# How many demasoni in a 55 gallon



## Markoi (May 8, 2010)

Hi Cichlid forum! Its nice to talk to you all again.  I was wondering how many demasoni could i add in a 55 gallon. Currently i have 17 fish in the tank.
Yellow lab x4
Yellow tail acei x4
Cobue afra x4
Cobalt zebra x4
Ps. Demasoni x1
My new love is my demasoni male(Paco) I love the color he shows off. I was wondering if i'm able to add demasonis to my tank. Do i have to get rid of some species to make room?
How many should i add to the tank 12-15 fish/

My last question is do i have to buy males and females or could i buy a bunch of them, cuz i heard that it doesnt matter. If you could help me it would be appreciated thanks


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## nauTik (Mar 18, 2009)

You don't need to worry about M/F ratio much with dems. However, you should buy more than just 15 of them, at least to start off. I'd personally go with 20 as a minimum number. For me personally I stocked with 21 of them in a 55 and haven't had a single problem as far as aggression. Others that have started with 15 or 12 seem to have more issues with finding that magic number.

As far as the rest of your stock list you may need to remove a few species if you truly want to keep a dem colony. The labs and acei would be fine though.

If you're having success with just 1 dem and the rest of your stocklist I'm curious why interested in removing some of what you have to add so many more fish. Also how big are the mbuna you currently have stocked?


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

If you really want to go with a colony of Demasoni, I suggest you keep the yellow labs (and buy 2 more labs), but trade in everything else. That's because you're gonna want to stock about 18-20 juveniles - with the hopes that you'll end up with a stable colony of about 12-15 Demasoni.

As such, you'll wind up with 12-15 Dems and 6 Yellow labs = 18-21 fish in your 55 gallon tank - any more and I think it would be too crowded. Furthermore, the afra cobue more than likely would not color up in a tank full of Dems.

Good luck!


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## Joekahuna (Oct 9, 2007)

I have 12 demasoni in my 55, I started with the same 12 originally, like a month ago, and they are doing fine. During a week I had 2 fish hiding behind the filter, I rearranged the rockwork and everything settled out. I always have females holding. All I have is those 12 fish though.


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## Markoi (May 8, 2010)

Thank you all for your wonderful answers. Nautik i wanted to add more dems cuz i LOVE their coloration on the males and females. It sounds selfish to the other fish but i want a dem colony with yellow labs. For sure ill make sure my other fish will be take good care of at my lfs(big als). ALso i really want to see and observe demasoni breeding.

I have another quick question. When i do take my other fish out except for the yellow labs and dem, how many dems do i buy? Like do i buy them in separate trips? Like 6-7 dems one day then another 6-7 the next two weeks? If some one could help it would be appreciated.  
P.S all my fish ar around 1-2inch


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## 748johnd (Jun 30, 2007)

I would just go with labs and demasoni. If you added demasoni to your present stock you are going to have a very crowded 55. Be aware the acei grow to over 6 inches. My preference is for lightly stocked tanks, but that is just me.


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

If possible, I would catch all of the fish you are returning, bring them to the fish store, and then purchase all of the demasoni and 2 more yellow labs to bring back to your tank that same day.

Perhaps accompany the change in fish with a change in rockwork (you'll have to take out the rocks anyway) and a day or two of (tank) lights off to ease them in.


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## nauTik (Mar 18, 2009)

Markoi said:


> Thank you all for your wonderful answers. Nautik i wanted to add more dems cuz i LOVE their coloration on the males and females. It sounds selfish to the other fish but i want a dem colony with yellow labs. For sure ill make sure my other fish will be take good care of at my lfs(big als). ALso i really want to see and observe demasoni breeding.
> 
> I have another quick question. When i do take my other fish out except for the yellow labs and dem, how many dems do i buy? Like do i buy them in separate trips? Like 6-7 dems one day then another 6-7 the next two weeks? If some one could help it would be appreciated.
> P.S all my fish ar around 1-2inch


Sounds good, keep the labs + 2 more and when you add Demasoni add all of the dems you intend on buying at the same time, not in small groups. I would also personally change around the rock work a bit when you add them just to help with initial aggression like Kanorin suggested.

It would be best to do this all on the same day if possible, due to your bio filtration.


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## Markoi (May 8, 2010)

I see, thanks alot everyone for the great answers you gave me. It really helped my in this new transaction. Eventually when everything has settled in ill post some pics up, Later all 8)


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## shaguars7 (Apr 12, 2009)

well i will say first off i have never seen a quality or even close to a quality yellow lab at big als..hate to say it... Do yourslef a favour and ask for larry to help you if you go to the big als in missisauga..he is a cichlid guy and is very knowledgable about his fish there. He has been to africa many times and is friends with Ad konings, so i would wait to get fish when he is in there personally. Good luck..


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## Markoi (May 8, 2010)

Shaguars, its nice to see another fellow ontarion  But your right the yellow labs there are not up to par and i dont know if *** seen any ps. demasoni there. If there is there prob not that healthy. Have you ever heard of Finatics aquaruim in Markham(south of 401 on Kennedy). I heard that the manager Mike has large assortments of cichlids, all in good quality. *** been to the store once and it was very clean. So prob ill ask him about the labs and demasoni. Thx


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## shaguars7 (Apr 12, 2009)

yes Markoi i have been there and bought some fish from him.. i wont lie though it was wheni was new to cichlids and thought his store was the be all and end all. I actually bought some labs from him...and the quality was pretty bad... he does have some good quality fish though, for i know some of the breeders for him and they are good. I have not seen demasoni there though so it might be best to call him before you make the trip to mississauga. I wish it was 2 months from now you were looking for labs.. i have about 50 of some super nice ones growing out...not ones i bred from mikes mind you...ones i had to search all over for and have multiple blood lines in it...anyways sorry for that rant...just make sure you are getting quality thats all i am saying.. i have seen some labs there with serious barring and ones that are almost white.


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## Markoi (May 8, 2010)

I c 8) Thanks alot for the great advice shag. Your right i dont want to go back to the fish store and return a yellow lab with its dorsal fin torn apart. Ill def call Mike and ask if he has some ps. dem and yellow labs, and ask if their in good condition. Thanks alot man later


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## SoDakJeep (Mar 21, 2009)

any update on how the colony worked out??


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## 5150 (Sep 6, 2011)

I'm setting up a 55 gallon now and have 6 Yellow labs and 6 Ps Demasoni and they all get along fine.. I will be adding more Ps. Demasoni soon. I want my fish to breed but nothing yet.. I's so hard to tell male from female with both fish. I anyone can tell me a good way to tell the difference I would appreciate it.


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