C. asellus and cichlids?
C. asellus and cichlids?
I'm setting up a new 29g tank, and my gf insists on stocking it with SA puffers (C. asellus). I think they're pretty cool looking myself, but I was going to start a breeding colony of archocentrus cichlids, or apistogrammas. Would these be compatible with C. asellus? Thanks.
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Myaj
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Re: C. asellus and cichlids?
Apistos, probably.. until they have fry to defend. Then they might kill your SAP's.
I kept SAP's with kribs that were breeding and it was okay, but the SAP's did take a few whacks here and there if they ventured too close to the nest. For a fish that's already always hyper and stressed, adding that element probably doesn't help them relax much
Also, if you want to breed the apistos, the SAP's will probably munch on some of the young along the way..
I kept SAP's with kribs that were breeding and it was okay, but the SAP's did take a few whacks here and there if they ventured too close to the nest. For a fish that's already always hyper and stressed, adding that element probably doesn't help them relax much
Also, if you want to breed the apistos, the SAP's will probably munch on some of the young along the way..
Re: C. asellus and cichlids?
Thanks. I'm having a surprisingly hard time finding a lot of of info on these guys. I've found several profiles, but not much mention of tankmates. Do you know if they work well with any other kinds of fish? Tetras?Myaj wrote:Apistos, probably.. until they have fry to defend. Then they might kill your SAP's.
I kept SAP's with kribs that were breeding and it was okay, but the SAP's did take a few whacks here and there if they ventured too close to the nest. For a fish that's already always hyper and stressed, adding that element probably doesn't help them relax much
Also, if you want to breed the apistos, the SAP's will probably munch on some of the young along the way..
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Myaj
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Re: C. asellus and cichlids?
They do mix with some species, but the problem you are going to run into is a 29 is really just not a suitable tank for SAP's. It can work, but they are very hyperactive, nervous fish and it doesn't give them a lot of swimming room. IMO at least.
Considering they need 15 or so gallons each, you could just barely keep two SAP's in there and still have decent water quality once they are full grown.. not to mention they wouldn't have a lot of distance swimming room, which I think is important to these guys.
Considering they need 15 or so gallons each, you could just barely keep two SAP's in there and still have decent water quality once they are full grown.. not to mention they wouldn't have a lot of distance swimming room, which I think is important to these guys.
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nmonks
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Re: C. asellus and cichlids?
I keep my SAPs in a fairly heterogeneous community tank, and find they're pretty unproblematic. While they certainly did nip at platies, Corydoras and other slow/stupid fish, they seem just fine with halfbeaks, glassfish, bleeding heart tetras, Synodontis and loaches. They also work really with C. irrubesco puffers.
That said, I agree with Myaj that 29 gallons is too little. Mine are in 180-litre system, which is a bit over 47 US gallons. They fully use up that space, even allowing for the fact the aquarium has a strong water current (an Eheim 2217 and a Fluval 104, or a bit over 8 times the volume of the tank per hour).
To get the most from SAPs, you have to get your head around the fact they're open water, riverine puffers. They aren't sitting at the bottom lurking, or rooting about among the tree roots. These are fish that swim about all day; they like a big tank, strong water movement, and at least one or two more of their own kind for company.
Cheers, Neale
That said, I agree with Myaj that 29 gallons is too little. Mine are in 180-litre system, which is a bit over 47 US gallons. They fully use up that space, even allowing for the fact the aquarium has a strong water current (an Eheim 2217 and a Fluval 104, or a bit over 8 times the volume of the tank per hour).
To get the most from SAPs, you have to get your head around the fact they're open water, riverine puffers. They aren't sitting at the bottom lurking, or rooting about among the tree roots. These are fish that swim about all day; they like a big tank, strong water movement, and at least one or two more of their own kind for company.
Cheers, Neale
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Myaj
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Re: C. asellus and cichlids?
Agreed, I should have mentioned when I had mine I started with two in a 29 and, even as young ones, they didn't have enough swimming room.
I moved them eventually to a 4ft long tank and set up a huge filter with a power jet that sent a heavy current straight down the length of the tank.. they still swam laps all day long and gave me the impression they would have liked even more room. Very, very active fish.
I moved them eventually to a 4ft long tank and set up a huge filter with a power jet that sent a heavy current straight down the length of the tank.. they still swam laps all day long and gave me the impression they would have liked even more room. Very, very active fish.