# Blue tankmates for Yellow Labs and Red Zebras?



## suds1421 (Jan 4, 2011)

Hey Everyone,

Been researching setting up a 75 gallon in wall Mbuna tank.

My daughter and wife love Yellow Labs and Red Zebras, I really want a blue fish like a Maingano or Demasoni, I LOVE their colors.

Any suggestions as to which blue fish will work with my labs and zebs?


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## minterno (Sep 24, 2010)

i have a few cobalt blues in my tank,they are a bit territorial but once borders are established it seems to be ok and of course you could get some male red zebras with the blue morph,i got 3 reds who all turned out to be female and they are breeding with the cobalts,


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## esparzar1 (Jun 14, 2009)

Either one of the species you mentioned should be okay(Dems/Mainagno), just know that the labs/zebras will crossbreed, you could also look at the Colbat or Socolofi for a blue species.


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## suds1421 (Jan 4, 2011)

My main concern is aggression.

I was originally told to stay away from the Demasoni because they would kill everything in the tank.

Now I'm reading more about the Maingano and it sounds like they are the same way.

I like the colors of both and really want to keep one or the other, just don't want to have TONS of aggression.

I am planning a 75 with all the rock I can fit...


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## esparzar1 (Jun 14, 2009)

Honestly, that can be a concern with any type of Mbuna....lol....but a lot of people will suggest Dems with labs for the nice color contrast. I think you would be fine with whatever you decide (Maingano/Dems) but like I said, the Cobalts and Socolofi would be good options as well. The Red Zebras can be just as aggressive as any of those blue species but as long as you have good female ratios (1M to every 4 or 5F) you should be able to minimize aggression.


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## Rhinox (Sep 10, 2009)

> I was originally told to stay away from the Demasoni because they would kill everything in the tank.
> 
> Now I'm reading more about the Maingano and it sounds like they are the same way.


Both those species could work for you just fine. With dems, there aggression is mostly conspecific, meaning they only really fight with there own kind. The key is numbers. You need to start with a lot of them, say 15-20 juvies in a 75, and then remove super aggressive males or subdominants as they are exiled. Eventually, should stabilize into a successful colony of 12+. They'll decide the ratio of m:f for you.

Mainganos are also aggressive to their own, but also can be to others as well. A ratio of 1m:7f is recommended, but I've seen a WC breeding colony of 8m:8f. When I first tried them, I got 6 for my 55g. Ended up with 4m:2f. 1 male ended up dead spontaneously one day. A female was nearly chased right out of the tank. I eventually got rid of them. I think with more numbers and a better ratio, I'd have better luck. They did exhibit some interesting spawning behavior. My other fish stayed far away from the dominant male's territory though, effectively meaning all my fish stayed in the half of the tank away from the male's territory.

Good luck.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Cynotilapia afra, Cynotilapia hara, Cobalts (Met. callainos), Ps.socolofi, Yellow Tail Ps. acei, various Ps. elongatus (although females are usually quite drab).


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## Nina_b (Jan 3, 2011)

I love my metriaclima callainos 
+1 on those.

They can be a bit drab at times, but they go bright blue whenever I come near the tank. I love it.


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## Nina_b (Jan 3, 2011)

...and a picture, because he's just so handsome


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## Glaneon (Sep 27, 2010)

Local chain store has 2 of them - my wife wants me to get them but I already have too much blue in my tank.


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## Malawi Mac (Aug 20, 2004)

I'd go with the mainganos. I've kept tham in the past and never had aggression issues with them. I've even kept them with haps.

I've never kept Demasoni. If you want something that looks like a Demasoni, but doesn't have the aggression issues, consider Metriaclima sp. "Manda blue dolfin."


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## johnp (Dec 1, 2006)

Male Ps. saulosi will give you the demasoni look with much less aggression.

Cynotilapia would also be a good addition to your tank, some varieties have more blue than others.

I also really enjoy my red top zebras for a nice blue addition.


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## cichfeeble (Jan 12, 2010)

I have Maingano with Labs and Zebras. It's a beautiful setup (you can see photos in my tank profiles). The Mainganos are aggressive, but from what I've seen over the past 8 months, they seem to be entirely conspecific in their aggression.

I like Saulosi too, and have them in my other tank. But if you try to have all male Saulosi, you might either have aggression issues between them, or potentially have not great coloring in some of them (I've heard). And if you get them young, you won't know if you've got males or females for a long time (it took mine 4+ months from 1.5" when I got them) to make the color transition. Then you might have females yellowing up your tank


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## kyboy (Oct 30, 2009)

Male Ps. saulosi will give you some blue, but combined with the labs & red zebras; you won't have any contrast with the female saulosi(too much yellow/orange). As mentioned, alot of the ps.elongatus species have drab females & the cynos as well. I'd vote 1st for the met.sp. dolphin since your concern is aggression, then maingano & 3rd the demasoni. IMO


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## Malawi Mac (Aug 20, 2004)

I have kept Saulosi with yellow labs in the past, and I didn't care for it. Just didn't like the combination of the canary yellow and the goldenrod yellow in the same tank.

But you may feel otherwise.


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## johnp (Dec 1, 2006)

yeah i just meant male saulosi, but i can see its an unpopular idea.


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