# Single demasoni?



## lilcountrygal (Dec 27, 2011)

I'm kicking around the stock list for my 125 and I always find myself coming back to the demasoni. I absolutely love the color/look of them. But, I really truly dont want the hassle of the massacre a group of them bring.

I know for my 125 stock will be: blueberry zebras, c. moorii, Williamsi north. Those are all 3 definites. The rest of my stock list will depend on timing and whats available. A single (?) Marmalade is a possibility too (heard they were very aggressive during spawning, mostly to each other).

I hate throwing in a bunch of "singles", but I truly want the coloration of a demasoni. Would it be possible to add just one? Or is there another more peaceful fish that looks like a demasoni that I wouldnt need to tear apart hundreds of pounds of rockwork to get sick/dead/bullys out of the tank on a dailiy basis?


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## JAyliffe (Feb 29, 2012)

There's a 'Giant' Demasoni, Metriaclima sp. Dolphin (Ndonga) http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/s ... hp?id=2605 Looks a bit like a Demasoni, listed as mildly aggressive. Someone had a thread here last week checking them out when his LFS was selling them


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

As long as you don't save fry and you have enough females of other species to accomodate the singles, they are fine.


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## Super Turtleman (May 21, 2007)

I think a lone dem should be fine. Or you could add a male Saulosi (or even better, a group). Not the same style of blue and black but still blue and black with yellow females.


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## lilcountrygal (Dec 27, 2011)

Thanks for the suggestion Turtleman, but I'm not interested in the saulosi tho.



DJRansome said:


> As long as you don't save fry and you have enough females of other species to accomodate the singles, they are fine.


Thats the thing.. I dont "save" fry, but I dont want to worry about what I'm going to do with them either. I refuse to cull just because of hybridization, but I also wont give fry away or return to LFS if I'm not 100% sure of the lineage. Any other fish that look similar to demasoni that wont massacre each other in my 125?


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Just get a group of Demasoni








But seriously, if you don't want them, I'd get a group of Pseudotropheus cyaneorhabdos (maingano) instead.


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## lilcountrygal (Dec 27, 2011)

Yeah, I took the leap. Went out today in search of female Callanois and saw a little demasoni swimming in the adjacent tank. Devil on my shoulder made me get him. If he doesnt work out, I'll take him back or figure something out. Right now, he's a tiny little guy... Im more worried about the bigger fish eating him 

I hate that devil that rides on my shoulder in fish stores picking out fish that I had no intention of buying when I walked in. 8)


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## cantrell00 (Oct 30, 2010)

I have single male in my 180 and he does fine with tank mates that are significantly bigger than he is. They don't take anything off of anyone... That is for certain..


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## lilcountrygal (Dec 27, 2011)

I think he'll be good. He's been out swimming for an hour now and no one seems to bother him even tho they are three times his size. He's gorgeous.... one of my tank favorites, for now. (until he goes Freddy Kruger on his neighbors)


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## k7gixxerguy (Jan 12, 2012)

lilcountrygal said:


> I think he'll be good. He's been out swimming for an hour now and no one seems to bother him even tho they are three times his size. He's gorgeous.... one of my tank favorites, for now. (until he goes Freddy Kruger on his neighbors)


Glad you decided to try him out. Ironically, it was probably in my tank two months ago. There were only a couple real small ones at the shop when I traded them back in.


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## lilcountrygal (Dec 27, 2011)

I think there were only two or so swimming in the tank when I got them. I tried to get the one with the most blue. Talking with the guy, he says the fish he hates netting the most are cichlids because of how fast they are. I truly felt sorry for him trying to catch this little guy lol.

Not sure if they gave you store credit for him, but I paid $9.99 for him. He's a cutie tho. I thought once I dropped him in the tank, he'd be lost for weeks for fear of the bigger fish. He swims around that tank like he owns it. I love his personality!


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## k7gixxerguy (Jan 12, 2012)

lilcountrygal said:


> I think there were only two or so swimming in the tank when I got them. I tried to get the one with the most blue. Talking with the guy, he says the fish he hates netting the most are cichlids because of how fast they are. I truly felt sorry for him trying to catch this little guy lol.
> 
> Not sure if they gave you store credit for him, but I paid $9.99 for him. He's a cutie tho. I thought once I dropped him in the tank, he'd be lost for weeks for fear of the bigger fish. He swims around that tank like he owns it. I love his personality!


They gave me 60% store credit plus used my ten percent off initial purchase again when I bought the fryeri and the syno. Lucipinnus. It worked out very well in those regards as I traded in six demasoni.


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## lilcountrygal (Dec 27, 2011)

Whats the 10% off initial purchase?

Methinks I may have missed a coupon. I spent $120 there...

