fishbites Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 Have thrown caution to the wind and got my LFS to order some of these guys.... Neolamprologus Tetracephalus (dwarf frontosa or 5 bar cichlid)..... they are renowned for terrorising most tank mates and when they go into breeding mode nothing else survives.... thankfully these are only 4cm long so far but already nipping each other and flaring and sparring.... going to have to build in a lot of hiding places in the tank for them as they grow.... but the colours are spectacular.... blue fins and the white body with black bars will intensify as they grow..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 My LFS has these! I wanted to get some.. but thought they'll be too mean, and I'm still setting up my tanks are re-cycling/cycling them so.. I had to pass. Sure were pretty though, it was really the bright blue that caught my eye. Lucky you. Have fun with them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted January 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 If you're going for a community type tank Sarah just one tretocephalus would be fine - they are only really nasty when breeding so if you just keep one you can have relative peace for a cichlid.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 Nice fish. My father had Frontosa breeding in community tank. Never seen dwarf ones. Funny that the smaller fish more agro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenGirl13 Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 @ Fishbites, they are beautiful, can definitely see the attraction even if they can be little monsters! @ Busman, maybe it's kinda like "small-man" syndrome :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadoh Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 They are savage little things. I made the mistake of putting a pair in my community tank when I was starting out with fish... No need to go into what happened, let's just say that it was an expensive exercise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted January 6, 2011 Report Share Posted January 6, 2011 If you're going for a community type tank Sarah just one tretocephalus would be fine - they are only really nasty when breeding so if you just keep one you can have relative peace for a cichlid.... DON'T TELL ME THAT!!! Lalalalalalala, I'm not listening.... If I got one, I would get a tank for them, and get a few.. the deal was $10 each, or $15 for 2... tempting.. better not though. :byebye: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted January 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 go on! just one! you know you want one $15 for 2 is a good price too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 Stop it Stop it Stop it!!!! AHHHHHH!!!! Just got a new tank.. not a good idea to get a new one... yet. Why? Because you should have seen mum's face when I came home with a 400L tank. She's great with the fish-thing, but shouldn't get them right now. Anyways, going to get like half a dozen axolotls as soon as the tank is cycled.. I'll need to get a heater, filter, new tank.. plus these.. etc.. *sigh* Can always get them later.. the owner will probably order them in again for me, he is really nice. Yeah, that's a good plan. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted January 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 Sarah, you will soon.... tell the truth you're in with these little :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadoh Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 But Sarah... 2 for $15... Bargain of a lifetime... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted January 7, 2011 Report Share Posted January 7, 2011 Why am I still in this topic?? :devil: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted January 8, 2011 Report Share Posted January 8, 2011 (edited) For some reason I'm back in this topic. Just did some research, which does not mean I'm giving the white flag, but I always do lots of researching on any species or animal that I show even a little bit of interest in to ensure I can handle them correctly. Sooo.. I discovered the only tanks I have large enough to put them in is our 4ft community tank, which is a no as it mainly houses small fish like guppies, my new big 4ft (400L) which is for my axies. They can't go with the axies and anyway it isn't heated. Lastly my 3ft, which is my female Betta tank. Funny enough I only house five females in there, so there is heaps of space, but they are NOT GOING WITH MY GIRLS, especially my precious HM Carnation girlie, Rose. So.. no, I can not get any.. at least for a while. Maybe on my farm with my fish-room the size of our house. ;) Edited January 8, 2011 by Sarah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted January 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2011 :rofl: If there's a will there's a way..... guppies into the pond..... problem solved :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadoh Posted January 8, 2011 Report Share Posted January 8, 2011 If you put them in with the guppies, you'd save on food.... ;P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted January 8, 2011 Report Share Posted January 8, 2011 Told mum about this thread.. she laughed. She said when the guppies die, maybe we could use the tank for cichlids. Never know.. there is only like 2 guppies, 4 suckers, half a dozen or so of CAE and that's it at the moment. We recently had an disease outbreak so we won't be getting new fish for a little while to make sure it won't come back. Maybe.. :cheer: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted January 10, 2011 Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 How are they settling in? When they get older will you be able to keep them together, if they don't breed that is.. do they go well with other cichlids? Just curious. With the five you have, what size tank are they in? Will it be OK when they are fully grown/are there any other fish in it? Thanks. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbeer Posted January 10, 2011 Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 The problem with these and other real nasty Africans like them, is you can end up with one coloured male and a lot of grey looking fish. But I do like them me-self. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted January 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 Sarah.... They've settled in quite nicely - very fiesty as expected and constantly challenging each other and flaring even at 4cm in size! They're in a 75cm x 38cm x 38cm tank - about 100 litres - but as they grow (and as I get it set up) they will go into a 4ft (250Litre) tank and hopefully by then will be large enough for a breeding pair (or two) to emerge. They will do ok with other cichlids if they are single fish (ie one 5bar on its own with other cichlids can be fine). A breeding pair in a tank with other fish usually means all the other fish get taken out or die a violent death. @ Gingerbeer - these guys are a bit different to the mouthbrooders though - once a breeding pair is formed there is usually no other fish left alive to be dull in colour! They are definitely a pair per tank only type of fish when they are breeding. As juvies they are active, inquisitive and spectacularly coloured. As single adults they are fine - not much different to other Africans really. If necessary I'll treat them like red devils and have a bit of egg crate separating the male and female and let them spawn through the eggcrate to preserve the female's life. Will try then with no divider first and put in plenty of rocks and hiding places to break line of sight throughout the tank.... At least I think I have them all worked out and prepared for their known antics - time will tell though.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted January 10, 2011 Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 Thanks for that information Wayne. That is very helpful. Hope you can get them breeding later on with no deaths or anything. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted January 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 10, 2011 fingers crossed Sarah..... can only try.... :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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