9 Altolamps in a 36"x12"x12"-Change needed?

[24Tropheus]

I recently picked up 9 baby 1" or so Altolamprologus compressiceps (Gold Head). Just for now I have popped them in a 36"x12"x12" aquarium with three large bits of "Ocean rock" (bit like Texas holy rock I guess) a smattering of Coral sand and pool filter sand as substrate.
What would be a good method of raising them?
I know they are very slow growers already.
Good growth food suggestions welcome.
Temp?
pH? (I think it is 8.6 at the moment).
Any tricks to reduce aggression and promote equal growth in the group?
What else might I have to change?

Thanks in advance James
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There are no rules governing generic assignments, only opinions. BCA member 207. Try it you might like it. All the best James.

[Darkside]

Feed them a high quality food like NLS and do frequent small WCs. They do grow slowly and you probably only see minimal aggression. Sounds like a decent setup for them. Pictures?

[24Tropheus]

Thanks I guess Ocean Nutrition cichlid Omni pellets would be fine?
Prob is I get Ocean Nutrition free and have run out of free NLS
Other prob is they have only accepted live food and flake so far not pellets, weird? but then I have only had em a week.
I will try and get a photo but it is just a growing on tank (ex fry rearing tank) and hardly a thing of beauty.
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There are no rules governing generic assignments, only opinions. BCA member 207. Try it you might like it. All the best James.

[Darkside]

Have you tried pre-softening the pellets in water? This some times helps as I find that some fish don't immediately like the texture, you can also try soaking the pellets with some garlic. When my Altos are very small I put some 1mm pellets in a pepper mill and feed them the powder, they usually take it up pretty fast. Most pellets would be fine I think.

[DJRansome]

Mine were in a 36" tank and gobbled the pellets from day 1.
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125G Calvus, Caudopunctatus, J Gombe, Brevis, Leleupi, Tret, Cyp Kerenge
75G Demasoni, Labs, Cyno sp hara, Red Zebras, Syno Multipunctatus
38G Aulonocara sp stuartgranti Maleri, Syno Lucipinnis

[Afishionado]

I've got 3/4" fry growing out that eat NLS for Small Fish no problem. (Not sure the size but it's less than 1mm - probably 0.33 mm or thereabouts). I also feed them ground up Hikari Cichlid Gold pellets.

[24Tropheus]

Well they accepted Tetra Prima for the first time today. I guess soon I will have em on any food I choose but no pellets accepted yet.
I did something rather silly. I moved the rocks (not very pretty in there first locations) and one jumped out. I managed to get it back in but it is a bit sulky and the others are a bit spooked.
Looking to get em on faster growth food in the long run I think.
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There are no rules governing generic assignments, only opinions. BCA member 207. Try it you might like it. All the best James.

[24Tropheus]

Finally got a photo sorry its a bit rubbish but then so is the camera and the photographer.


Re waterchanges it is rather hard to do larger than 25% on this tank without the filters needing re priming etc. How often should I be doing em for max growth?

All the best James

[punman]

Water changes - I do 1/3 every 10 days - on about the the 10th, 20th, 30th, of the month so easy to remember.
You could do 25% weekly.
The important thing is to do it.
Nice tank - looks bigger than 36 inches long.
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90 Gallon: Tropheus Sp. Blk Kiriza
90 Gallon: Cyprichromis leptosoma Utinta, Altolamprologus compressiceps "Lufubu", Enantiopus sp. Kilesa
45 & 33 Gallon: Cyp & Tropheus grow-out tanks
Fish tanks - betcha can't have just one!

[Longstocking]

Try foods like mysis, decap brine shrimp, golden pearls...

Should help with growth rates. You might be able to keep them as a colony as they grow. I have seen a few calvus tanks kept this way and it worked out great.
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Sarah
http://www.capitalcichlids.org/

[Darkside]