[nugs]

Ok, so I know in the past I've asked the experts about adding and rearranging the fish I have in my 120 and 125 for the best fit. I took the advice of the majority and haven't switched anything around. Things have been fine, I've had holding females but no babies, but also no fish loss. But because of the mix of fish I have, mainly the petricola, that's to be expected. And I'm also not really concerned with spawns because in my area it's tough to get rid of tanganyikans, but I'd welcome them.

Current list:
120:
6 Paracyps, 2 or 3m, 3 or 4f
2 Caudopunks, both male I think
~6 petricola

125:
12 cyp kekese, 3m, 9f
5 c. macrops, 2m/3f
~15 petricola

So, someone locally has some F1 O. ventralis kala juvies for sale. I'd love to have some featherfins. I also have a 220 sitting on my back porch which is currently for sale, but I'd consider setting up if something including the ventralis could work somewhere in the mix. I wouldn't mind getting rid of the caudopunks and some, if not all, of the petricola. I love the petricola but I know they're harrassing and preventing any spawning going on in the tanks.

Featherfin experts give me some advice. I'd have no proiblem breaking down the 120, adding the cyps and paracyps to the 125. Then set up the 220 for the ventralis. What fish would work with them? Any advice, opinions, hate, love, etc is welcome. Thanks for reading.

aaron

edit: I guess I should also mention that I could possibly set the 220 up for these guys alone, but it'd take a lot of convincing from the wife. So basically, how well will these featherfins do with some of the other tankmates listed above? Would it be worth putting them alone in a 5' 120, a 6' 125, or a 6' 220 if they have to be alone?

 

[Longstocking]

If this was me I'd just do the feather fins and the Paracyprochromis in one tank.

They should breed and hold for you just fine if they are alone.

Synodontis typically distrupt spawning of most tang cichlids.... if you truely want to see breeding and fry they need to be moved.

 

[nugs]

If this was me I'd just do the feather fins and the Paracyprochromis in one tank.

They should breed and hold for you just fine if they are alone.

Synodontis typically distrupt spawning of most tang cichlids.... if you truely want to see breeding and fry they need to be moved.

Sarah,

You always give me advice to all my questions I infrequently ask.... and I take them into consideration, and usually follow them. So you think Paracyps and the ventralis would be fine in one tank? A 5' or 6' tank? How about the caudopunks? Maybe move them in with the cyps? What about the C. macrops, the males are so conspecific aggresive.

lol... I'm trying to justify setting up this HUGE 220 I have. But I'd also prefer to only have 2 big tanks rather than 3 big tanks.

 

[Reel North]

I have 9 WC Foai and 20 Utinta cyps. I know the paras arent leptosomas, but my foai females hang with the utinta females, and the males colour up much better now with the cyps. The cyp males occasionally chase the foai, but the male foai are a lot more active

They are in a 125, with cichlid sand substrate.

 

[nugs]

So, so far it sounds like the ventralis could work in either the 120 or 125 with cyps or paracyps? The Opthalmotilapia genus don't get quite as large as other featherfin species.

Reel North: From my keeping of my group of paracyps, although they have a similar body shape, I'd say paracyps are lazy and shy. They just kind of float around and hang upside down, right side up, backwards, etc... whatever... lazy bums The males are always brightly colored and do do their mating dance quite often, but for the most are just "chillin," but they're in an extremely peaceful and non active tank.

Say I remove the petricola out of the 125. Put all the cyps, paracyps and ventralis in the 125. Then toss the c. macrops and caudopunks and maybe some petricola in the 120. Think that'd work? Maybe toss a few comps or calvus in the 120 or 125 as well? I think I'd defnitely have to add a tough Tang into the mix with the macrops as they are little buggers, although they seem to do pretty well in the 125 with the large group of cyps and petricola. The macrops really only actively chase each other, which is what I've read about them and experienced over the last 2 years I've had them.

From the one species article on Opthalmotilapia heterodonta here on CF, it seems they're similar to ventralis, semi peaceful and more tolerant to other tankmates.

 

[Reel North]

The featherfins like peacful, lazy bum type tankmates. They get stressed easily, so the cyp/paracyp mix would be good for them. I have a 4" Cyp. Utinta male that seems to run my tank lol!!

Just realize that the potential for a cyp/paracyp cross breed does exist.

 

[noddy]

I would put the cyps, paracyp's and featherfins in the 220, Add a pair of gobies, and you have my tank. I had ventralis but switched them for foai (ventralis looked small in the tank).

 

[nugs]

Thanks for the info and advice guys and gal, I really appreciate it.

I may try the cyp/paracyp mix in the 125. Not too worried about crosses with the cyps and paracyps because they won't be leaving my tanks, hopefully they'd be eaten....

I'm waiting to hear about the age and size of the ventralis, I just know they're F1 fry at the moment. The seller asked me how many I was interested in. I was thinking 5? At $20 a piece I wouldn't want to get many more than 5. Does that sound a like a good idea to get a decent mix? If I were to come out with like 4 males and 1 female would that become a problem? I assume they're harem type breeders?

 

[noddy]

5 is no good, 2-3 males, 4-6 females is what you want. I would buy as many as I could afford, up to around 14. If you can only get 5, I wouldn't do it.

 

[nugs]

Thanks noddy. Definitely taking that into consideration now. I know ventralis aren't too common. I also know how us hobbyists are... I'll have to do some bartering