Getting Ready

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Kasey06

AC Members
Nov 1, 2007
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I've been doing a lot of research and trying to decide what I will be stocking in my tank. We are planning on moving at some point, possibly this year/early next year so I am holding off on actually setting the tank up to avoid having to move it, etc. It is a standard 55 gallon and I will be going malawi. I think I have settled on a stocking list:
*12 Demasoni
*6 Yellow Lab
*1M/3F Albino Socolofi
I will be buying all as juveniles, I did a lot of research and I know the demasoni/yellow lab is a popular mix but I wanted a bit more variety/color and have decided on the albino socolofi. Hopefully early next year i'll be able to get it up and going. Any others on the board with a similar mix? Or that have included a 3rd species with yellow labs/demasoni? Basically just wanted to introduce myself. Can't wait until I can actually get the tank going!!
 
Nope I havn't done that - but it sounds like a really nice mix. They'll look great with the right decor.

Trickiest part will probably be getting the gender mix - hopefully you have someone who can help you get the male female ratio right (I'd say 1 or 2 male labs and the same for the demasoni).
 
Thanks. I am going with sand (keep going back and forth on black vs. white) and stacked rock. As for the M/F ratio obviously the goal is always 1M/3F minimum, I will be buying all as juveniles so they will arrive unsexed and hopefully i'll get an appropriate ratio. If not I can always sell locally the excess males and my LFS will take them back for store credit, etc. From what I have read as long as I get minimum of 12 demasoni I should be ok, anything less and I will run into aggression problems. Yellow labs are so mellow regardless the M/F ratio I should be ok. I really can't wait to get this tank set up, it's been sitting in the living room for like 3 months-empty. Such a tease!
 
Kasey06 said:
Thanks. I am going with sand (keep going back and forth on black vs. white)
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Either look good - I personally prefer natural looking in rift lake tanks but either will show off the fish well. Generally a black background is best imo. Your substrate is also an opportunity to get a stable Ph buffer in the tank, if your not up around the mid to high 7's or more already.


Kasey06 said:
and stacked rock.
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You can also put some java fern, crinium (onion plant), anubias if you like. Live plants do a lot of good stuff, and in an african tank they will help break up line of site etc. No need to go overboard, but a little bit of green looks good, gives you the benefits of live plants, and these plants are basically impossible to kill.



Kasey06 said:
and stacked rock.
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As for the M/F ratio obviously the goal is always 1M/3F minimum, I will be buying all as juveniles so they will arrive unsexed and hopefully i'll get an appropriate ratio. If not I can always sell locally the excess males and my LFS will take them back for store credit, etc.
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Sounds good. Just note that demasoni are an exception to other mbuna in that they require to be kept in groups of 10 or 12 plus, as you know, and you only want 1 or at absolute most 2 males in that group.

Kasey06 said:
From what I have read as long as I get minimum of 12 demasoni I should be ok, anything less and I will run into aggression problems.
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Yep but you still want the male/female ratio as above.

Kasey06 said:
Yellow labs are so mellow regardless the M/F ratio I should be ok.
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Mmmmmmmm...I wouldn't entirely agree with that, although they are of course less mental than other mbuna generally they are pretty keen on conspecific aggression...I would still want no more than 2 males in that group ultimately

Lab wars (check out second one in particular :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AroFwRUnHIs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGJpHdCmSDM


Kasey06 said:
I really can't wait to get this tank set up, it's been sitting in the living room for like 3 months-empty. Such a tease!
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Sounds excellent - looking forward to seeing it get going
 
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