When did you trade the demasoni in? I think there were only two left (I bought one)


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## k7gixxerguy (Jan 12, 2012)

lilcountrygal said:


> I think there were only two or so swimming in the tank when I got them. I tried to get the one with the most blue. Talking with the guy, he says the fish he hates netting the most are cichlids because of how fast they are. I truly felt sorry for him trying to catch this little guy lol.
> 
> Not sure if they gave you store credit for him, but I paid $9.99 for him. He's a cutie tho. I thought once I dropped him in the tank, he'd be lost for weeks for fear of the bigger fish. He swims around that tank like he owns it. I love his personality!


They gave me 60% store credit plus used my ten percent off initial purchase again when I bought the fryeri and the syno. Lucipinnus. It worked out very well in those regards as I traded in six demasoni.


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## k7gixxerguy (Jan 12, 2012)

lilcountrygal said:


> Whats the 10% off initial purchase?
> 
> Methinks I may have missed a coupon. I spent $120 there...
> 
> When did you trade the demasoni in? I think there were only two left (I bought one)


You have to sign up for their frequent buyer program and with that you get the ten percent discount. I traded the demasoni in a month ago Friday.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

lilcountrygal said:


> I also wont give fry away or return to LFS if I'm not 100% sure of the lineage.


How can you be 100% sure?


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## lilcountrygal (Dec 27, 2011)

DJRansome said:


> lilcountrygal said:
> 
> 
> > I also wont give fry away or return to LFS if I'm not 100% sure of the lineage.
> ...


maybe lineage was the wrong term to use. I wont distribute the fry unless I know who their direct parents are. Im pretty comfortable with where I buy my fish and who from, I dont tend to buy from "Assorted tanks" and I dont buy at Petco type places. Not to say they dont get the occasional pure bred, nice fish.... I just dont trust my skills to be able to spot an unpure one.

I have a tendency to become attached to my fish and I plan on having my fish will spit in the tank. What does survive will probably stay with me


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I was thinking about the demasoni. If it is a female, you can remove her whenever she holds so she spits in another tank thus you can ID the fry. If it is a male it could father fry of any other female in the tank and you would have no way of knowing whether the fry were half demasoni or pure species. Hybrids can look exactly like either parent.


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## lilcountrygal (Dec 27, 2011)

Ahhh, I get it now.

I'm pretty sure demasoni are monomorphic, so am I correct in assuming the only true way is to vent?


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

I think what DJ is getting at is that it's possible for a single demasoni male to breed with another species. If the female's fry look like the female, you wouldn't know that they're hybrid and may assume that they're pure, especially if there's a male the same species as the female in the tank.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Exactly. IMO you can't know if any fry are pure with stray singles in the tank.


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## lilcountrygal (Dec 27, 2011)

I get it now. I'll just have to be extremely selective on who goes in what tank. I'll make sure to put all fish with equal ratio into one tank and my singles and "misfits" into another. Sounds weird, but I become attached to my fish (most of them anyway... I still cant stomach my daughter's shark lol) and couldnt part with any of them. Thanks for keeping me straight, guys :thumb:


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## eeztropheus (Jan 10, 2010)

Never had a problem with a single demasoni in a mixed tank.


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## car0linab0y (Aug 10, 2009)

cantrell00 said:


> I have single male in my 180 and he does fine with tank mates that are significantly bigger than he is. They don't take anything off of anyone... That is for certain..


I used to think the same, but they tend to be submissive around bumblebees of around the same size, and the mean-spiritted albino socolofi I had.


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## treym563 (Apr 23, 2011)

Sorry to hijack your thread but I have a question along the same lines. I have acei/labs/rusty's in my tank could I add a single demasoni? I don't want all my other fish to suffer (males not show colors/get bullied) by the demasoni, but if that isn't likely to happen I really want one!

edit: My goal is to have 1m/4-5fm of my 3 species in my tank (plus possibly the single dem)


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## car0linab0y (Aug 10, 2009)

treym563 said:


> Sorry to hijack your thread but I have a question along the same lines. I have acei/labs/rusty's in my tank could I add a single demasoni? I don't want all my other fish to suffer (males not show colors/get bullied) by the demasoni, but if that isn't likely to happen I really want one!
> 
> edit: My goal is to have 1m/4-5fm of my 3 species in my tank (plus possibly the single dem)


Depends on the Dem. I have an adult male that really doesn't bother any other species, then there's a smaller one who wants to be the tank boss. If you were closer i'd sell you the larger one.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I don't think a single demasoni will bully other tank mates. But I do think he will spawn with the other females in the tank if he can.


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## Guest (May 3, 2012)

DJRansome said:


> I don't think a single demasoni will bully other tank mates. But I do think he will spawn with the other females in the tank if he can.


So what you're saying is a single Demasoni is a horndog lol

I've always wanted a single Demasoni, but also reluctant cause stories I read people on here talk about and incase he might terrorize the tank.

Anyone think if I had a single male Demasoni in a tank with my Hongi and Mainganos would be ok?


