Returning to fishkeeping after a long while... love dwarf's!

[YngUrbanCMH]

Let me apologize for the long post... rather give too much info I guess than not enough.

I'm returning to fishkeeping for the first time in about 10 years. When I was in highschool I had a few tanks, a couple community tanks and a saltwater. I recently started a 30 gallon at home and a 10 gallon in my office. Things are going great, and both tanks have been finished cycleing a couple of weeks. I finally have my water conditions where I want them (although I had a mishap with the heater in my 30 gallon... it got stuck in the on position and the temp went to 90f before I noticed, I lost a female p. pulcher.) Temp is a fairly constant 80 degrees (sometimes drops to 79), ph is stable somewhere between 6.8 and 7.2 (is it really possible to accurately read the colors on test kits!?), and hardness has been steadily dropping to a fairly soft range by using peat in my filter.

My 30 gallon was initially going to be a community setup, but I discovered dwarf cichlids and have decided to change. Initially it had 3 tiger barbs, 3 zebra danios, 3 serpae tetras, 3 otocinclus, and 6 white clouds. It's a well planted tank, with 2 caves that I made out of slate, and a gravel substrate. I recently added a male p. pulcher and 3 yo yo loaches to put my renegade snail population in check (darn hitch-hikers!).

I'd like to make the main focus of the tank dwarf cichlids... I really like p. pulcher. Given my tank size and substrate does anyone have suggestions of another dwarf pair or 2 that might fit in well? My pet store will buy back any of my community fish if I need to part with some to make room. I plan on purchasing another female p. pulcher to replace the one I lost. My male p. pulcher is so shy now that the female is gone.

Thanks!

 

[tjudy]

In a 30 gallon, I would stick with a pair of Pelvichromis (there are several types), and some dither fish. You could keep some of your community fish as dithers. When a pair of Pelvic. start to breed, a 30 gallon will not be enough room for other dwarf pairs. If you still want to try two pairs, go with something peaceful but tough. Laetacara species are good choices.

 

[Cichlids1]

WooHoo!!! A fellow Central Ohio Dwarf fan!!! There are now 2 of us!!

 

[Neil]

YngUrbanCMH,

WELCOME TO THE FORUM

I tend to agree with tjudy here. Pulchers can be very intolerant of other Cichlid species in their territory and a 30g. is their territory. But, it certainly is not impossible to have another pair of something in there given ample cover and a little luck. I currently am keeping a taeniatus species in with a Chromidotilapia(Benitochromis) species and both are breeding. That is in a 26g and both have fry. But the Chromido is bigger than the Pelvicachromis.
Neil

 

[YngUrbanCMH]

Thanks everyone. I'm going to stick with just the p. pulcher, and maybe a few well chosen community fish in the 30 gal.

I picked up another female today, it's amazing how much more outgoing the male is.

At first I was a little worried, the male seemed agressive towards the female. They seemed to have calmed down, I don't know if this is common behavior? I can't find alot of information on their mating rituals, lots on how to get them to breed but nothing too specific on behavior.

They both keeping dissapearing into their cave and occasionally popping their heads out whenever anything else approaches.... very entertaining :wink:

 

[My Pritz]

I just got a pair(?) of P. Pulchers from Aquarium Adventure and am so excited! I lost a breeding pair when my community tank went septic last year, and cried when it happened. The poor things were just about getting parenting down when the disaster happened.

So, I've set up a 10 gallon in my office and watched these two for about a half an hour before getting them. They're still young, but I think they've bonded already. Yay!!

Where did you get your Kribs? How are they doing? Did you happen to see the two pair in the show tank at Aquarium Adventure? I begged them to sell them to me, but it didn't happen.

 

[YngUrbanCMH]

That's exactly where I got them! Aquarium Adventures, the first female I bought died when my heater got stuck 'on' and the temp rose to 90F before I noticed. I saw the pair in the show tank, well at least the female... I didn't see the male in there. I want the whole tank! It's beautiful. I think I'm going to head there today, I guess they're having some huge annual sale today.

 

[My Pritz]

I was there twice yesterday and I'll probably go back again in the next few days to get some more plants!

I have to tell you, though, as of yesterday, there were only a handful of kribs, no wild kribs and only a couple female apistos. The guy helping me said they were planning on getting more kribs in in the next few days.

Have fun!

 

[YngUrbanCMH]

This morning I woke up and all the fish in the tnak were huddling on the other side. I checked the roof of the cave, and theirs a TON of eggs! I tried counting them, but there were way too many. They seem to be doing a good job protecting them, the female is poking her head out of the cave and the male is chasing anything away that gets too close. They are both being much more tolerant of outsiders than I expected, and while agressive haven't been violent towards anything else. If anything gets about 6 inches from the cave, the male doesn't take his eyes off of it... any closer and he chases it away.

We'll see if they hatch, the eggs are a dirty white, almost tan colour. I've got my fingers crossed!

 

[Neil]

Congratulations
6"!!! Wow, that is suprising. My experience has been that pulchers wouldn't even think about letting other fish that close to eggs. I wouldn't be suprised if that changes once the fry hatch! So keep an eye out.
Neil

 

[YngUrbanCMH]

Unfortunately the eggs are gone, I don't know if the parents ate them (this might be there first spawn, not sure) or if another fish ate them. Hopefully they spawn again soon, I've heard about every 2 months is average but since this one didn't hatch hoping it will be sooner!