Ivanacara adoketa information

[ivantheterrible]

I am really in love with the colors of this fish. Do you think i can keep a colony of them in a 40 breeder or 75? I've heard of some people breeding them in a colony setup in a larger tank. If i can't I'd have a spare 20 to plop them in.

How are tankmates? I'm thinking some large bleeding heart tetras for a blackwater biotope.

And how long do they live? Would suck if i spend 60 dollars on a fish that lives 1-2 years

 

[Apistoguy52]

Colony in a 40b…not for long. Pair in a 40b, no problem. No idea on tankmates….they’ve eaten all the ones I’ve tried. 3-5 years

 

[anewbie]

Colony in a 40b…not for long. Pair in a 40b, no problem. No idea on tankmates….they’ve eaten all the ones I’ve tried. 3-5 years

How large of tank do you need for more than 1 set (i.e, what is their territory size)? Just curious i'm not too interested in a 'colony' but i presume at some point you will reach a limit of what a single fish will claim.

Conversely how small of an aquarium can you keep a pair - 20 long or would a 15 be large enough - i've a passing interest as i generally dislike keeping fishes that must be kept by themselves (limited space); and it sounds like these little rascals are best as a species only fish as a single or pair.

 

[Mike Wise]

Römer didn't name Ivanacara after Russian Czar Ivan the Terrible for no reason. They are extremely aggressive toward other species that can't get away or large enough to eat them. If you don't like species-only tanks, then this a not the fish for you.

 

[Apistoguy52]

How large of tank do you need for more than 1 set (i.e, what is their territory size)? Just curious i'm not too interested in a 'colony' but i presume at some point you will reach a limit of what a single fish will claim.

Conversely how small of an aquarium can you keep a pair - 20 long or would a 15 be large enough - i've a passing interest as i generally dislike keeping fishes that must be kept by themselves (limited space); and it sounds like these little rascals are best as a species only fish as a single or pair.

I acclimated a dozen (of 17) in a 120…without very many murders. Smallest I’ve kept breeding pairs is a 30 long

 

[310 Aquatics]

I started with 6 juveniles in a 20 long. As they started to mature, I was a day late when the aggression started. I lost one (most likely a male). I currently have a male and two females in the 20 moving to a 40 later this month. Pulled the other two that were being chased to another 20 long. Still have not sexed those; could be another male/female or two more males? Eventually a 125 for everybody. My LFS has a colony of at least 15 or more in a display tank that seems to be working out. I have Panda Tetras with mine. No losses. The Acara did murder my Otocinclus before I could get them out in time. They do not bother the Bristlenose male I have in there or the Melini Corydoras.

Does anyone have a sure fire way of sexing when still young?

 

[Apistoguy52]

Does anyone have a sure fire way of sexing when still young?

At 1.25-1.5”, the males will start to get some of the red color in the face, and display a broken lateral band. Females will display a black face, some red in the flanks, and display black bars. Has been pretty reliable for me, not sure if this would apply to other populations of adoketa?

 

[MacZ]

My LFS has a colony of at least 15 or more in a display tank that seems to be working out.

Dimensions? Just out of curiousity.

 

[310 Aquatics]

Dimensions? Just out of curiousity.

I know it is a 6 foot tank. I am pretty sure it is a 225 gallon. Some of their fish below.

 

[310 Aquatics]

At 1.25-1.5”, the males will start to get some of the red color in the face, and display a broken lateral band. Females will display a black face, some red in the flanks, and display black bars. Has been pretty reliable for me, not sure if this would apply to other populations of adoketa?

Thanks for the information. The first three pictured are in the same tank. I believe (1) male and (2) females?

The next photo is my smallest alone in a separate tank.

The last two photos were with the trio originally, but were being bullied. So they are in another tank together. They change color constantly and I am not sure. I was told my smallest may be a male as well.

 

[MacZ]

I know it is a 6 foot tank.

So about 2 meters. That's the decisive information. Thanks.

 

[anewbie]

You know this is of interest of me because I've been asking about keeping multiple fishes in large aquariums (4 to 10 ft); and the behavior really changes depending on the size of the aquarium. Put them in a small box and even pairs might kill each other - put them in a swimming pool and they might not care if there are dozens of other fishes (or they might). I wish across different species there was a way to obtain more detail information on behavior as contained area increases.

 

[Mike Wise]

Sounds like you need to stock up on 200 gal/800 l tanks and start experimenting.

 

[anewbie]

Sounds like you need to stock up on 200 gal/800 l tanks and start experimenting.

But i am setting up a 48x48x18 inch tank to start experimenting

 

[ivantheterrible]

Hmm thanks everyone i guess if i do a 40, I'll only keep a pair. A 180 amazon blackwater biotope on the other hand...

 

[Mike Wise]

Just remember that, with this species, 1 male and 1 female is not necessarily a compatible pair (from my personal experience). If it were me, I would try to buy 6 young specimens and let them sort it out for themselves. Once I got a pair, any survivors would be removed.

 

[ivantheterrible]

Just remember that, with this species, 1 male and 1 female is not necessarily a compatible pair (from my personal experience). If it were me, I would try to buy 6 young specimens and let them sort it out for themselves. Once I got a pair, any survivors would be removed.

What's the best/humane way to "remove them". I hope all the fish i buy can have the best life possible if you get my drift.

 

[MacZ]

What's the best/humane way to "remove them". I hope all the fish i buy can have the best life possible if you get my drift.

Net them out, distribute them to your other tanks (if possible), rehome/sell them, make a deal with your source in advance to give back the ones you can't keep.
And just for the record: You don't wait until one dies, you just have to act swiftly and be prepared once the behaviour tells you it's time to separate them. I would call one loss out of 6 still within the normal risks of keeping these fish. But if you keep observing them closely you will know in time when to act.

 

[Fayej]

Late to this post, but anyone selling juvenile I. Adoketa, or I. Bimaculata? I'm in USA, Georgia, have juvenile Keyhole cichlids if anyone interested!

 

[martink]

Late to this post, but anyone selling juvenile I. Adoketa, or I. Bimaculata? I'm in USA, Georgia, have juvenile Keyhole cichlids if anyone interested!

i bought some in uk though. there was a guy selling from u.s in march 4th.here