[jjwex]

I'm getting close to figuring out what species I'm going to stock in my 125. Thus far, I have...

Demasoni (10)
Msobo (6)
Trewavasae (6)

All will be an appropriate ratio of males & females.

A couple of questions...

1) I've read that it's not advisable to add other blue-barred mbuna in with the demasoni. I was thinking about either Afra Hai Reef, Labidochromis Hongi or Elongatus Chailosi. Would any of these be advisable to add given the size of my system?

2) I can either add a few more mbuma to the mix or add a few haps, such as the Protomelas taeniolatus Boadzulu red or Lithobates Z Rock. Would you recommend this or just stay with an all mbuna tank?

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Glaneon]

You want more demasoni - go up to 20 with that size tank. (min recommended is 12)
You'll have a few subdominant males kicked out, so be ready for that.

 

[Kanorin]

1) I've read that it's not advisable to add other blue-barred mbuna in with the demasoni. I was thinking about either Afra Hai Reef, Labidochromis Hongi or Elongatus Chailosi. Would any of these be advisable to add given the size of my system?

I'd stay away from other blue-barred species. The chailosi are more yellow and black barred if my memory serves me - so those might be ok, but there's a chance the Demasoni and Chailosi wouldn't tolerate each other.

2) I can either add a few more mbuma to the mix or add a few haps, such as the Protomelas taeniolatus Boadzulu red or Lithobates Z Rock. Would you recommend this or just stay with an all mbuna tank?

I'd stick with just mbuna since you are stocking some very boisterous species. If you were stocking acei, yellow labs, and/or rusties I'd say you should give it a shot.

Some other species of mbuna that would probably do well with your mix are: Ps. Socolofi, Ps. Acei, Rusties.

 

[cantrell00]

Psuedo Flavus, Psuedo Polit, White Top Hara would be possible additional candidates but more aggressive than Acei, Socolofi or Rusty..

Psuedo Daktari also..

 

[DJRansome]

I'd stay away from haps with Demasoni in the tank.

 

[kyboy]

You can stock 5 species safely with appropriate m/f ratio. The more different looking-the better(usually). The blue-barred rule can also apply to any other fish with similar patterns( bars)even if colors are different, but you have the advantage of more space in a 125. Ps. Flavus(I saw somewhere while skimming over this thread) could hold it's own with the demasoni, but probably not the c. afra or haras or they may not thrive & color up well. If I had a 125 I'd go with the met.sp. dolphin (giant demasoni) instead of demasoni, that way there would be no need to up the number to 18-20. Met. sp. dolphin are not as aggressive & grow to 6-7". Aceis would work pretty well & socolofi( normal or albino)too, but the socolofi are aggressive. We are talking about mbuna though & you have a bit more space than 55-90g tanks.

 

[ridley25]

Hilarious. I'm in almost the same place as you. Nothing is certain because I'm a month or two away from making my order, but I am also planning on M. sp. "msobo," Ps. demasoni, and L. fuelleborni (essentially the same as trewavasae.)
One of my two other species will be M. sp. "elongatus chailosi"
My fifth is Ps. sp. "williamsi north."

Other species I have on the back-burner include:
M. estherae (if I don't go with the chailosi)
I. sprengerae (I figure these could replace any of the above without issue)
Mel. joanjohnsonae

I would have considered Ps. saulosi or Pseudotropheus sp. ''ndumbi gold'' in place of the msobo but I have saulosi already in a smaller tank.

So no experience to help you. Just an eerily similar quest.

kevin

 

[chrisFewell]

I'd stay away from haps with Demasoni in the tank.

why? The size?

 

[DJRansome]

Haps are peaceful and demasoni are the opposite. Any mix of haps and mbuna can be troublesome. People do have success with labs as they are often the most peaceful mbuna.