What to put with 14 labs in a 75?

[Sir Tristen]

So I just acquired 14 small (around 1") Electric yellow labs free:hmm3grin2orange: , and I am getting a 75 gallon tank ready for a malawi setup to house my little friends and some friends for them. I'm really interested in Pseudotropheus demasonis, because they're just so darn beautiful, and I feel the colors would look great together. If I were to do that, how many could I put in there? Could I fit 16? That would make an even 30 dwarf mbuna and give me a large enough colony of demasoni's to spread out aggression.

If not the demasoni's, would some male peacocks work with the yellow labs?

[Lab_Rat]

Honestly, 30 mbuna in a 75g is too overstocked, even by malawi standards with overstocking for aggression. If you wanted to add another species I would limit it to 6 individuals and demasoni would not be an ideal choice because they need more than 6 due to their conspecific aggression. Labs aren't dwarf cichlids and get 5" or so when full grown. How about cobalt blues, socolofi, or electric blue johanni instead of demasoni?

[toddnbecka]

Either option would work, provided you have enough filtration/circulation and keep up with the water changes. I've seen a (long-term) successful 30 long setup with 12 demasoni and 6 yellow lab's. There were actually some fry growing out among the rocks as well that I didn't count as stocking numbers.

[slimey]

Nice pick up Sir Tristan, you havn't any females in amongst them have you? LOL. I'm havin trouble finding them.
As Lab Rat said, the cobalts or electric blues will go nicely, i have 3 Pseudotropheus sp. "Kingsizei" in with my labs, a pair of Labeotropheus trewavasae (Chadagha) and an upside down catfish, all of which get along just fine.
I get more fights between the labs themselves.
Here's a good cichlid site that might help you decide.thumbs2:
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[Sir Tristen]

I wouldn't mind sharing some of them with you slimey, if you were closer. I only wanted 10 0r 12, but they were free, so what could I say. Maybe I'll try to get rid of 4 so I can get the demasonis. I'll check into some of those other fish that you suggested. I plan on using an AC70 and a Jebo 828 for filteration. I figure that should be enough if I keep the water changes up.

Would I be able to get 4 or 5 peacocks w/ the 14 labs if I decided to go that route? I know that you aren't typically supposed to mix mbuna and peacocks, but I've heard labs are kind of the exception.

[Sir Tristen]

Either option would work, provided you have enough filtration/circulation and keep up with the water changes. I've seen a (long-term) successful 30 long setup with 12 demasoni and 6 yellow lab's. There were actually some fry growing out among the rocks as well that I didn't count as stocking numbers.

Sorry for the double post, but is the 30 long the 4 foot version?

[Lab_Rat]

Labs are mild mannered enough that I would put peacocks with them. They're about the only mbuna I would do that with. Also, if you can rehome several of the labs (maybe 6 or so) then you could try with the demasoni colony, just have great filtration.

[Sir Tristen]

I probably will rehome several of the labs, but only after I see who gets the best colors :hmm3grin2orange: . That still leaves me torn between dems, peacocks, and the more I look into haps, the more I'm tempted to try some of them. DOH!

[Lab_Rat]

Well, you've got time to figure it out, no need to rush. Just look around to see what's available!

[toddnbecka]

Sorry for the double post, but is the 30 long the 4 foot version?

I've never seen a 4' 30 gallon tank. Are you thinking of a 40 gallon breeder?

[Dixie]

Just my opinion but I would get rid of a few of the labs and go with the demasoni. If you save the fry & sell them, they go for a pretty penny. Peacocks do ok with yellow labs but from what I understand, they don't always color up real nice if you don't have females with them & most haps get too big for a 75g. tank, I think.

If you go with the demasoni & yellow labs, I think some albino socolofi & or maingano would look great with them too.