Mbuna or eel?

[kayora]

I popped into my LFS yesterday and I'm already itching to set up an Mbuna aquarium. While browsing, I spotted an eel swimming with the African cichlids - has anyone got a clue what it's called? Was it meant to be housed with them, or was it just a random tankmate?

[oakleyride]

Need a bit more to go on, mate - a picture would be ideal, or even just a rough name. There are eels from the Great Lakes that you don't often see, so without more info, anything's possible.

[fusion9]

Why not give the LFS a ring and ask them about it, might be worth a quick call to see if they can tell you what type of eel it was. David

[kayora]

Went back to the LFS today, forgot to take a photo though. The label just said 'Tanganyikan Eel', which is all I've got to go on. To be honest, I didn't even know eels existed in Africa, but now I'm definitely sold on the idea of a Cichlid setup. That eel's £45 price tag isn't putting me off either.

[fusion9]

£45 is a bit steep for me, I'm afraid. We've never paid more than a fiver for a fish before, and that was for a GBR, so this is a whole different ball game. If you're willing to part with that kind of cash, I hope you'll be giving it the royal treatment - I know I would.

[kayora]

I'd definitely be treating it with kid gloves then. Got to save up for the tank first, but that eel is definitely on my wish list.

[swiftfly]

The only Tanganyikan eel that comes to mind is Mastacembelus moorii and Mastacembelus plagiostomus - both notorious for being fish eaters and likely requiring a species tank. I'd imagine they could be kept with large Frontosa or Boulengerochromis microlepis, but Boulengerochromis microlepis needs a lot of space - we're talking a tank at least 5m long, considering they can grow over 90cm.

If you're serious about a cichlid setup, decide on a region - Malawi, Tanganyika, or river cichlids. I personally wouldn't mix lakes or regions in a single tank, it's just not a good idea. For a Malawi/Mbuna setup, I'd stick to fish from Malawi. Upon a quick search, I also found Aethiomastacembelus shiranus, which is apparently a Malawi native eel.

[kayora]

Cheers for the info, I was actually thinking of asking about mixing the lakes/regions. I know it's generally not recommended, but I've heard of some people doing it, so I was wondering if there are any exceptions to the rule.

[creeko]

Hi kayora, I was just thinking of setting up a Mbuna aquarium myself and I'm curious about your experience, but I also wanted to let you know that I'm considering selling my cichlids - I've got some lovely fish, take a look at the pics.

[kayora]

Your cichlids look lovely and healthy. Unfortunately, I'm not in a position to take them, I don't have a suitable tank - my largest is 120L and I also have a 22L. Plus, I don't drive, so collecting them would be a problem.