[JWerner2]

Hi guys, I just signed up and am hoping I will enjoy the forum.

I have been wanting to get into Altolamprologus Compressiceps for quite some time but no one in my area had them in stock and wouldnt order them for me. Recently on a whim I stopped at a local shop I have not been to in a few years and there they were. Little guys, about 1" or just a bit more. I grabbed one and was kicking myself in the rear that I did not get another. Well after about 2 or 3 weeks went by and on the 4th of July I ventured to another shop I have not been to in awhile to find yet again some more Golden Heads! Well I got that second one!

They are roughly about the same size and have taken well to each others presence. I have been feeding them some pellets ( micro pellets and first bites to be exact ) and some frozen brine along with some dried daphnia and some crumbled dried shrimp, oh and the kids love watching them eat the OSI nibblers!.

I do weekly water changes of 25%-35% in a 75G aquarium and keep everything as far as water parameters in check 100%. These are also the only fish in the tank :thumb: !

I am wondering if anyone has any other suggestions on some great quality foods for them. So far I have always loved the Hikari brand foods but what else could I be feeding them as a good staple so they of course grow well and stay healthy?

Thanks everyone!

 

[noddy]

I would suggest you get some more goldheads, they grow very slowly and, if after a year, you find out that you have 2 males, you won't be happy. I feed all my fish new life spectrum pellets. :thumb:

 

[JWerner2]

Oh I do plan on getting some more I just take my time. I also have not bought anything from either shop in a long time so I would like to see how they do before adding others or going back to the same shop and having a end result of failure. They are both pretty respected but I don't take my chances and I don't have the privileges of having a fish room, I live in a fair sized apartment so I am forced to take my chances without using a quarantine tank.

Within the next month or so I will end up with a uneven number and donate the bad guys after I determine gender.

Any specific New Life Spectrum product I should try out? I never used them, I always had great luck with O.S.I (<--mostly Spirulina ) and Hikari but I never did Africans period so I am very open to my options. I know what I am doing should be fine but of course I just want to provide them the best.

Altolamprologus Compressiceps have been my favorite for a while and it has been a shame I could not get my hands on the sooner.

 

[MidNightCowBoy]

New Life Spectrum Cichlid Sinking pellets (they make a tiny 1mm pellet that is perfect), Hikari cichlid gold sinking pellets, suplement with occassional feedings of frozen blood worms, frozen brine or mysis shrimp.

 

[Darkside]

They really appreciate live black worms as well!

 

[JWerner2]

Thanks guys, I was told by the guy at the last shop where I purchased the latest one at to feed heavy on brine for a bit of time but I am weary of doing that. Is that true? Should I do some power feeding on brine as a staple for a short bit of time?

Mind you I do lots of water changes and keep my water straight on point.

 

[Hawks]

My Calvus LOVE Futian Freeze-Dried shrimp more than all the other foods I have ever given them. You may want to give it a try.

 

[JWerner2]

I have some freeze dried baby shrimp but they don't like that much unless I soak it and dump it in. I don't like doing that much since I am dumping in water that they have been sitting in but they seem to float to much to catch these little guys eyes yet. When I dump them in like that they kind of sink of course and then they do sometimes pick at them till they reach the surface then I need to remove it anyway.

Thanks for the suggestion, once they get a bit larger and more acclimated to the new home I will give that brand a shot!

I forgot about the black worms! I have a place on my way to work that I used to stop at to get some for my newts and other animals but they have had some kind of shortage for the last few weeks. I guess I'll have to make a stop and see whats going on. Thanks!

 

[Multies]

NLS makes smaller pellets then 1mm, those IME, are too large for 1inch comps. i like the .35mm ones.

 

[JWerner2]

NLS makes smaller pellets then 1mm, those IME, are too large for 1inch comps. i like the .35mm ones.

That is why I like the Micro Pellets by Hikari but I am wondering if they are enough.

They do like them but what the guy at the pets tore told me about using the brine shrimp as a temporary staple makes me wonder if I could find something better but on the other hand I found readings that state I should not use that item as a staple diet.

Yeah, like I said I'm sure I'm doing it right. I am new to Africans but I have done some research and study on some of them for quite some time and I always have had other fish so I'm sure I will have success. I always have :wink:

 

[Darkside]

Your comps will fare better on the hikari pellets than brine shrimp. A lot of people use NLS but its not a must, and you can always crush 1mm pellets to make them more palletable to you comps for the short term, they should grow into the 1mm pellets pretty quickly.

 

[Hoosier Tank]

Heres a tip, get a new pepper mill and put the 1mm pellets in it. At feeding time you can give it a quick twist right over the tank and grind off nice size bites for baby Altos.
Congrats on the comps!!! I feed my Calvus frozen mysis shimp and freeze dried brine shimp 'bout once a week.

 

[MidNightCowBoy]

Brine shrimp doesn't make a good staple. Your fish will benefit much more from a high quality pellet food like NLS or Hikari. Use the brine shrimp as a suplement only.

On a side note, be wary of advice you get from LFS guys. Some is good and some is not so good!

 

[JWerner2]

On a side note, be wary of advice you get from LFS guys. Some is good and some is not so good!

Trust me I know, this guy does seem up on his game however.