New to cichlids - stocking help

[April12]

I'm planning a Mbuna tank and I'm wondering how the following combination of species will work in a 55 gallon:

Metriaclima estherae - 1M,2f
Labidochromis caeruleus - 1M,2f
Pseudotropheus demasoni - 1m,2f

These are the ones that caught my eye when I was browsing the LFS today. I've never kept cichlids before, so I would appreciate any advice.

 

[rinmouse]

Good luck sexing the demasoni. It's generally recommended that they be kept in a group of about 12 to keep the conspecific aggression to a minimum.

 

[blue2fyre]

Metriaclima estherae and Labidochromis caeruleus have a habit of crossing just so you know. As far as demasoni go you need to keep either one or 12+ to even out the agression issues. Otherwise they just end up killing each other until there is only one. Nasty but beautiful little fish I'm starting my own colony of these guys after the first of the year

 

[April12]

Hmm, thanks for the tips.

How about this:

3 each - 1M, 2F (if I can figure it out)

Metriaclima estherae
Melanchromis Johanni
Pseudtropheus socolofi

Getting the stocking figured out is really tricky!

 

[excuzzzeme]

Cichlids are usually best in a species tank, that is NOT saying what you want to do wont work, it just usually works better. The labidochromis caeruleus will form a long lasting pairing and the second female will become a target for aggression. By the same token having 1M/1F is no guarantee that they will pair off. If you intend to breed you need to rethink your stocking. If not breeding, then sexing won't matter

 

[rinmouse]

I disagree. Too many males and too few females is a good way to get shredded, harassed, stressed out and possibly even deceased females in many cases.

 

[jameshilljr]

I haven't had any P. demasoni in my stock, but here's what I have right now in a 55g:
Labidochromis Caeruleus-1male, 2 females
Metriaclima Estherae-2 males
Metriaclima Zebra-1 male
Pseudotropheous Socolofi-1 male, 2 females,1 albino(m/f?)
Metriaclima Lombardoi-2 females
Paralabidochromis. sp. "Rock Kribensis" (Mwanza Gulf)-1 male
Thorichthys Meeki-1 male
CAE-1
pleco-1
crawfish-1

So far, everyone gets along fine,without any specific aggression issues...

 

[April12]

Your responses have been really helpful. It sounds like I could even stock more densely than I had originally planned. I'll have a canister and a HOB filter, so I think that will be sufficient especially while the fish are small.

I'm so accustomed to counting inches of fish and gallons of water, in fear of being "overstocked" that it takes a bit of a mental shift to think about putting 12 or 15 fish in a 55 gallon tank.