Stocking mbunas

K

KLGFCG

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Feb 2, 2006
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Recently, I posted a thread about my 60 gallon that I bought with a cobalt blue zebra already in residence (kindly ID'd for me by blue2fyre), and blue2fyre suggested adding rusties, yellow labs, and additional cobalt blues. That sounded like an awesome plan and I got all psyched about it. Today though, I went to my LFS to try to source fish and saw Demasoni... I LOVE them.

After research, however, the Demasonis can be MEAN and need to be kept in large groups. Sigh.

So, now I'm torn as to what to get. Can the experts chime in with some stocking plans that would work in my tank? I haven't ruled out the rusties/labs/cobalts plan (how many of each though?), but could Demasonis work? Could I do the original plan plus one Demasoni (since they seem to be conspecifically aggressive) or are Demasoni too social to be solo? I've seen Lab/Demasoni tanks that seem to work, but I've got that cobalt to work around, too. What to do?

Suggestions are appreciated. (Tank stats: 60 gallon, lots of rocks/caves, unknown brand double HOB filter, Penguin 350 HOB filter, Fluval 405 canister, temp around 79-80' F, pH 8.2)
 
If you keep the cobalt, I would not add demasonis. I would not do just one....they need LOTS of their kind. If you rehome the cobalt, yellow labs and demasoni would work. What the ratios are, blue or pitt or one of the other mbuna gurus will have to help you with.
 
You can do the Demasoni but you will need to add no less than 12 if you were to go 15 of the Dem's chances are that they will harass themselves and leave the others alone..

I agree with Snoopy they are social fish with aggression and to house only one in my book would be sad chances are that you may get a fish with a big attitude problem or the other way around and get a sad little fish..

Go for it man my all time favorite Mbuna is a huge school of Demasoni sorta makes me want to clear out one of my 120gal and do a school of 25 Demasoni.. :evil_lol:
 
There will go Pitt with another trade!!! :evil_lol:
15 Dems and 6 labs look awesome in a tank. I'm also tempted to do that! If your 60gal tank is 4ft. long, those are the numbers you can have, IMO.
 
I agree with the above :) A demasoni/lab tank is beautiful!

I had a lone demasoni for a long time and he did pretty well but he was very aggressive. He chased and nipped fish to near exhaustion. He also tried to breed with my cynotilapia species. I finally had to remove him when I added some msobos and he went ballistic and tried to kill them. Even after I removed him from the tank for 5 days. When I added him back it took him 10 minutes to beat the other fish into submission. They are beautiful fish but highly aggressive and do best in groups.
 
So hard to decide. I found a decently pricely 110 gallon on CL... if I got that, could I do them all? It's a sickness.

Alternatively, if I don't lose my mind and buy a mondo tank, how many fish should I do if I decide to forgo the Demasoni and get the labs/cobalts/rusties?
 
I can feel you. I am having the same problems. I have a 55 gallon tank with yellow labs, ob peacocks, and an electric blue hap cross, abn in it. I need to add more fish to stop the fighting. But, still not sure which way I want to go. Should I get rid of the ebh and the obp's and do something else or do like Blue said and get rid of the hap and add Rusty's .Lord so many choices. We both are in the same boat here. Thanks Goodness for the people on this web site. Good luck to you. Have A Great Day
 
Okay, I'm getting closer to a final plan. I decided the big tank is too much work to switch everything over right now. I've also decided that I like Demasoni way, way more than rainbows, so the empty 55 gallon is getting rescaped mbuna style.

So, here's where I'm at: 55 gallon - 15 Demasoni, 5 Labs. 60 gallon (same footprint as the 55, just taller) - 5 cobalt blues, 5 rusties, and... ? I'd prefer not to have Labs in both tanks, is there something I can substitute instead?

Topazmoon62, I'm with you... don't know what I'd do without the great advice on this board!
 
Ps acei. Another great beginner mbuna. Another great option is Cynotilapia sp"white to hara" The male are a beautiful white blue with black stripes. The females are a purple/blue. Since you are not having labs I would also suggest ps saulosi. The males are similar to demasoni with blue and black stripes and the females are yellow. They are a dwarf mbuna so they stay around 4"
 
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