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Exchanging stocking

Mazan

Active Member
Messages
281
You are spoilt for choice!
All of your options are interesting. I would probably get the females if not too small, as I would like to see interactions with the males even if not with the intention of rearing fry.

I am not sure about another dwarf cichlid, I would be worried it may be aggressive with the Dicrossus, especially Ivanacara (from what I have read, zero experience with them). Or the Dicrossus might not accept another cichlid? I don’t think Nannacara fits the biotope quite well.

I like the tetras options, especially the ones we mentioned yesterday, and, as suggested by RasmusW, the ruby tetras - they are small and pretty and definitely a blackwater species. H. sweglesi are nice but a bit bigger and not so strictly blackwater though that might not matter., they may be less delicate than the others.

The Poecilocharax looks interesting. For some reason I was reading about it the other day, maybe someone else mentioned it, not sure.

Why don’t you want otos by the way, is it based on ethics as so many die in transit? Which is sad I agree, but they are small and interesting and don’t cause any trouble…

Well, whatever you decide will be good I am sure. Keep us posted…
 

Hellfishguy

Active Member
5 Year Member
Messages
127
Location
Brooklyn, New York
You might want to give Crenuchus spilurus a try. They’re cave spawners like Apistogrammas, very hardy and usually quite inexpensive. I kept mine with 3 Discrossus filamentosus males, whichI later rehomed, as I was unable to locate any females.
 

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
You are spoilt for choice!
Don't jinx it. Funnily enough, you know what I couldn't get at the moment? Cardinal tetras. Sold out everywhere.
All of your options are interesting. I would probably get the females if not too small, as I would like to see interactions with the males even if not with the intention of rearing fry.
Just my thought.
I am not sure about another dwarf cichlid, I would be worried it may be aggressive with the Dicrossus, especially Ivanacara (from what I have read, zero experience with them). Or the Dicrossus might not accept another cichlid? I don’t think Nannacara fits the biotope quite well.
I'm also not too fond of the option. I have seen display tanks though in which species that occur with Dicrossus in the wild worked quite well with them. I'll be keeping the option but I doubt I'll go for it.
I like the tetras options, especially the ones we mentioned yesterday, and, as suggested by RasmusW, the ruby tetras - they are small and pretty and definitely a blackwater species. H. sweglesi are nice but a bit bigger and not so strictly blackwater though that might not matter., they may be less delicate than the others.
H. sweglesi are known from the same river stretches of the Orinoco as Dicrossus, that's how I even got to that idea. Axelrodia are for sure also an option, but as the species is often sold very small I'll have to make that dependent on the size they offer.
The Poecilocharax looks interesting. For some reason I was reading about it the other day, maybe someone else mentioned it, not sure.
I mentioned them on the other forum lately. Originally they were my idea as successors for the Dicrossus. Technically they should work together.
Why don’t you want otos by the way, is it based on ethics as so many die in transit? Which is sad I agree, but they are small and interesting and don’t cause any trouble…
I have bad experience with Otocinclus. Basically each attempt ended with them being extinct in my tank after 3-6 months, no matter what I tried. I don't want to spoil my enthusiasm for my tank with the thought.
Plus, yes, I don't want to support the business with them.
Keep us posted…
Will do!

You might want to give Crenuchus spilurus a try. They’re cave spawners like Apistogrammas, very hardy and usually quite inexpensive. I kept mine with 3 Discrossus filamentosus males, whichI later rehomed, as I was unable to locate any females.
I was tempted instead of Poecilocharax. Crenuchus were available earlier in the year, but I doubt I'll be successful finding them right now.
 

Mazan

Active Member
Messages
281
Cardinal tetras. Sold out everywhere.
Haha, here I could get them almost any time, but as for all the other species on your list I have never seen them here (Except I did nearly get ruby tetras once but they didn't make I through the shop's quarantine). Its supposed to be the season for Amazon fish the next few months so I am keeping my eyes open!

