Demasoni/Yellow Lab tank for beginner

[mjdodson05]

I'm new to cichlids but not new to keeping fish. I've kept freshwater and brackish tanks for over the past 6 years. I've decided to turn my 55 gal tank into mbuna tank, specifically Demasoni and Yellow Labs... I was totally ready to order my fish this week, as I have already installed extra filtration, I have scaped it with lots of slate type rocks with dozens of caves and hiding places, and my tank is already cycled, as it has had fish in it for the past 5 or 6 years..lol.. I was going to place my order this week for 12 juvenile 1" Demasoni....and 8 juvenile 1.5" yellow labs. I feel I am ready. Some cichlid "experts" (lol) on a different cichlid forum are trying to discourage me from ordering Demasoni since I am a beginner...so I am trying to get advice from other ppl that's kept this particular set up....

 

[SherLar]

I don't consider myself an expert, but have kept cichlids for many years; New World, rift lake, and misc. DEmasoni are one cichlid that I'll never keep again. However, some people have very good luck with them, and Demasoni/yellow lab tanks look very cool. You're doing the right thing by adding a group. Anything less than half a dozen, and intra-species aggression isn't spread out enough. And you WILL have intra-species aggression! Keep a close eye on them daily, watching for missing scales, torn gills, damaged lips, etc. If you find one or two seem to be getting picked on more than others, you'd be safer removing them than trying to keep them. If aggression escalates over time and the fish don't seem to settle, rearrange your decor. You may end up doing this weekly anyway. Also, I would try to have at least 2 caves or crevasses for each fish to minimize territory disputes. Demasoni are one of the most beautiful of the dwarf African cichlids, but may very well be the most vicious, especially to conspecifics. I wish you luck.

 

[mjdodson05]

Thank you for the advice! I think I may go ahead and place my order today! Fingers crossed! Lol!

 

[OsciTheOscar]

Good luck buddy! I used to scape with rocks and such and every week when i changed the water i also switched the rockscape.
When the fish come in, id like to see some pics!!!

 

[mjdodson05]

Of course I will post pics! Unfortunately i won't be able to get them until next week tho! ? I have to get them on a Wednesday bcuz that is my day off work so I will have to wait till next Wednesday. Its ok tho, it gives me more time to make sure I'm ready. I picked up some small terra cotta flower pots and some silicone to make a few extra caves just to make sure I have enough hiding spots! Better safe than sorry! Lol!

 

[OsciTheOscar]

Looking forward to it!

 

[mjdodson05]

Good luck buddy! I used to scape with rocks and such and every week when i changed the water i also switched the rockscape.
When the fish come in, id like to see some pics!!!

Well...here they are!!! They came yesterday! And I couldn't be more pleased with them...they are just juveniles and are already showing so much color!! They are absolutely stunning!! Oh and I also got a couple yellow tail acei...they were a last minute decision..lol...they all seem to be settling in just fine and already are so feisty..lol

 

[OsciTheOscar]

I love it! Congrats!

Who did you purchase from?how was the experience?

 

[mjdodson05]

Thank you!!! I bought them from Live Fish Direct and everything went really smooth...Josh is the man that runs it and he stayed in touch with me, answering any questions or concerns I had. He shipped them over night via fed ex and I was amazed at how they were packaged...all of my acei and labs were individually bagged in these little pouches, half water, half air and were sealed...my 13 demasoni were in 1 larger pouch and they all looked great! I had only ordered fish online 1 other time from a different company, and that time the fish looked as if I had shipped them myself...lol.. Overall I'm very satisfied at the quality of the fish and how professional they are at Live Fish Direct! They know what they are doing for sure!!

 

[mjdodson05]

Just got this bamboo plant today...it helps hide the filter intake and hoses and also gives extra cover and hiding spots from the bullying males...lol

 

[SherLar]

The tank looks good. I hope you have better luck with your Demasoni than I did. Just be watchful as they mature for a fish that seems overly aggressive, or one that seems to get picked on more than others. Extreme fish may need to be relocated.

 

[mjdodson05]

The tank looks good. I hope you have better luck with your Demasoni than I did. Just be watchful as they mature for a fish that seems overly aggressive, or one that seems to get picked on more than others. Extreme fish may need to be relocated.

Yeah, I hope I do too!! Lol!! I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I'm a little concerned at how feisty a few of them already are to each other...(I'm assuming these are the males) they aren't hurting each other but they seem to be challenging each other for the top position in the tank..lol..I just assumed they wouldn't start this until they were bigger. But it very well could have been the 24-hour long trip the 13 of them took in a confined space together a few days ago I will definitely keep u updated as to how this all works out for me....it's all trial and error for me, just learning as I go. I already know that I need more rocks....it's okay for now but won't be as they grow bigger....keep ur fingers crossed for me..ugh ??

 

[OsciTheOscar]

Rocks are good but plants help as well... i know their natural habitat is mostly all rock and sand but plants ive noticed helped greatly as well. They create tighter knit holes and areas to hide. Your rocks are set up nicely but you may want to think of creating higher/unorganized stacks. Caves and plants all over instead of that sexy stack on the middle haha...

Ive been through that rock stacking thing and ive founf best what i just described

 

[mjdodson05]

Yeah I just got that tall bamboo plant today it is helping already I believe and I am getting more rocks tomorrow and was already thinkn bout how I could do it different...idk yet, was maybe thinking bout building it up at least half way up the tank but just in one corner...those rocks are big and unevenly shaped and most aren't completely flat so it's difficult to stack them...I do know I wanna keep my big plant on the other end to cover my intake...and I could still do rocks everywhere but I want it built up at least somewhere in the tank
.lol

 

[SherLar]

Nothing wrong with a few plants in cichlid tanks. All of my tanks have artificial (live plants get destroyed or eaten usually) plants in them, not only for aesthetics, but also to create line of sight breaks. Often, during a chase, if the chasing fish loses sight of its target, it will lose interest in the chase.

 

[mjdodson05]

Okay I went ahead and moved everything around so you will have to excuse the cloudiness..lol...but what do you guys think of this...??

 

[mjdodson05]

Less than a week and already have established an alpha male

 

[OsciTheOscar]

Makes me wish i had a steady income so i can deck out my tank hahaha... i only have 5 at the moment... my old tank had 5 generations in it

 

[mjdodson05]

I know! This hobby is so expensive..
Ugh

 

[OsciTheOscar]

My old tank with the generations!
Rustys
Red zebra
Socolofi
Yellow labs
Kenyii
Oh and my cat with a timely lickin' haha