# Ideal light setup for Demasoni & Leleupi



## BlueDevil (Dec 3, 2004)

Hi,

I just got some demasonis and leleupis and was wondering what would be the most ideal light setup for these fishes. I want to see some really nice vibrant colors. I currently have a 24" powerglo and 24" 50/50 which looks nice, but i think it can be better. They are in a 180 gallon tank: 6'x2'x2'.  Please provide a link of the lights/bulbs if you can. Thanks in advance.


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## sgwn73 (Jan 1, 2010)

Depends on how much you want to spend. I use the Coralife w/moonlights on my 90 gal and IMO its the perfect light for my tank. Its not cheap. I dropped $350 on my lighting....but there are systems out there that will run well into the $1000 range!

At the least I would recomend 2 different types of bulbs. I natural daylight along with an Actinic. I use a 50/50 on my fry grow out tank...while it is a nice light....I found it to be a little dull and doesnt reproduce the same colors on your fish that the combination would do! The Demasonis will really "pop" with the use of an Actinic!

Hope this helps!


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## BlueDevil (Dec 3, 2004)

I'll try the natural daylight and actinic. If i like it, then i'll probably get a 48" light fixture.
Thanks for your help.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I had too much algae with actinic. Not sure how Demasoni and Leleupi will get along.


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## sgwn73 (Jan 1, 2010)

Too much algae? I think the actinic is essential to make most of the blue fish colors really pop! If algae become a prob I am sure the demasoni would be ok with that! Or...do what I did...throw in a BN Pleco...prob taken care of! :thumb:


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## BlueDevil (Dec 3, 2004)

I put in an actinic and a power glo and they look great.
I'll try an actinic and a daylight later.
The demasoni and leleupi basically ignore each other, that's a good thing.


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## bertolli (Aug 18, 2009)

Post pics of this tank... sounds like an awesome stock, great colors and contrast.


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## BlueDevil (Dec 3, 2004)

I ordered a camera and it'll be here sometimes next week.
I'll post some pics by then.


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## BlueDevil (Dec 3, 2004)

Here are the pics
and a video:


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

yeah i wouldn't call mixing dems and leleupi ideal


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## johngil (Jun 1, 2009)

I've had dems and leupi together for about a year now. They get along fine, no casualties on either side. The leupi seem to be one of the few tangs, that can hang with mbuna.


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## BlueDevil (Dec 3, 2004)

I agree with john, they don't bother each other.
It appears the Leleupis are more agressive than the Demasonis.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

The actinic's would make the demasoni look great, they really work with Blue's well.

They would however wash out the leleupi, making them look... well like ****.

A good power glow, aqua glow should do.


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## Digilistan (Mar 26, 2010)

I have one actinic and a daylight on my tank and find that it really brings out the blue coloration obviously.

When I kept Yellow Labs under the same lighting they looked ok. Not amazing, but certainly not as bad as you'd think. Unless you have to min/max coloration of your fish, just go with whatever coloration works.

Your Dems and Leleupi look great btw!


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## Als49 (Jul 11, 2014)

Interesting combination of blue and yellow!

Is there any update on this tank after 5 years?


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## BlueDevil (Dec 3, 2004)

I moved a year later after the initial post and I had to take down the tank and sold everything.
But they were living peacefully and the demasonis are breeding like rabbits, i must of had 40-50 fries when I move and sold them.
It was a great combination, nice colors and peaceful.
I would try that again in the future.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

My leleupi did not like being with haps and peacocks. But either labidochromis caeruleus or metriaclima estherae with the demasoni work well for a similar color combo.


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## Als49 (Jul 11, 2014)

Wow nice BD! I want to give these combo a try, too, after selling my gold occies.


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## Als49 (Jul 11, 2014)

I wonder if you still have the full tank shot pics? And if you remember how many demasoni and leleupi there?


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## BlueDevil (Dec 3, 2004)

I can't find the full tank pics.
I believe there are 20+ demasoni and 8 leleupi.


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## Als49 (Jul 11, 2014)

I see. Watching the video, it seems that the rocks were scattered all around the tank and there was no tall and long rock works in the background?


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## BlueDevil (Dec 3, 2004)

Yeah the rocks are scattered and some piled up and they love going in and out of the rocks.


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## Als49 (Jul 11, 2014)

Nice. I'll try scattered rocks with some piles. Did the leleupi also breed?


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## BlueDevil (Dec 3, 2004)

No, the leleupi didn't breed.


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## Loume (Dec 27, 2014)

Demasoni and leleupi do make for a stunning color combo, but.... Demasoni are basically herbivores and leleupi are basically carnivores. You could not come close to feeding them both optimum diets. You would have to feed them mostly like herbivores to avoid quickly killing the Demasoni with too much animal fat and protein. I think that while the leleupi would be able to tolerate a more herbivorous diet than is natural for them for a time, they would fail to thrive, and after a year or so they would show that failure, and pine away slowly.

For that reason, I would say they are NOT long term compatible, IMO.


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