Requirements for juv yellow labs?

[yhbae]

Grrr... (there, got that out of my system! )

I _used_ to have 5 yellow labs and 5 P Acei. Now I am down to 4 yellow labs and 5 P Acei, with one of the yellow lab not looking so good. My yellow labs are only 1.5 inches while P Acei ranges from 2 - 2.5 inches.

So why am I looksing the yellow labs? They always ate well, water parameters are great, and there's plenty of rock work for them to hide into. They even fed great since I got them 37 days ago and the tank is full of algae. I change water weekly at 30%.

The only thing I can think of, is that the tank is located where sometimes, they are subject to noise of my kids (and their friends) not most of the time, it is quiet there. Are the young yellow labs sensitive to this?

I'm not used to loosing fish... Appreciate any help.

 

[semper fi]

how long has the tank been set up? and if you could please post the test results on your tank

 

[gixer]

is there only the yellow labs and the Pseudotropheus Acei?

the Acei are also very peacful so it will not be down to bullying. however if you still have these from you sig

Pseudotropheus Acei (5), Yellow Lab (5), Albino Bristlenose Pleco (1), Peudotropheus Demasoni (only 1, soon), Synodontis Multipunctatus (3, soon)

i would probarbly put it down to the Demasoni.

Whats diet do you feed them on? the Acei only really feed from alge in the wild and a rich diet would soon see them off IME.

Whats the water params?

 

[yhbae]

how long has the tank been set up? and if you could please post the test results on your tank

It has been up for about 38 days now.

My water parameter is ammonia=0, nitrite=0, nitrate=5. KH is about 10, GH is about 10, and pH is about 8.2. This tank has never seen ammonia or nitrite as I've used a sponge from a mature tank at the begining.

Temperature is at 78F.

 

[yhbae]

is there only the yellow labs and the Pseudotropheus Acei?

the Acei are also very peacful so it will not be down to bullying. however if you still have these from you sig

Pseudotropheus Acei (5), Yellow Lab (5), Albino Bristlenose Pleco (1), Peudotropheus Demasoni (only 1, soon), Synodontis Multipunctatus (3, soon)

i would probarbly put it down to the Demasoni.

Whats diet do you feed them on? the Acei only really feed from alge in the wild and a rich diet would soon see them off IME.

Whats the water params?

Yes, I am still in the process of building the tank, so not all the species I wanted are in the tank yet.

I currently have only the Yellow labs and P Acei as you have mentioned already.

About Demasoni - I have been debating for a while on this one. They are supposed to be super aggressive within their own species, but absoltely don't show any aggressions to other species that are different. P Acei and Yellow Labs are different, and several aquarists have so far, confirmed that this is possible. But again, this is only an option - I'm not sure if I want to go ahead with this plan...

In terms of diet, 90% of it is vegetarian - spiriluna flakes from two brands. The other 10% is the new life spectrum pelletes which again, many people feed to yellow labs and P Acei as they are supposed to be more ombivorous compare to other mbunas. Perhaps I should stop feeding these from now on... Oh, I also feed ocassionally the mixed flakes that I received from the breeder who sold these fishes to me. He advised me to feed them about once a week (I feed less than once a week right now). I figured he knows what he is talking about since he operates more than 50 tanks at his home...

 

[semper fi]

i have found demasoni to be aggressive with anything. they are very protective of their territory. i would not keep them with the yellow labs and acei. with a demasoni in the mix, i would say it could possibly be the culprit

were the labs mangled or beat on?

 

[yhbae]

Oh... My signature must be misleading...

I don't have the demasoni in the tank yet. I only have P Acei, Yellow Lab and Bristlenose plecos. Since they are all young, there's absolutely no aggression in the tank at all. They are playful, but I can hardly see any fish chasing other fishes.

Hmm...

 

[jsparkman]

i've had 6 yellow labs for over a year now. other tank mates are 6 Acei, 4 johanni, a jewel, a big male bumble bee, a socolofi and a red zebra, all have been in the tank for at least a year. The hardness of my water is almost twice what yours is and I keep the temp at least 82 degrees. I've got two pair that breed almost constantly! I've always fed them TetraCichlid Mini Pellets. What kind of hiding places do you have set up? They like caves and lots of hiding places.

 

[yhbae]

i've had 6 yellow labs for over a year now. other tank mates are 6 Acei, 4 johanni, a jewel, a big male bumble bee, a socolofi and a red zebra, all have been in the tank for at least a year. The hardness of my water is almost twice what yours is and I keep the temp at least 82 degrees. I've got two pair that breed almost constantly! I've always fed them TetraCichlid Mini Pellets. What kind of hiding places do you have set up? They like caves and lots of hiding places.

Thanks for the info...

Try clicking on my 33g tank - it does have lots of hiding places - I doubt they will run out of that..

So your water is harder than mine, and your temperature is also higher. I did go with the common recomended numbers which was 10 GH/KH and 78F. Should I up the temperature a bit?

TetraCichlid Mini Pellets doesn't sound like vegetarian, do you feed anything else at the same time?

 

[gixer]

they do always seem more active at higher temps. i always keep mine at about 80.
that works very well for me.

 

[jimmihendrix]

Yea my tanks fluctuates in the summer between 79-81 and the winter i keep them at 78-79. But I do notice they eat more and are more active in summer months. Each fish has its own personality so you dont really know if it will work in your tank till you try. I've never lost a cichlid to fighting(knock on wood), But my friend got a tank full of kenyi and he is pulling beat up fish outta his tank everyday. I got a mix tank so maybe I'm lucky that way, so many fish the cichlids dont know what to chase lol.

P.s I feed them twice a day in the summer,except for vacations. Once a day or less and the winter.

 

[semper fi]

higher temps raise the fish's metabolism. at higher temps you will find the fish grow faster, eat more, are more aggressive and more willing to mate. slower temps lower the fish's metabolism. they are more lethargic, eat less, less aggressive and mature slower. higher temps also shorten the life of the fish.

 

[gixer]

I find that at the lower end of the temperature scale for malawis you never actually see them. i have messed about quite a bit and i find 80's about the best al round.

 

[yhbae]

That still doesn't explain why those few died...

Looks like the rest are settling in nicely - all eat well and behave normally. Perhaps it is pure luck (or lack of)...

 

[vantgE]

How long ssince you got them from the store? sometimes people just get weak fish