I have bad experience with Otocinclus
Here they have the reputation of being very hardy and easy to keep, probably as they don't have so far to travel before arriving at the shops?.
Same with neon tetras.
 

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
Here they have the reputation of being very hardy and easy to keep, probably as they don't have so far to travel before arriving at the shops?.
Same with neon tetras.
Both species are caugh basically "around the corner" from you. They are on a 2-4 week journey when shipped to Europe, though. That of course includes stops at holding facilities in Brazil and at the importers and wholesalers over here. And in those 2-4 weeks Otocinclus rarely to never get any food. They are basically starved half to death when they arrive at the retailer.
 

rasmusW

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
455
Have you thought of hyphessobrycon metae?
I have never seen them in real life by they look good in pictures.

-r
 

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
They look very close to H. herbertaxelrodi. Rather leaning towards H. amapaensis.
 

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
So many nice tetras to choose from!
That's becoming a problem. We'll see.

It's 3 and a half hours until I have to have the fish bagged and ready for transport. I'll give a report as soon as I'm back from the store. Wish me luck. I haven't done this in a while.
 

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
I ended up taking a group of Hemigrammus filamentosus.

The Dicrossus made me run for my money. The first one was caught and bagged within 5 minutes. The other one took 40 minutes and taking out ALL wood from the tank.
 
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MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
I feel like such a newbie when that happens. Glad I’m not the only one!
Yeah, not only you. But it finally worked out.

I got some glimpes behind the scenes. I have never seen such big UV sterilizers. o_O

They put the cichlids on the drip and they will be moving (or likely are already in as I write this) a 400 Liter planted display tank. I'll be going there next week and take some pictures.
 

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
Also just as a tease. The dwarf cichlids they had:
A. panduro, A. agassizii "Tefe", A. borellii "opal", A. bitaeniata, A. trifasciata, A. macmasteri, at least 4 different domestic Apistos, Nannacara anomala, Laetacara dorsigera, Ivanacara adoteka, Dicrossus filamentosus, Crenicichla compressiceps (I was tempted!)
 

Mazan

Active Member
Messages
281
I ended up taking a group of Hemigrammus filamentosus
Very nice - I had to look those up...
The Dicrossus made me run for my money. The first one was caught and bagged within 5 minutes. The other one took 40 minutes and taking out ALL wood from the tank.
Same when I moved my Copellas to the bigger tank - got most of them fairly quickly but just couldn't catch the last two until I had taken everything and nearly all of the water out.
I love crenicichla, it's a pity we don't see enough of them
Yes, I would love to get Crenicichla compressiceps or another of the smaller ones. Only ever seen the big ones for sale here. I would also be interested in several of these dwarf cichlids too (not all at once of course). Obviously an excellent local shop.
 

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
*sigh* aaaaand the two Dicrossus are fighting it out. The former tank boss seems to be getting the short end of the stick right now. I should have given away all but one. Now I can't do anything until monday.
 

Wazaaaa

Active Member
Messages
106
Location
France
Very nice - I had to look those up...

Same when I moved my Copellas to the bigger tank - got most of them fairly quickly but just couldn't catch the last two until I had taken everything and nearly all of the water out.

Yes, I would love to get Crenicichla compressiceps or another of the smaller ones. Only ever seen the big ones for sale here. I would also be interested in several of these dwarf cichlids too (not all at once of course). Obviously an excellent local shop.
In France we have Iktus Aqua, the owner of this youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/maratecoara which has beautiful Crenicichla but they don't sell directly online, you have to send a bank cheque
 

Mazan

Active Member
Messages
281
*sigh* aaaaand the two Dicrossus are fighting it out. The former tank boss seems to be getting the short end of the stick right now. I should have given away all but one. Now I can't do anything until monday.
Hmm cichlids....I suppose with just two the aggression could potentially be worse than with a group. But perhaps they will sort themselves out and one will learn to be subordinate. Maybe, maybe not......
 

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