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## Guest (May 3, 2012)

lilcountrygal said:


> Ahhh, I get it now.
> 
> I'm pretty sure demasoni are monomorphic, so am I correct in assuming the only true way is to vent?


IMHO, it's easy to tell the male and female Demasoni apart just by looking at them... That's just me


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Often females are smaller, but sometimes they surprise you. IME any Malawi in a tank without females of his own will do the same. Survival instinct.


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## JSI (Feb 27, 2007)

phister said:


> lilcountrygal said:
> 
> 
> > Ahhh, I get it now.
> ...


Really? Please elaborate?


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## lilcountrygal (Dec 27, 2011)

phister said:


> lilcountrygal said:
> 
> 
> > Ahhh, I get it now.
> ...


Good. I'll get a picture of my little "guy" and you can tell me what it is lol.

Mine is in with mainly Zebras, Rustys and Labs and causes no problem at all. He is smaller than the rest, but he's pretty calm. He does zero chasing, but he is relatively "new".


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## Guest (May 3, 2012)

JSI said:


> phister said:
> 
> 
> > lilcountrygal said:
> ...


i tend to see that the females don't darken up like the males do and they are a bit duller and smaller. at least those the ones that i have seen to date.

like i said, that's just me


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## lilcountrygal (Dec 27, 2011)

I'll send you a picure phister. Id love to know what I have.

Speaking of pictures... you do realize I havent seen an updated one of the Hongi/Williamsi in, what, a week? You're slipping


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## Guest (May 3, 2012)

lilcountrygal said:


> I'll send you a picure phister. Id love to know what I have.
> 
> Speaking of pictures... you do realize I havent seen an updated one of the Hongi/Williamsi in, what, a week? You're slipping


haha! i'm waiting on you girl! i want to see your tank full of specimens :thumb:


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## karmafish (Feb 26, 2012)

I am new to cichlids and looked up the species williamsi north mentioned above and found fish that were solid or with light barring and there were others with spots. I was wondering what the difference was between these fish with the same name.


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## JSI (Feb 27, 2007)

phister said:


> i tend to see that the females don't darken up like the males do and they are a bit duller and smaller. at least those the ones that i have seen to date.
> 
> like i said, that's just me


I would say that is not going to be very reliable. I have females that get just as dark as dominant males.

The only way I have been able to tell 100% if I have a female is when they are holding.


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## lilcountrygal (Dec 27, 2011)

karmafish said:


> I am new to cichlids and looked up the species williamsi north mentioned above and found fish that were solid or with light barring and there were others with spots. I was wondering what the difference was between these fish with the same name.


not sure what pictures you were looking at, so I can only take a wild guess (I've never owned these fish). In general, I believe cichilds can show light barring when stressed. The spots could have been females. Thats the best I can guess without seeing the exact pictures.


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## DanniGirl (Jan 25, 2007)

lilcountrygal said:


> not sure what pictures you were looking at, so I can only take a wild guess (I've never owned these fish). In general, I believe cichilds can show light barring when stressed. The spots could have been females.


 :thumb:

I believe that the males have the solid colors and the females and juveniles have the spots.


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## Fischfan13 (Jun 12, 2003)

Male and female.
As a matter of fact, this is the Male and Female of the group that I am now growing out.


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## tycoonbob (Feb 19, 2012)

I have a single Demasoni in a 125g with 24 other tank mates. (S)he usually is just off doing his own thing. I have a group of yellow labs, a group of acei's, and several one of's (socolofi, rusty, male salousi, 2 OB peacocks, a dragons blood peacock, 2 Borleyi, 2 yoyo loaches, and a synodontis pluerop)...(s)he never seems to cause trouble, or be in trouble. I have plenty of rockwork for him/her to hide in.

On the flip, (s)he isn't full grown yet (about 2.5" currently), so maybe (s)he will be more aggressive later. I am currently looking for 11-15 more Demasoni to add at once to my tank.


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## lilcountrygal (Dec 27, 2011)

Bill.... at what size do the males begin to lose the spots? I cant WAIT to get mine. :drooling:

As far as the demasoni.... I have no desire to keep a group of them. I like the look of them and am perfectly happy with just the one.


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## Fischfan13 (Jun 12, 2003)

When the males start to color up depends on quite a bit. So far the smallest male that I have seen go solid was at about 1 1/2".
My breeder male, called "Big Daddy", colored up at around 2".
These fish thrive on protein. In the wild they jump out of the water to catch flies.
In the course of a week I might feed my Williamsi breeders about 10-12 times. They always get one day where they do not get fed, usually a day in which I even keep the lights off.
They will also get a few feedings of Frozen Krill, Freezed Dried Plankton, NLS and any quality flakes that I might have.
These fish only look good slender.
I have seen a group of these floating around in the Northeast that are not from my breeders that are absolutely obese. I only allow fry that are under an inch to get a belly, and this is from feedings of Live Cherry Shrimp.


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