the future, so that if you're ever fortunate enough to keep some of the spectacular catwalk stars of the African Cichlid world, you'll stand a MUCH better chance of success and avoiding some VERY expensive heartache.

Meanwhile, good luck with your proposed Mbuna setup, and I look forward to seeing this tank once it's operational.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Good info so far, I just wanted to add that its best not to keep Electric Yellows and P. saulosi in the same tank. The female Saulosi are very similar to the Yellows and therefore keeping them together, especially in a "smaller" tank, is advised against. I'd replace them with something like Rusty Cichilds (I. sprengerae) or P. acei. Cynotilapia afra may be a good choice as well, except that they can be very aggressive. Your numbers look good.

*Kristin*

Ah, didn't realise saulosi females resembled Yellow Labs. Must add this to the database for future reference.

Another reason to substitute Pseudotropheus minutus.

Incidentally, there seems to be quite a spread of opinion on Cynotilapia afra. Several sources cite it as one of the mellower Mbuna, while others (most notably among those I've seen, the TFH piece on them in the 70s) claim they can be little terrors. This is something that I think needs clearing up. Are these disparate views perhaps the result of fishes from different populations appearing in the hobby? And those individual fishes from different wild populations having different temperaments?

Hmm. Definitely an issue to investigate here I think.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Thanks for advice thus far
when looking at fish for thiss tank i was thinking either saluosi or afra's. For stock: either:
saluosi/ redzebra
afra/ e. yellow
saluosi/ afra
e.yellow/ red zebra

DO the salusois and the afras look too similar to put in together?
If i were to use sand and crushed coral for my substrate, then would i need to use tufa/ limestone?

Afra would work with any of the mix. My only issue with afra's is that on many of the species the females are pretty drab and usually only a dominant male will really color up. The good thing about the saulosi is you get the two colors in blue males and yellow females. Red zebras come in a range of orange depending on the stock. Acei's are a also nice fish. If you really like labs (e. Yellow) then you could also consider demansoni's. Most would say they are too agressive for labs but really their agression is conspecific. That might be pretty expensive though.

I'm going on too far now but also consider trewavase and fuelleborni(sp?) species as they look quite different and would give you two distict looking fish if you mixed one of the species with those you have mentioned. If I was starting over i would get a species of fuelleborni and saulosi. Some might say they get too big for a 55 but I think it would work.

Lastly, ph buffeing is overated IMO. I used to bother with this but currently have moved away from it. I have not noticed any difference in behavior or breeding. If you want to you can add crushed coral to your filter, enough of it will give you what you need.

By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.
Socrates-
I happen to have become a philosopher

Actually WiseIves, I warned against going with a Labeotropheus species for a first aquarium (particularly a 55) above.

Labeotropheus fuelleborni is a pretty feisty species by all accounts, on a par with Metriaclima zebra and Pseudotropheus lombardoi, while Labeotropheus trewavasae, though less aggressive, is probably going to be problematic in a 55 because it's a chunky, muscular fish. The recommendations I went with not only considered mellow temperament but small adult size as a means of reducing the likely maintenance problems for a newcomer to Mbuna - one reason I went with Pseudotropheus minutus, a species with both a relatively manageable territorial instinct and small adult size compared to other members of the Genus. Both the Labeotropheus species are chunky fishes as adults, reaching 6 inches in length, and I'd consider them more suited to a 75 or larger. Additionally, the Labeotropheus are among the most avowedly herbivorous of the Mbuna (note the underslung mouth - an adaptation for serious algal grazing) and Ad Konings noted that the unusual snout shape was also a facilitator in grazing aufwuchs from rocks in a 1995 article (citation: Konings, A., 1995: Malawi cichlids in their natural habitat, second edition, Cichlid Press [no location given]; 352 pp., ISBN 3-928457-29-2) - which means that particular care in avoiding "Malawi Bloat" may need to be taken with these fishes over and above the usual. Another reason for my not recommending them to a newcomer.


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Wiseives,
i like the look of the demanosis but i have read several posts saying they are aggressive. Besides, i prefer the look of saluosis and red zebras. Does any1 on this site breed/ know where to buy them in Sydney?
What proportions should i go with?
I was thinking 7 or 8 of each

ah yes, I like red zebra saulosi mix as well, I just thought if you were stuck on labs that demansoni would mix well with them. Yes they are agressive but like I said it's really conspecific and they are no more agressive than red zebra's IMO. Anyways the mix you're looking at is good.

As far as numbers, the nice thing about saulosi is you can tell the sexes from the colors as long as they are juvi's. Also be aware that sometimes subdominant males might not color up. The redzebra's take awhile to sex and require venting when mature to really tell or wait till they have a mouthful of eggs. Probably not what you were asking but anyways, nice thing about Mbuna is that overcrowding works well. 7-8 would work fine.

