Help me set up a 55g Cichlids?

[CoryWM]

I was wanting to do yellow lab/Demasoni tank..

How many of each would you run? I hear atleast 12 Demasoni. But as a ratio, 3/4 Demasoni, 1/4 Yellow lab.

And for my next question, to those of you who have this setup, or these fish. What plants have you found that they don't tear up. I know the list is small.

What should I add in, as the cleanup crew?

Thanks
Cory

 

[Bobleflaad]

As a general rule, I would say that your tank are too small for Mbuna, but since you are asking I would suggest that you choose one of the two and have a 2 / 6 ratio, you have to provide plenty of cover and hiding places so that the "hunted" fish can get some quite time once in a while.

Demansoni are typically much more agressive than the labs and will try to take territory, so 3 males are too much.

If you decide to try with both races, you must get them from young fish and let them grow up together, you could also benefit from getting the labs first and have a bit more size on them then the demansoni when you add them.

For cleanup you can use anticrus or any of the african rift types, be careful with the more gentle asian and african since they will die from stress in an Mbuna tank, where there is pretty much 24/7 action.

 

[kay-bee]

A 55gal would be just fine for demasoni and yellow labs. With multiple demasoni's in the tank the yellow labs will pretty much be completely ignored by the demasoni's, especially if the labs are added to first.

You definately want at least a dozen demasoni, though, probably even more (~20). 12 is typically cited as the group minimum, but if you happen to lose a couple (things happen) then your numbers just dipped below the minimum and the potential for additional eliminations just increased.

In a 55gal with lots of rocks, 15-20 demasoni (gender ratio unimportant with this group) and perhaps 4-6 yellow labs (with only 1-2 males max).

You can add synodontis catfish (preferably as the tank's first occupant).