Mbu's (again)

Phractocephalus · Post by **Phractocephalus** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 1:51 pm

Hi all. I'm new here, but I've had a read of some of your messages. Therefore I know the response to this already.....
I own 2 Mbu's.
The larger of them is called Nigel and currently resides in a 5ft juwel aquarium. He's 10 inches long and lives with 20 Buenos Aires Tetras, 4 Blue Line Rasboras, 1 Red scissortail, 1 Common Scissortail, 4 Yellow Scissortails, 2 Silver Hatchetfish, 2 Congo Tetras, 1 Herotilapia Multispinosa, 3 Bristlenose Plecs, 1 'Vampire Gold Nuggett' (The L number escapes me) 2 Gold Gouramis, 2 Opaloines and 6 Discus. He's been with me for approximately 18 months and is fine, apart from a nick in his tail, caused when he was a baby by a Black Ghost Knifefish, who made a swift move to alternative accomodation.
Second in size is Marvin, who actually has a slightly larger tank (Only by a couple of inches). He lives with 8 Stiped Barbs, 2 Clown Barbs, 1 Thicklipped gourami, 1 Gold Gourami, 7 Clown Loaches (The largest of which, Matilda, comes in at 9 inches herself!), 2 Common Plecs, 1 Albino Common Plec (He's 18 inches), 1 Gibbiceps, 1 Synodontis Multipunctatus, 1 Synodontis Ocellifer, 1 Synodontis Angelicus, 1 Synodontis Shoutedeni, 1 large Ruby Shark, 2 baby Silver Sharks, 2 Sucking Loaches, 4 adult Angelfish, 2 Geophagus Proximus, 1 Striped Talking Catfish, 1 Melantotaenia Trifasciata, 6 Gold Giant Danios and 1 large Rasbora that I am unable to identify.
Both Puffers are happy and feeding well. Marvin is currently staring at me from 2 feet away, begging for more muscles.

I'm well aware of their potential, and was just today pricing 8ft+ tanks!
I have to say that I have never come accross such an intelligent fish (or such a wimpy Puffer).
Iteresting poits which I've noticed are:
1. Their waste seems to be quite a delicacy among other fish, promting me to think that they don't have the most efficient digestive system in the world.
2. The only fish they seem to have issues with are bony Catfish, such as Hoplosternum sp. and Corydoras Sp. This however seems to be more a case of mistaken identity. From what I've observed, Mbu's don't actually seem to like the taste of fish! I tried feeding them both Lancefish once! They both spat it out and swam backwards, away from it, at great speed!

Has anyone else noticed any quirks from their Mbu's?

jayne · Post by **jayne** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 2:27 pm

Hello from one mbu owner to another.

Mine is just a baby at the moment and her name is Phoebe,like your boys she seems to be very laid back as far as tankmates are concerned and is developing into a real character.

She will live in an eight footer shortly,from what I've read that seems to be a minimum size for theses fish so if you keep both of yours it may be cheaper to just flood your whole house

Hope you'll post pictures.

oldfish · Post by **oldfish** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 7:27 pm

Phractocephalus wrote: Their waste seems to be quite a delicacy among other fish, promting me to think that they don't have the most efficient digestive system in the world.

I agree.They have the ripest poo I've ever run accross.I have found that given small meals they do seem to digest it much better and remain more active.And I also agree with Jayne,Hope you'll post pictures.

yunachin · Post by **yunachin** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 7:49 pm

Welcome. Your tanks sound amazing. Pleas post some photos as I am VERY excited to see these marvelous tanks.

Post by **Pufferpunk** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 7:59 pm

Gosh, how did you keep track of every little fish in your tanks? I have no idea what fish are all hiding in the plants of my 90g discus tank...

Phractocephalus · Post by **Phractocephalus** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 5:21 am

Remembering what fish were in which tank took a while, believe me! I must admit that I hadn't realised that I had quite so many! The tanks don't look nearly as full as they sound.

As much as I would love to post pictures, I do not own a digital camera

, so therefore I'm unable to do so at present. Watch this space and I'll see what I can do!

Thanks for the welcome......I'll be around whenever I can.

manutius · Post by **manutius** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 9:37 am

Hi there welcome to the forum. You are very lucky to own 2 mbu, I loved my Clooney he was the coolest fish ever.

You may or may not have read my article on Mbu but I would be interested in your feedback.

I don't want to come across as negative but I had mine in a rio 400 and as he grew to 17inches ish my nitrates were off the scale constantly, even though I was doing 200% water chages weekly. The bottom line was that Clooney was producing too much waste and I couldn't keep up with it. I attributed this to his eventual demise after a long battle of illness he finally died and I was heart broken. All I can say is keep a check on your water perameters weekly becuse I have a gut feeling that you will experience problems in the not too distant future. Since Clooneys death my Nitrate is down to 20ppm which is what comes out of the tap so I can state with a great deal of confidence that Clooney's size and the small tank were too much. these fish really do need a big old tank at least 7ft but the bigger the better IMO

Phractocephalus · Post by **Phractocephalus** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 12:43 pm

I'm aware of the problems, but thanks for pointing it out.
I'm passively searching for a second hand monster tank at the moment, as Nigel will probably need an upgrade in the next 6 to 8 months. He's getting by with weekly 50% water changes and an additional Fluval 4, which is as much there to provide additional surface agitation as it is to filter the water.

Marvin is fine for at least another year. The Plecs create more mess than he does, and he actually has to expend some energy when he feeds, as the Clowns are just as keen on his prawns and muscles as he is.

I've just become aware that I'm referring to my puffers as male. They may not be, and I could be causing them great embarassment for all I know!

Anyone know if they can be sexed?

I'm off to read about Clooney now.....I've yet to hear of a Mbu without a name........

Troender · Post by **Troender** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 5:37 pm

Phractocephalus wrote:I've yet to hear of a Mbu without a name........

I don't think there are many puffers around without a name.

dumpythepuffer · Post by **dumpythepuffer** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 6:22 pm

you gotta name them especially with the personalities they have they are just too funny

groovitudedude · Post by **groovitudedude** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 9:47 pm

manutius wrote:...the scale constantly, even though I was doing 200% water chages weekly.

How do you do a 200% WC?!?!?!

Post by **Pufferpunk** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 2:28 am

Be sure to read the story stickied in this forum, too.

groovitudedude · Post by **groovitudedude** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 2:42 am

No, really, I think that you just think it sounds cool to say it now. How is a 200% WC possible? You can't change more water than is in there!

crazedpuffer · Post by **crazedpuffer** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 11:27 am

You refill the tank, and syphon out water, and refill and syphon.
Or you could do daily water changes that add up to 200%

Jase · Post by **Jase** » Sat Feb 23, 2008 12:35 pm

groovitudedude wrote:
manutius wrote:...the scale constantly, even though I was doing 200% water chages weekly.
How do you do a 200% WC?!?!?!

you're pole vaulting over mouse turds...

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