17 replies to this topic

[LexAgate]

Sorry guys but yes I am posting another question, firstly no I am not trying to pi$$ you guys off!

But recently I have been looking at some rare/uncommon fish and I like them as they are quite unique, now I am used to the mbuna, hap and peacock tank but I was looking for something different as I am breeding some ngara flametails (70-90 fry) and I saw these two species...








Now I have already checked and these two bad boys are allowed into 'straya, but as you can see the colours and shapes are quite unique, I would love to get your advice on these guys about putting them in a 30 gallon/140 litre? I won't keep them to their full size but just so they can breed 2-4 times maybe just so I can spread them around the hobby as I think they are quite amazing!


Cheers fellas! Seriously thanks a lot. Keep it up guys

[LexAgate]

I'm sorry but if you are ignoring me just say and I won't post anymore! I just feel like I am annoying you guys a lot and I'm sorry I am jest very curious and well you people are really nice, and basically the closest thing I have to friends.


Cheers fellas! Seriously thanks a lot. Keep it up guys

[dicky7]

nope not ignoring you Lex ... more like the people who can help you have not seen the post yet I cant so I keep quiet

[Leigh]

Yeah mate - just give people a chance. Posting at midnight and then wondering why no one has replied by 1am is not much of an opportunity.

Just chill for a bit...all good

[Poncho]

Tank is too small mate. These fishes are not as hardy as Malawis and a bit more expensive. You'd want to do it properly - read up a bit more about how to keep them but basic set up would be 4-6 ft tank with sandy bottom and a rock pile or two in the corners. If you want to see the colours then you need to do it properly because unless treated well and conditioned properly, these fishes won't show a lot of colour and stay a plain silver colour.

They're available in the hobby already - first one is Cyathopharynx furcifer or foae and second one is Enantiopus or Xenotilapia melanogenys. I believe sandgroper is breeding the melanogenys and Cyathopharynx are importable so easy to get a hold of if you got da money

[Stormfyre]

Dont be fooled by Cyathopharynx pics. It takes a long time and effort to get them to color like that. Then when they do it is very fleeting. Then its basically over for that fish colour wise.

[Buccal]

With Malawi species, they tend to breed often at small sizes and many fry batches can be produced before the species reach larger sizes of maturity and need to be moved into larger tanks if already in a small tank,,,, this sparks controversy between Fishkeepers about appropriate tank sizes.

The two Tang species your interested in "(though possible)", will need to reach a larger maturity size to get breeding.
As poncho said, you won't see colors like your pics unless water quality and management is close to faultless.
The pics drawn of the net are usually taken at breed time at full glitter.
Having many females helps males color lock in for longer periods especially if the females spawn cycles are all at different times to one another rather than all at same time.
Two or three males competing will lock in color for longer periods also, but bigger tank at scale end is needed.

Get your dad to buy you a second hand 4x2 of gumtree, and fill it up three quarters way to be safe with silicone integrity.

[LexAgate]

Thanks all of you I will look into a 4, sorry about before I just saw that I posted that up and people were replying on other topics but I understand that all you guys aren't on all the time. But I always feel like I am pestering you guys and you might get angry or annoyed I'm just very curious! But if these guys aren't the go what else do you recommend for uniqueness? With the water I have had 1 ammonia spike in 4-5 years, but that was with angelfish and guppy, but the thing that destroyed them were the dwarf gourami one had I do virus but I bleached the tank for 2 weeks and soaked it for 5 weeks in water then re started and cycled for 3 weeks! But now I am doing around a 25-40% water change! Thanks guys I'll look for a 4 footer, I will only be getting in the next year or so, I was just trying breeding and well now I have about 70 get so I might sell them and buy the new tank! Not sure yet. But I am kinda bored of the haps mbuna and peacocks they are just not that unusual, and I want to breed something maybe that we need to bring back into the hobby! But suggest down here what you like and I'll check them out!


Cheers fellas! Seriously thanks a lot. Keep it up guys

[Redevilz]

Hey mate. Don't ever feel like your asking too many questions! After all this is a fish keeping forum and part of the reason a lot of people are on here is to help people.

Asking questions isn't stupid but making mistakes because of not asking for help is.

