# 55 Gallon tank. You stock it.



## Newbreed (Feb 23, 2009)

55 gallon tank.

7.8 -8.2 Ph

80G Filtration.

Air stone. Lace rock, Amazon swords. Driftwood.

( Not set in stone )
2 BN pleco's 
5 Buenos ares tetra's.

You stock it. Best stock wins.

Stock hints. Exotic, Larger, Group.


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

80g filtration is very vague

i'd get rid of the air stone and the tetras, they don't belong with africans, they'd get torn up, and i would not go larger than 6-7 inches

5 rusties
5 yellow labs
1m/4f cynotilapia sp. hara


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## Newbreed (Feb 23, 2009)

i have a whisper 45-75 or something and a 20-40 over hang's on the tank.

Why remove the air stone? Tetra's gone? Fine


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## billswin (Nov 22, 2009)

I would say:

5 Yellow Labs and 5 Demasoni

The Demasoni are very bright blue and fun to watch, they swim different than my other cichlids. They go really well with the Yellow Labs, I get the most compliments on them in my tank.


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## Newbreed (Feb 23, 2009)

I like the demonsai, And i think that will be one of the additions to my tank. Not a big fan of the yellow lab's. Rusties would be cool but i dont think i can get them here. Would a trio. of Frontosa's work with the demonsai?


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## billswin (Nov 22, 2009)

I don't know much about the Frontosa cichlids, but I do believe they get big over 8"+

I think there also from a different lake than the Demasoni, some try to keep the same fish together from lakes and the water parameters could be different. If your not a fan of the yellow lab just look for something that will compliment the blue of the Demasoni?


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## Newbreed (Feb 23, 2009)

I totally didn't think about them being from different lakes. The yellow labs are very common and breed really fast. I don't want them to take over, you know.


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## Newbreed (Feb 23, 2009)

So far i would like to do 4 of the Pseudotropheus demasoni (Mozambique) and 4 Cynotilapia sp. "hara" I would also like a larger centerpiece fish like 2 or 3 of Pseudotropheus sp. "Acei" (Ngara) Does this sound like it will work?


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Newbreed said:


> So far i would like to do 4 of the Pseudotropheus demasoni (Mozambique) and 4 Cynotilapia sp. "hara" I would also like a larger centerpiece fish like 2 or 3 of Pseudotropheus sp. "Acei" (Ngara) Does this sound like it will work?


Ps. demasoni usually need to be kept in larger groups to disperse the aggression. 12-15 is typical of starting numbers to increase the probability of it working. Even then, there are cases where it doesn't work.

Ps. demasoni and Cyn. hara often don't get along.

Ps. acei would be fine.

Other possibilities could include Ps. daktari, Cynotilapa afra cobue, , Labidochromis perlmutt...


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## Newbreed (Feb 23, 2009)

So if i were to do demasoni i would be only able to do them.. as i need 15 of them at least..


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

no, because they stay really small, so it's like doing 5-6 normal size fish from a bioload and space standpoint, you could still do at least one other species, maybe two


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## Newbreed (Feb 23, 2009)

Oh, Well then that's very cool What about the larger demasoni


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## Newbreed (Feb 23, 2009)

I still welcome any new idea's.. Maybe a peacock community


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## electyellowdude (Feb 18, 2010)

I would do:
10 saulosi 3m/7f
afra cobue 1m/4-5f
polit 1m/3-5f
:thumb: :fish: :thumb: 
2nd list:
4 yellow labs 1m/3f
5 cyno hara 1m/4f
12 demasoni 3m/9f
I know several people that have success with this combo. just need right conditions and take the meanest fish out. what i would do is buy more than 12 dems (juvies) like 15. remove the mean ones. oh yeah and lots of rock work!


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

12 Tropheus Duboisi
6 Julidocromis Ornatus

I would add an Ikola Colony but 55g is not enough to keep all of them :>


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## PepoLD (Dec 9, 2009)

Newbreed said:


> I like the demonsai, And i think that will be one of the additions to my tank. Not a big fan of the yellow lab's. Rusties would be cool but i dont think i can get them here. Would a trio. of Frontosa's work with the demonsai?


