Traded in the Aggressive Jo Mama and the picked on Male Johannii.

[The Wedge]

I traded in the larger aggressive Johannii female and the non-dominant lighter colored johannii male that got served a nice dish of 'get back in that cave boy' by every fish in the tank...even the 1 3/4" Demonasi...and especially the dominant Male and female Johannii. He didn't look to happy and the others didn't play very nice at all. So I got two E. Labs around the same size as my Dems for no charge. My LFS man here in Pasadena is really bitchin'...however, he knows I am hooked. I bought my first tank since I was 11years old twenty years ago...maybe 2.5 months ago at the most. I already have another tank that I now have the Mbunas in and plan to get another one maybe next year at least I don't know 100 gallon for frontosas. Mbunas and plants don't mix do they? PH to high, to hard, and the mbunas will do a number on them correct? Are there any that will work that will not need co2?

[jbeining75]

Cichlids in general enjoy ripping plants up and moving them. Almost all the larger sized cichlids will. Most africans like rock caves and driftwood. I would go real plants. They will probably get shredded up. You need to buy more africans to get into the tank so the aggression level will drop...

[The Wedge]

Update...I was able to trade the last two Johannii for 2 more demonasi, and I have 14 more lbs of Texas holey limestone rock coming in Friday. I will have to wait until next Wednesday until I put more Dems in but I want to make sure my parameters are down. So now the tank totals the same amount 6 dems, 2 Labs, 2 synodontis Mult. Bio Spira works. I used it 5 days late and my parameters were NH3 - 2.25 mg/l, NO2 - 1.6 mg/l, NO3 - 15 mg/l. They were NH3 - 0.50ppm, NO2 - ~ 0.7 mg/l, NO3 - ~ 25 mg/l 24 hours after. I tested the ammonia today and it was between 0 & .25 ppm. I think the fact that I put old media in it helped it along as well. I hope the parameters stay on this trend or I'll be in deep doodoo. I think I have a gambling addiction :14: overall I believe it will cut a week to 2 weeks off regular cycle timethumbs2:

[Dixie]

Labs and dems are suppose to get along great. What size tank do you have? As for plants, Java fern is easy to grow. You can use thread and tie it to a rock or drift wood. Don't bury the base of the plant(I don't think). They are kinda tough and not as tasty so the cichlids might not bother them to much.