What Am I Doing Wrong

[vile]

Okay Demasoni whats the deal? Any time i buy them no matter from where they leave maybe 12 days??? I just had one that lived for a almost 2 weeks but he kicked the bucket. This time i bought only 4 rather than 6 or 8. I put them together in a tank all by themselves a 55 gallon it was and it was okay for the first day or so then the eyes turned red into rage and it was kill kill.

so heres the info on the little guys that i always get

1. I buy at least four or more
2. They are housed with other Mbunas ( recently by them selves )
3. I always get adults not the little guys
4. For a facted i only have one male regardless

Anything else i put would be common sense like temp P.H. etc



Basically can any one tell their secrets on keeping these little guys? Also they pick on each other and dont care about the other fish thats with them they even leave my saulosi alone and they look simliar

HELP!!!

 

[aberdeen aquarist]

Demasoni, as you have found out, are very territorial fish. The usual advice is to keep only 1 or more than 12 to spread the aggression around. I had 4 in a 7 foot long tank that had loads of rocks in it, and 2 days later there were 2 left and one of those was battered almost to death. I now have 1 each in 2 of my tanks and they are fine with the other inhabitants.
Try adding a big group to your tank, if you have enough space, and see how it goes from there.
HTH
Alan

 

[Ferris]

Whilst Demasoni are extremely aggressive, they are not very hardy fish, which is unusual for Mbuna. Water quality and environment need to be spot on for them. They generally don't do well in mixed Mbuna tanks and are better kept in species tanks, which should be highly populated. They also seem to do well when kept with milder Mbuna species, especially yellow labs.