How big?

[Jon-C]

I know that mbunas are known as being elongated and very in length but but when full grown how tall do they get? Particulary yellow labs and aceis'

[Deleted User]

Those are the two kind that I have, and I love them. Mine are still growing, but I believe the yellow labs get to be around 4", and the yellow tail acei around 4.5". They're such neat fish!!!

[Jaster]

I have both and they only get a couple inches tall. They really are great fish.

[Deleted User]

Ooops, I didn't read the "tall" part! That's an interesting question and I've wondered, too, if mine can keep going in and out of some of their decorations when they're fully grown. Thanks for the answer, Jaster!

[kaybee]

Excluding fins, yellow labs and acei's probably average 1.25"-1.5" from belly to back.

Smaller mbuna species and those with elongated forms probably place in the 1"-1.25" range while the bulker metriaclima's (those in the zebra-complex) and other large-framed mbuna's can easily reach and potentially surpass 2" in 'height' (belly to back, excluding fins).

[Jon-C]

Thanks guys very helpful how does it take a juvi to grow to there potential

[kaybee]

It depends on variables (diet, water quality, tank size, genetics, stress, tank mates, etc), but 2-2.5 years from newly-released (~1cm) fry to 4"-5" adult is reasonable (less time, of course, if the fish is acquired as a 1.5"-2" juvie).

For acei's 6" may be achieved by year 3 (again this is from fry-sized, a larger store-purchased specimen will get max out sooner).

[kaybee]

I forgot to mention one other variable, dominance of the fish which may be hormone related. I usually see this among broods of fry and juvies in grow-out tanks (pretty much siblings the exact same age growing up together). In many cases, the fish in the alpha position will have a substantial lead growth rate, in many cases being half again to even twice the size of its 2nd largest sibling.

Removing the largest juvie will somehow motivate one of the remaining siblings to experience an apparent growth-spurt (to where it is significantly larger than the rest), and it's not always the 2nd largest sibling which fills this role.

[Deleted User]

That is really interesting!!! Thank you for posting the information :19: :19: :19:

[Jon-C]

Ok I actually went out last night and bought the only two aceis I have seen have check two lfs and two petco and two pet smarts they are kinda dark with bright yellow fins and when I was there they also had what they claimed to be a electric blue but his colors were kinda of backwards he's dark black with bright blue strips a buetiful fish so I got him to payed like $36 for all three but they are all between 1"- 1 1/2" sdont know if that was much of a deal but you say like a year and a half maybe two they are all very happy and active

[kaybee]

...they also had what they claimed to be a electric blue but his colors were kinda of backwards he's dark black with bright blue strips a buetiful fish...

What do you mean when you say his colors were kind of backwards?

[Jon-C]

It's just that most that I have seen are light blue with dark blue or black stripes and he is actually all black with bright blue stripes so really it's just a color pattern I haven't seen

[kaybee]

...all black with bright blue stripes so really it's just a color pattern I haven't seen

Sounds like the characteristics of a high quality and/or fairly dominant specimen (dominant fish are more brilliantly colored than fish lower in the tank's pecking order as coloration is a form of visual communication with them).