Ahh! Malawi!

[emptyhead]

Skip the auratus and get 16 demasoni and 5 labs(1m 4f) and youll have a stunning tank.

Good advice.

You won't generally get good advice at a Petsmart, which is why you ended up with auratus for a 55g tank.

 

[L021]

What's wrong with auratus in a 55g? To my knowledge they're one of the smaller, albeit more aggressive, africans. Demasoni are larger, not to mention my most aggressive so far is my red zebra.

 

[Blue2Fyre]

I have seen full grown 5 inch auratus males, even though everywhere on the net says they only get to be 3-4inches. It's not the size it's the aggression. While demasoni are very aggressive towards each other, auratus are known to kill off tank members of any species. Your fish are still babies now, once fully mature the auratus will be much more aggressive.

M. auratus is definitely not for beginners, even though it is often purchased by unsuspecting and na�ve admirers. The reason for being a difficult or problematic fish is due to the fact that it is far more aggressive than the majority of Mbuna. Adult males are perhaps the most aggressive of any Mbuna available, period. They are violently intolerant of male conspecifics (i.e., fish of similar appearance). Simply do not try and keep more than one of these males in anything less than 125 gallons. Males can be quite effective at laying claim to almost half of a 50-gallon aquarium, fighting anyone who trespasses, unless to spawn.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/m_auratus.php

 

[L021]

I always thought chipokae were the most aggressive... 0_o. What should I try to put in with them? They're both (fortunately) females. I can't get rid of them, my only LFS is PetsMart. And I did NOT take their advice, I researched beforehand, though evidently not enough.

 

[L021]

The assumed demasoni are Metriaclima lombardoi. This tank is driving me nuts!

 

[Blue2Fyre]

Chipokae are really nasty but auratus are right up there with them. Metriaclima lombardoi are Kenyi. Demasoni are Pseudotropheus demasoni.
Kenyi

Demasoni

Since Petsmart is where they are coming from they are most likely Kenyi, another very aggressive mbuna.

 

[L021]

I got a msobo zebra (f) and a maindango (m). The Maindango and the Lab are the only males in the tank, with the possible exception of the kenyi (as said, too young to sex, when do they show gender colors?). The Big Als employee stated that they would be okay with my stock, and I had good reason to belive him (one's a zebra and one's a melanchromis, they're compatible).

So far, the aggression in the tank is as followed;
Yellow Lab and Red Zebra are the bosses, then the largest auratus, then the neutral/nonaggressors (other lab, kenyis, maindango, msobo, smaller auratus).

 

[L021]

Blue2fyre, mine look like the 2nd pic (blue kenyi)

 

[Blue2Fyre]

Do you mean metriaclima msobo and Maingano? There isn't a msobo zebra though I guess zebras and msobos are from the same family. The maingano will likely fight with the auratus due to similar patterns.

one's a zebra and one's a melanchromis, they're compatible).

It doesn't work like that considering the wide variety of species within those genus. Now most melanchromis have horizontal stripes while most zebra types have either no stripes of vertical stripes so they do have different patterns. Sometimes you can't predict what will be compatible or not. My Mainganos HATE my albino Ps socolofis. Why? I have no idea they look nothing alike but the aggression between these species is severe in my tank. Inother tanks I'm certain it's fine. What you want to do is stock fish that look nothing alike. Different colors and different patterns, fewer species in larger groups nearly always works out better in the long run. I say pick 3-4 species and stick to those for your tank.

 

[emptyhead]

I can sense your frustration. You really need one or two appropriate size groups if you want a good experience with mbuna. You have these single aggressive fish and no where to go with them.

Is there a local fish club in your area? Any LFS besides PetSmart?

Don't buy any more fish for this tank until you figure this out. You may just be throwing away your money and increasing your frustration.