You don't ask you don't get

[malawiman85]

Lex,

First consider the traits you like about fish... I like predators and weird fish so thats what I keep. Sometimes I get bored and move them on if they arent predatory or weird enough.
I guess the point is, keep the fish you are passionate about.

[Buccal]

LexAgate, the actual problem is, on these forums, there aren't enough people like you,,,, the more people like you the better.
The interrelationship between beginners and experienced is what completes a forum as a whole.

A lot of fish keepers are into specific things, so many people that may like American fish or Australian natives and so on, may have nothing to add to your posts,,, but the people into the same fields as you will post when they see.

Dry goods always brings on more commune talk as it generally relates to all fish keepers.

Good water quality isn't just having no ammo spikes.
It's water chemistry that's required for tangs,,,,, low nitrates, GH levels, KH levels, element and salts additives, along with good maintenance regimes.

If you got a small tank for now, google up small Shellie's from lake Tangyanyika. (there are a lot to look at).

[LexAgate]

Lex,

First consider the traits you like about fish... I like predators and weird fish so thats what I keep. Sometimes I get bored and move them on if they arent predatory or weird enough.
I guess the point is, keep the fish you are passionate about.

Well could you tell me some of the fish that maybe you don't have? Only if you would like to.

Guys I am trying to explain this, I have a 30 gallon tank and got some ngara flametails 12 in fact, now these were all around 8-12 cm and well everyone said that wind work you need a 75 gallon thing is I'm not fully growing the fish I will breed them 1-3 times then sell them on, it was really just to get into breeding fish as I was keeping a display before with 20-25 fish (cichlids) in the 30 gallon yes I know that was I bad idea but the growth was not stunted and barely any death! So do you guys know some weird or unique fish that you could list, yes I know that it's what you like but I am wanting to breed something differential just have a look and I like pretty much anything that has colour in it, but shellies aren't my liking anything else is good! Just what you guys like, or would like because then I could breed some for you and others!


Cheers fellas! Seriously thanks a lot. Keep it up guys

[Poncho]

30 gallons is very limiting - Shellies, apistogramma, kribs are the main things that come to mind.

Maybe a pair of variabilichromis moorii - saw a couple in aquotix yesterday that caught my eye. Also check out Altolamprologus, julidochromis, chalinochromis species. Read up and see what you like then you can ask more specific questions about your plans

[LexAgate]

Take a look at these guys
http://www.tropicalf...opus-sp-kilesa/
http://www.tropicalf...omis-leptosoma/



Cheers fellas! Seriously thanks a lot. Keep it up guys

[Buccal]

If your wanting tangs.
If you want to put in smallish tank.
If you want fish that breed of a small and early age.
If you want color.
If you want to breed fish that others would want and also shops.
If you want something that's not around Perth much.

Callochromis Macrops.

You'd have to ship it here from the east I'd say.
There are a limited few that breed them. They still should be.

[sandgroper]

I keep both the Melanogenys and Kilsea what Poncho and Buccal have said is correct. I wouldn't recommend these to a beginner as they require very good water quality and maintenance especially when raising the fry. How ever these fish are so rewarding when you see them in all their glory. I call these fish the canary in the coal mine, the first sign that something is a miss there the first to drop off the perch (so to speak). If your still keen to give them a go i have some Melanogeny's growing out at the moment, so do some more research and get a bigger tank set up and we will see. 

 

cheers Steve

[LexAgate]

Well I might just wait get a bigger tank later and breed some hybrids Just kidding I would never do that!
Damn this is getting tougher than I thought

Edited by LexAgate, 10 May 2015 - 09:44 PM.

[LexAgate]

I'm just trying to explain that I am keeping 12 ngara flametails in a 30g and it is recommended 3 in a 75g, it means 3 fully grown adults in a 75 where as I am keeping, 12 ngara that are around 3-4 inches each maybe a bit bigger, these female carry around 40 fry each now I won't keep these fish for much longer as they will get to big so I am just breeding the fish spreading it round then selling the colony, I am not keeping the fish to its full size someone else can do that, but I am keeping the fish in s tank big enough for them now, so I could try to breed some trout cichlids in mine when they have just reached sexual maturity but they would out grow it quickly! So I am just going to breed these fish for a little while when they are still small, what fish do you guys want me to breed? I could get anything under $40 ea really maybe some f1 otter points!