Mbuna - Substrate

Substrate

Sand or gravel is the ideal substrate. The hobbyist will want to mix in some sort of so-called "tufa rock" as a pH buffer. However, Limestone, Holey rock, aragonite, crushed coral and especially mixed bags of substrate do. Generally, tanks of no less than 120 centimetres (3.9 ft) in length is required for mature Mbuna; 110 litres (24 imp gal; 29 US gal) tanks will work beautifully for juvenile fish but will need to be upgraded as they mature, grow and become more aggressive and territorial (this will occur in just a matter of weeks or months). Ideally, no smaller than a fifty five gallon tank should be considered as adequate space for a colony of Mbuna. In the wild Mbuna are mostly omnivores; their diet consists of insect larvae and aufwuchs and they generally benefit from a varied diet.

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