Hemichromis Bimaculatus Tankmates

[WuddyWoodpeckah]

Hi Guys

I am planning on getting a pair of H. bimaculatus for my 45 g long tank. I am trying to figure out what else I can put in there as tank-mates that wont get killed.

It is going to be planted W.African and I guess I will have to put in lots of bogwood to have plenty of hiding spots.

Any ideas for tankmates etc?

Thanks!

 

[aquaticclarity]

Just an FYI...and don't let the name get in the way of enjoying the fish...H. bimaculatus is a pretty rare fish in the hobby and there is a very good chance (95% or better unless you are getting wild fish) that the fish you will get are a type of H. guttatus. Guttatus come from a number of locations in the wild with almost each population looking different then the others. (The H. lifalili in the hobby is also almost cerainly a guttatus as well...with H. sp. Moanda possibly being the real H. lifalili)

Now to get off the soap box...

You MIGHT be able to keep a group of African Red Eye Tetra or large Congo Tetra in with the jewels as a dither/target fish but all bets are off once the jewels spawn. My wild pair of H. sp. Moanda (a medium size red jewel at the low end of the aggresion scale for Hemichromis) are finishing off the last of the very large African Red Eye Tetras that are in with them now that the jewels have free swimming fry. They are in a 30 breeder with a large amount of driftwood and Java Moss but the tetras jus can't get far enough away for the jewel's likeing.

For a cichlid that would work I've had success keeping Orthochromis stormsi (a Haplichromine type found in Central Africa) in with a wild pair of H. guttatus with both species spawning regularly. That's in a 48"x18"12" tank with a lot of caves and other structure. The O. stormsi are also an exellant brush/hair algae eater making them great for tanks with Anubias and other slower growing plants.

 

[tjudy]

Whatever you put in with them will need to be robust. Big barbs or tetras are ideal. You could also use Synodontis catfish, but they will eat the cichlid spawns pretty quickly.

 

[WuddyWoodpeckah]

Thanks Jeff and Ted. I'm not so sure I want those crazy H.guttatus (or bimaculatus) anymore!

Do you have any suggestions of other westies (and a potential source to get them)? A.nicholsi or Pseudocrenilabrus nicholsi or something similar? I dont really like the pelvicachromis or nanochromis as a centerpiece (if I can add a pair in addition then that should be OK).

I am looking for something that I can put in a planted 45g and wont have to move if they spawn.

Thanks again!

 

[aquaticclarity]

What are you looking for in a center piece cichlid for the tank? (color, size, behavior, etc.) Knowing this will help narrow down the field a ton!

I've got a bunch of Westies on order and will post the list soon.

 

[Mike Wise]

If you want a red jewel cichlid, then my best suggestion is H. cristatus. They tend to be the least aggressive of the genus. I still wouldn't put them in with other cichlids, just big tetras and barbs.

BTW about 30 years ago FAMA (I think) had an article on Jewels in the aquarium. Seems the author had a 100 gallon, 6 ft/1.8 m, tank that housed a pair of Jewels with a dozen or so much larger Central Americans like Jack Dempseys. Everything was fine until the Jewels decided to breed. Although the Jewels were the smallest fish in the tank, they quickly drove all of the other cichlids out of their breeding territory - into about 18"/45cm of the tank! This is why most hobbyist keep Jewels by themselves.

 

[WuddyWoodpeckah]

Thanks, Mike, for the suggestion and the interesting anecdote. I think I will steer clear of the jewel cichlids for now.

To answer Jeff's question, I am looking for some interesting (spawning is a plus!) behavior that will fit in OK in a "sparsely" populated planted 45g.

I kept two apistogramma harems (A.agassizi 'Alenquer' and A. trifasciata 'Guapore') in a planted 55g before and I loved the interaction between the two harems. Something colorful would be be an added benefit, too, for the lady of the house! . As I mentioned before, I some how dont like Pelvicachromis and Nanochromis much, just a random personal preference.

I'd love to know what westies you have/will be ordering.

 

[aquaticclarity]

Start wth the list on my web site (see link in signature)...I'll be updating the list in thenext day or two as a few things have gone and a few new things are in.

I just got the updated in stock list from the importer a few minutes ago so I'll work on getting the available fish list posted later tonight.

 

[aquaticclarity]

Here's the list of new fish on order:
http://www.apistogramma.com/forum/showthread.php?p=61054#post61054

 

[WuddyWoodpeckah]

So now I have the following wish list that I need to pick from.

1. Thoracochromis brauschi
2. Pseudocrenilabrus nicholsi
3. Konia eisentrauti

Are there any recommendations/suggestions/comments?