Just to touch on feeding, while they eat algae and normally graze on it when available, it is not a major factor in their diet. You can have catfish in with them & Pleco's are hit or miss, they worked for me when I did it with a BN but I removed him to place in a different tank. I don't know what is available out in your parts but if you can get it purchase New Life Spectrum.

By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.
Socrates-
I happen to have become a philosopher

Would sandstone be okay as a rock for this tank or does it disintegtate, does it buffer the water?
Also, How do you "vent" a fish???

Incidentally, there seems to be quite a spread of opinion on Cynotilapia afra. Several sources cite it as one of the mellower Mbuna, while others (most notably among those I've seen, the TFH piece on them in the 70s) claim they can be little terrors. This is something that I think needs clearing up. Are these disparate views perhaps the result of fishes from different populations appearing in the hobby? And those individual fishes from different wild populations having different temperaments?

Hmm. Definitely an issue to investigate here I think.

Cali, I'm not sure why there is a difference in opinion...maybe it is the difference between tank bred and wild.

I have 7 C. afra cobue myself (3 males and 4 females) and while the males haven't killed each other yet, I suspect they have laid into some of my Eureka Peacocks, which were beat up enough that 2 didn't make it. They are pretty fiesty to be as small as they are. Mine are tank bred though. I was warned before hand about their agression though...

In a 55g tank, with a large group of the more docile Labs (if you went with them), C. afra would be fine. Give them enough rock work and they should stick to themselves. Keeping one male to several females would be ideal. I will be getting rid of my 2 extra males soon.

Its my experience that all the males will color up to some degree. 2 of mine are a little bolder colored than the 3rd one, but he's slowly gaining more color. They are beautiful fish and if you get the chance to get a group, go for it. They are by far the most striking fish in my Malawi tank. I had a 4th male that I gave to a friend and he was just as beautiful and colored up.

In a 55g tank, unless Demasoni were the only fish, I would skip them. You'll need atleast 12 of them to keep the aggression down, most people keep them in groups larger than that. I'd skip them.

With the Saulosi/Red Zebra mix, you'll have 3 different colors (since the Saulosi males are blue and females are yellow). If you go with a group of 8 of each type, that would be an awesome tank. If you decided to go with 6 of each, you could add a group of 6 C. afra cobue to the mix for some purple. The females are dark purple/brownish and compared to males, they are dull, but IMO they aren't ugly by any means.

*Kristin*

Also, How do you "vent" a fish???

Venting is physically looking at the fish's reproductive parts. Looking for some difference in two fish of the same species. The differences can be from extremely subtle (or even unable to see) to very noticably different. Some differences are distance between the anus and the reproductive parts, while others the diameter (size) of the reproductive parts is different.

Venting is used (when it can be seen) to sex fish that look the same otherwise, and/or to sex fish that are yet too young to show differences in physical characteristics.

_____________________________________________________________

There is always a bigger fish...

thanks AcidRain and GirlieGirl for responses,

Is sandstone okay for the aquascape?
i have lots of rocks which would work well, which i assume are hawksebury sandstone.
Does anyone know any breeders of these fishes, because i cant afford $40 per fish off of the internet.
Will fish be cheaper at cichlid auctions?

I have all my rocks together, sandstone from my garden. At least, i think it is sandstone... . Does more than one colour in the rock mean there is another element in there which might leach?

Just wanted to put my opinion in here.

I think a single male afra and 3 females would go well in a 55g with any of the other choices. They are small and arnt as agressive to other fish as they are to each other. Dont mix them with other verticle barred fish and they are fine. The male might be a little terror at first but nothing major. Hes gona claim a cave and teach the rest of the tank whos cave it is lol. Once they learn that cave is his the agression will be pretty low. passerbyes might get a reminder but nothing life threatning.

anyway 55g tank i would go with 2-3 species. really anymore then that and its gona look chaotic. i have 4 species in my 75g tank. one of them are yellow labs and i gotta be honest they would be the 1st to go if i had some where to send them other then a fish shop.

They were nice when i first got them but after a while the constent breeding and simplicity of their coloring grows old.course this is just personal preferences maybe ive just had them for so long i just need a change. Dont get me wrong they are very hardy and very colorfull. not as peacefull as most let on. easily bred. GREAT beginner mbuna because of these reasons. If your after the learning experience then they will be perfect. if you dont need it then might wanna look at the others.

Sandstone...to answer your question....is this known as flagstone or slate? If it is then dont worry about the colors and shouldnt leach.