Hi Guys,
I'm somewhat new to the hobby and I need you advice as to which fish I should keep in one tank and which in the other so that the fish will do the best under the circumstances...
My two tanks are:
Tank 1: 6x2x2 (about 700L)
Tank 2: 4x15x20 (about 200L)
This is the list of the fish I have:
Lake Tanganyika
4 – Tropheus Duboisi (maswa)
4 – Frontosa
1 – Astatotilapia Burtoni
Lake Malawi
Mbuna
1 – Labidochromis Caeruleus "Electric Yellow"
1 – Labidochromis sp. "Hongi"
2 – Melanochromis Cyaneorhabdos "Maingano"
1 – Pseudotropheus sp. "Black Acei"
1 – Pseudotropheus sp. "Kingsizei"
1 – Pseudotropheus Saulosi
2 – Pseudotropheus Cobolt Blue
Hap
1 – Buccochromis Rhoadesii
1 – Copadichromis Borleyi "Kadango"
1 – Placidochromis Phenochilus
1 – Protomelas Annecten
2 – Sciaenochromis Fryeri "Electric Blue"
Aulonocara
1 – Stuartgranti Maleri
2 – Jacobfreibergi "Otter Point"
Other
1 – Common Pleco
1 – Sailfin Pleco
2 – Common Bristlenose
2 – Synodontis Eupterus "Upside down Catfish"
1 – Clown Loach
1 – Flameback
1 – Humphead
So far I have separated the Cobolt blues, Kingsizei and Saulosi as I was told that they are most agressive. All fish are 7-13cm and I feed the New life spectrum, Sera Flora and Nori (sea weed). The filtration is more than adequate and I'm not planning the breed any...
This is what I thought I should do:
1- Make tank2 a tropheus tank, sell the Mbunas or pseudotropheus only and keep the Haps, Peacocks and Fronnies in Tank1.
2- Make tank2 a tropheus and Mbuna tank since they are both herbivore and leave the Haps, Peacock and Fronnies in Tank1
3. Make tank2 all Mbuna tank and leave the rest in Tank1.
Any advice is more than appreciated
Mile
option 1
:P
Boyd
hmm...
If I go for option 1, and put my 4 duboisi for starters, will they kill each other as they will be there by them selves?
Will there be too much agression in the tank at the later stage when I add more tropheus juvies?
Mile
Come on guys...
I really need some feedback pleeease...
Have I made my initial post too long and nobody want to read it?
mile
Mile
Put the four tropheus in the tank by themselfs and leave the tank bare. No rocks, no hiding spots, nothing. They will be fine in there, for now, but I would get more as soon as possible. when you add the new fish add the rocks and let them go. How big are the tropheus now?
Personally I would not keep fronties and tropheus together because of their dietry needs are exact opposite but that is just me I keep both species here but are in seperate aquariums. So that is why I like option one It depends on what you want in the end You need to decide what your favourates are and stick to it. I keep eyellows with my duboisi with no probs and as long as you add smaller tropheus and do it after lights out they will be accepting of the new additions by small I mean juvenile but that's what works for me with the tropheus make sure you have seperate piles of rocks don't make one big pile as this seperates the territories more and give them a better chance to getaway.
Thanks for the advice guys...
The duboisi have turned into their adult colors about 3-4 months ago, so I guess they are about 8cm...
Just wondering, if I don't put any rocks for the 4 duboisi, wouldn't the less agressive ones be beaten up cause they can't hide anywhere?
Also, I don't plan to breed any so which other tropheus should I look for and at what price? how many?
I have seen some at AQ W'HOUSE at $18 each. How does that sound?
mile
The no-rock thing works well to control aggression in my wild caught T. moorii nkonde tank. If they have nothing to fight over they wont fight. Try it see what happens. You will need to watch them.
What type of tropheus are $18 and what size are they? It not a bad price for duboisi either ways.
Thanks Stewart/Braddo/Watsonboyd,
The $18 tropheus in the LFS are about 4cm and aren't duboisi... I'll find out soon what they are and let you know....
So is the food I'm feeding them fine?
Heard of "European Shrimp mix"??? Any thoughts?
Cheers
mile
The $18 tropheus I mentioned before include: Ikola, Firecracker and Bemba.
Not sure which variant specifically. How does the price sound and could I get away by buying 4 of Ikola firstly and 4 of each later on so I have 4 of each Tropheus species.
Mile
I have heard about the shimp mix but never used it. It kinda goes against all the rules of keeping tropheus but it works. I am not game to try it thats all
I reckon that $18 for any of them tropheus from a LFS is a good price. I would rather see you stick to one varient as they dont seem to do well in a mixed tank
I've made the euro shrimp mix and they seem to love it. I have taken it to some serious breeders to try it with their fish and they wanted me to start roducing it but thats another story. The only downside is that it is too messy, and my mate, a food scientist is playing around the formula to improve it further...
I know that all duboisi tank will be the ideal but I want a display tank. I've been in the hobby for only 12 mnths and I know that I am still to mature in terms of making rational decisions...
Anyhow...
Which other africans will make good tankmates with my duboisi?
mile
the fronnies would, same with other Tangs. things such as calvus, alto comps, lamprologus such as caudopuctatus, or some of the julidochromis species would be good. cuckoo catfish make for a lively and entertaining addition to any african tank, so them to :D
I thought the fronnies and tropheus don't go together because of their extreme differences in their diet???????
Should I go for Option 2 and put my duboisi and Mbuna together...and [u:6629414151]save money...[/u:6629414151]
how would they get along??? agression??? diet???
cheers
mile
[quote:24442bfb29]Should I go for Option 2 and put my duboisi and Mbuna together...and save money...
[/quote:24442bfb29]
Ok, now I am crying. IF you had to go for one of the listed options then #1 is the best of a bad choice. IMO you need more tanks and/or less fish. [i:24442bfb29]Tropheus[/i:24442bfb29] spp. really need their own species tank. There are people who have successfully kept strange mixes but I cannot condone it. Throwing unsuitable fish into one tank to save money is a very poor attitude to take IMO.
Andrea :(
My sentiments exactly Merjo
Boyd
I know where you're coming from...
however...
I have kept all of those fish listed in my 6ft tank without any problems. Most if not all fish there were purchased as juvenile and have grown up together without any casualties or any problems with agression whatsoever... Dubosis are even trying to breed all the time and are always swimming around as a school...
I admit that initially I have purchased an uneducated fish selection and thats why I'm trying to rectify the problem... I also know what is the perfect envronment for each species but the student budget does not allow me to fork out $500 for the colony of tropheus...
I did my research on the net before I suggested the option 2 and accoring to many hobbists tropheus and mbuna can be kept together successfully... however it is a very debateable topic...
cheers
mile
ina large tank if you want display and less fighting, then stock it to its limit.
The more fish you have in there, they're more likely to swim by each other with no dramas, as there is a lot of fish, they will forget whos who. most of the competition should be at feeding times, rather than fighting for terrortory but in saying that - Of course - you may get the odd grumpy bum, terrorising tankmates and trying to claim the tank as his own, but if you do and also If any pairs form, its simple- relocate them or sell them,
A bit of trial and error ,and you will end up with what you want
oh, and BTW I find that if you get them at a very young age and let them grow up all together, they will usually tolerate each other :wink:
my two cents worth 8)