No, the Frontosa would get really stressed out with the Demasoni, plus 55g isnt enough for 3 Frontosas  you need to keep them in a 125g at least


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## bearded lab (Apr 28, 2010)

What about a group of yellow labs and various smaller male peacocks/haps? That might be a low-aggression option. I'm not saying this will work, just a suggestion. You might get hybridization from the peacocks/haps since they have no females.


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## bearded lab (Apr 28, 2010)

Woops, sorry, just saw you're not a big fan of yellow labs.


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## edder (May 18, 2010)

Demasoni still a great choice...

The Demasoni are bright blue and fun to watch, it can entertain you a lot when you watch them.


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## Newbreed (Feb 23, 2009)

I have decided to do the demasoni with some electric blue acei's and going for a blue tank!


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## bearded lab (Apr 28, 2010)

I think it will look great!


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## Newbreed (Feb 23, 2009)

I might just throw a few labs in there as well for contrast and remove any females i find.. how does this sound..

13 Demasoni's 
6 Acei
5 male lab?


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## BuckNastymma (May 23, 2010)

electricyellow

im having a hard time finding polit without going broke ordering them. what is another good substitute for them? i'd like to work one more species in if possible. thanks


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## electyellowdude (Feb 18, 2010)

you can do albino socolofi. they also have that bright white kind of color to them. plus both male and female are bright, unlike polit.


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## Reginald_Swift (Jul 3, 2010)

4 Pseudotropheus demasoni
3 melanochromis parallelus 2f/1m
3 yoyo loaches
3 OB Labeotropheus fuelleborni
3 pseudotropheus lombardoi 2f/1m

or

4 melanochromis auratus 3f/1m
2 clown loaches
4 melanochromis johannii 3f/1m
3 pseudotropheus estherae 2f/1m
3 labeotropheus trewavasae 2f/1m


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Reginald_Swift said:


> 4 Pseudotropheus demasoni
> 3 melanochromis parallelus 2f/1m
> 3 yoyo loaches
> 3 OB Labeotropheus fuelleborni
> ...


3 species is usually recommended in a 55 with 1m/3-4f...with the exception of Demasoni..they need a a large group 12+....

It's best not to put two of the same genus..IE the Melanochromis in the same tank because of cross breeding.

Fish I would never consider in a 55...include Parallelus, Johanni, Trewavasae, Auratus, Lombardio, except perhaps as a single species tank. They are either too aggressive, or get too large.

Just my .02


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Newbreed said:


> I might just throw a few labs in there as well for contrast and remove any females i find.. how does this sound..
> 
> 13 Demasoni's
> 6 Acei
> 5 male lab?


Acei get large Imo for a 55 gallon.

How about:
1m, 4f Saulosi (Blue/Black Males, Yellow Females)
1m 4 female Cyno Hara (lt blue males, Blue females)
1m 4F Estherae or Rusties( orange or rusty colored)


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## Reginald_Swift (Jul 3, 2010)

Floridagirl said:


> Reginald_Swift said:
> 
> 
> > 4 Pseudotropheus demasoni
> ...


I have 3 55 gallon 48x12x21 tanks. All tanks have various malawi's. The first list of fish that I recommended I currently keep in one of those tanks. The tank has been matured for about 3 years now. No problems. Not even once with those fish. No deaths or over aggression. Remember the more you overstock the more timid the cichlids become. Of course you should have the proper amount of biological filtration available for that fish load. Cross breading happens way to often in this hobby for it to be even a concern anymore. Do you think that there is even half of the known malawians in this hobby living in the wild? On another note; none of the fish that I listed with the exception of the loaches get bigger than 6.5", which in my book is not large. Not even close to tank buster size.

Just my .02


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I'm with Floridagirl, after reading so many stories about problems with aggressive fish like lombardoi, auratus and johannii, why not improve odds for success with a bigger tank? I've avoided those species myself based on the experiences of others. Nice to read a success story though, Reginald_Swift. :thumb:

Regarding overcrowding and aggression, I have never had luck with trios and have found that three species with more females for each male works better at managing aggression. Same number of fish.


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Reginald,

I'm glad your stock list is working for you...I often said that it's unfortunate that the fish don't read their profiles to know how they should act.  I've had many of those fish, and not been pleased with the results, long term, so I try to offer suggestions more apt to suceed. There are some guidelines that help when stocking a tank, but there are always exceptions to every rule...


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