# Another 55 Gallon Stocking list.



## knadams (Mar 1, 2015)

Current filtration plan remains with a rena filstar xl, may get another can or HOTB

looking to add these fish with a lean towards overstocking

Labidochromis caeruleus
Pseudotropheus flavus
Pseudotropheus demasoni
Iodotropheus Sprengerae (Rusty)

need help with the male to female ratios
i think the two pseudo's will look great contrasting each other
the white labs and iodos will add some more color


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## Burner460 (Jul 24, 2014)

Flavus females are nothing to write home about colour-wise. Also the males tend to be shy in the presence of more dominant fish (Demasoni). Also, you'll need at least 12-18 Demasoni alone, with 1 male being dominant. It sounds great in practice, but I wouldn't try another barred fish with Dems in anything less than a 75G.


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## knadams (Mar 1, 2015)

So what ratio would i keep demasoni at?


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## Burner460 (Jul 24, 2014)

1M:11F


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## james1983 (Dec 23, 2007)

I would stick to 3 species, 1 male each.


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## knadams (Mar 1, 2015)

Okay Demasoni 1:11
maybe Metriaclima greshakei (Ice Blue) 1:?
with Red Top Hongi? 1:?


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## james1983 (Dec 23, 2007)

3-4 females


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## Burner460 (Jul 24, 2014)

I'd go with 1 more with horizontal bars. Parallelus comes to mind. Or Johanni if you want some orange in there. 55g isn't enough for 3 species IMO if Demasoni has to be one of them. The most popular and tried and tested set up is demasoni with yellow labs.

Here's what I'd do:
12 demasoni 1:11
8 Parallelus 1:7

Or

12 demasoni 1:11
9 Johanni 1:8

Keep in mind that with demasoni you'll also want to start with at least 18 or 20 until you get the right ratio of male to females as you'll be constantly taking out males or beat up fish, so getting to that 1:11 number can be a long process (but also half the fun). Same can go for the others but Demasoni are notoriously frustrating to sort out.


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## knadams (Mar 1, 2015)

i like demasoni but not so much as to limit all my other choices. Would you guys help me build off the Red Top Hongi and Ice Blues?


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## knadams (Mar 1, 2015)

Looking into doing the following

Red Top Hong, Labidochromis sp. "Hongi" 1:4?
Ice Blue, Metriaclima greshakei 1:4?
Parallelus, Melanochromis paralellus 1:4?
Albino Red Face Macropthalmus, Tropheops sp. "Red Cheek" 1:4?

On top of the 55 Gallon i plan on using for these boys i have a 29G i can use as a rehomer/Grow out/hospital tank


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## Burner460 (Jul 24, 2014)

That looks good, but I would keep it at 3 species, as all of those choices grow to 5-6" each (except for the Tropheops). Lots of filtration is also important here.


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## knadams (Mar 1, 2015)

ill cut out the ice blue then. Filtration will be met with probably either and rena xp-xl and sun sun 304B or a AQ110 instead of the sun sun.
Can i get an idea on Male to Female ratios? still about 1:4?


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## Burner460 (Jul 24, 2014)

I would say 1:5 or even 1:6 for the Parallelus. The male will be your dominant fish.


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## knadams (Mar 1, 2015)

might go with auratus instead of parallelus just for the different male female coloration and stick with same ratio mentioned. Thanks to everyone who chimmed in i will add a video in a few months when everything has been figured out!


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## james1983 (Dec 23, 2007)

Auratus are much too aggressive for a 55 gallon tank.


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## knadams (Mar 1, 2015)

yet the parallelus would be okay?


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Parrelelus(Loriae) are sexually dimorphic, so the females differ from the females.

I would skip Tropheops in a 55. The 'Red Cheek' have a terrible rep. I've never kept them; only the 'Chilumba' which are very aggressive. I have them in a 125 and wouldn't do anything smaller than that.


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## knadams (Mar 1, 2015)

Alright may ditch the red cheek. How would 
Red Top Hongi
Ice Blues
Metriaclima sp. "elongatus chewere" or Pseudotropheus sp. Elongatus "Mpanga"


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## Burner460 (Jul 24, 2014)

To answer your question, yes, Parallelus are much less aggressive than auratus. My 5" male Parallelus is behind the Saulosi, Red Zebra, and Cyaneorhabdos (Maingano) in the pecking order.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Too many Metriaclimas. I'd avoid 2 blue barred species (hongi and elongates) in one tank.


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## knadams (Mar 1, 2015)

Alright getting closer thanks for all the help guys..
little different but i like the colors

Ice Blues, Metriaclima greshakei 1:4
Demasoni, Pseudotropheus demasoni 1:11
Yellow Labs, Labidochromis caeruleus 1:4


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

With demasoni you only want 2 species. And you need extra tanks, rehoming plan, and the willingness to tear down your tank frequently to net extra males.


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## knadams (Mar 1, 2015)

Red Top Lundo	
yellow labs/lions cove	
greshakei- ice blues

any thoughts? fishes cycle going well just waiting to build enough BB to add all these fish at once


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Metriaclima fainzilberi (Lundo Is.)? It does have a red top.

Highly aggressive and large...I would not do them in a 55G or mix them with other Metriaclima like greshakei.


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## kyboy (Oct 30, 2009)

Maybe ?
yellow labs/lions cove 
Ps. Cyaneorhadbos(maingano)
Cynotilapia sp. "hara" 
I had this combo 1m/4F each in a 55 for 18 months+ & it worked, all were spawning regularly.

or sub the hara with Metriaclima callainos(Cobalt Zebra) or Pseudotropheus socolofi ? (I like the cobalts more for some reason)
just some ideas to consider. :fish:


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## knadams (Mar 1, 2015)

i love the looks of the Cyno. Afra's and already have a few nice yellow labs in my grow out. Any recommendations for other tank mates besides maingano?

Lions Cove aka YL
Cynotilapia Afra~Undecided exact strand
???


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

knadams said:


> i love the looks of the Cyno. Afra's and already have a few nice yellow labs in my grow out. Any recommendations for other tank mates besides maingano?
> 
> Lions Cove aka YL
> Cynotilapia Afra~Undecided exact strand
> ???


It really is going to depend on which afra you pick... rusties are a safe bet though.


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## knadams (Mar 1, 2015)

before i put in the order, any red flags here?

Msobo - 6 unsexed, plan to keep only one male
Hara- " " "
Rusties- " " "


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Some like a bigger tank for msobo. I have not kept them...maybe someone who has will chime in.


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## Mudkicker (Apr 2, 2003)

DJRansome said:


> Some like a bigger tank for msobo. I have not kept them...maybe someone who has will chime in.


I had to get rid of my Msobo in my 4' 80 gallon. Once fully grown watch out!


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## knadams (Mar 1, 2015)

Thank you to Burner, James, DJ, Fogelhund, Mudkicker, and Kyboy for all of your advise with stocking and sharing of personal experiences. I landed on the three species i mentioned in my most recent post. Hara's, Msobo, and Rusties. The orders coming in from an online retailer tomorrow morning by 1030. Successfully fishless cycled in about three weeks, followed by the transfer of my Dominant Ice Blue male to the tank to keep the ammonia going and just to have something to look at in the new 55G. No lighting as of yet, so no pictures .

One more question before i let this thread die off, i have a well established 29G to me, should i break up the 18 juv. based on current sizes?

The male ice blue who thinks the 55G is going to be all his is maybe 4 inches. The order fishes sizes are as followed.

Rusty- 1.75in
Msobo- 1.25in
Afra- ".75+"?

thinking the ice blue should go back to the 29G and ill let these 18 juv. grow up together?


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