Demasoni?

[Fishguy1997]

I was wondering if demasoni cichlids are good for my tank? I have 1 peacock 2 aceis 4 electric yellow cichlids 1 pictus catfish and 10 giant danios.

 

[Bryanm70]

If your tank is 10,00 gallons it will work. If your tank is 10 gallons it won't. What size is your tank, sir?

 

[Fishguy1997]

55 gallons

 

[froggygirl37]

Personally i dont have one yet,but ive been seriously looking into getting one and from what ive researched he should be ok with those fish

I also have a 55 gallon so ive been researching stocking opions

 

[a.tetreault]

dems need to be kept in groups of like 12, they are very hard to keep and i dont think they would be a good match for your tank.

 

[kay-bee19]

Single demasoni's in mbuna set-up's work.

It's when you have more than one demasoni that they need to be kept in larger colonies (12-15 strong) due to their highly-conspecific aggressive nature.

Caution must be taken when keeping them with similarly colored vertically-striped mbuna's that are less aggressive then them, though (male saulosi's, yellow-top mbamba's, etc). Vertically-striped zebra's (metriaclima genus) are usually capable of dominating demasoni's, though.

So either one demasoni or 12+.

Not sure of mbuna compatibility with pictus cats and giant danios, though.

 

[Fishguy1997]

Thanks..... Im going to LFS Tonmorow planning on getting Johannis and I'll look for demasonis are they common?

 

[a.tetreault]

In my experience when you keep demasoni alone they arent as active as they would be in groups

 

[kay-bee19]

'Mileage will vary', I guess.

I have a single male demasoni in my 125gal (stocked with bunch of other mbuna's) for years and he's as active as the ~25 demasoni's in my 75gal demasoni colony tank. He just doesn't spend all of his time perptually chasing or dodging like his brethren in the 75g; his activity is on par with all the other mbuna's in the 125g.

 

[Fishguy1997]

Do you think you can post a picture of your demasonis tank

 

[kay-bee19]

The tank is mostly demasoni's. I've got a few other species in there (a male BB zebra chilumba (who is the alpha fish in the tank), a male msobo and some socolofi's):

Photo

Video
Predominant Demasoni Tank (evening blue lighting) - YouTube

 

[Fishguy1997]

That's a really nice tank

 

[a.tetreault]

That's a really nice tank

agreed, really nice. i would love to do a lab and dem tank one day.

 

[Fishguy1997]

I know this has nothing to with demasonis but do Johanni cichlids need to be kept in groups of 12 or can I get away with 3

 

[a.tetreault]

You'll want a minimum of four. 1 male to 3 females. Look for a really dark fish and three light ones. Since you can't vent them at the store or really have any way of knowing the sex untill they are more mature you will just have to guess. The darker one will most likely be a male since they are the more dominant fish and the lighter ones will hopefully be females.

 

[Fishguy1997]

Ok thanks what If I do all males

 

[garfy]

I would think that the males would fight over territories and as they are pretty aggressive cichlids this could have serious consequences.

 

[Lengelund]

I have one demansoni and one johanni in my cichlid tank. Working out just fine.

 

[a.tetreault]

I have one demansoni and one johanni in my cichlid tank. Working out just fine.

This is just my opinion, but I really believe that the best way to keep mbuna cichlids is in groups. It really shows there natural personality better

 

[nicosia31]

Groups of how many would you say?