keeping calvus or peppermint?

[prince]

hey guys

i looking to start a colony of either calvus or peppermint, just want to see which ones would you keep.

which is more easier to breed and which one's fry suvivoral rate is higher?

which is more easier to keep?

thanks

[Camo]

Hey

Well personally myself i would go for PBN as i love them. I know BN take a while to grow but to me calvus seem like they take a life time. I had a mate with a comp or calvus and he had it for over a year, still does i think and it has not grown one bit i think. I have see this before to. Umm as for keeping requirements. I have only ever kept normal BN and not calvus but all im saying is my next catfish will be PBN.

My 2 cents

Cameron

[rosco]

hey guys

i looking to start a colony of either calvus or peppermint, just want to see which ones would you keep.

which is more easier to breed and which one's fry suvivoral rate is higher?

which is more easier to keep?

thanks

I am keeping both and I am still waiting for them to breed. I have grown up some calvus from a tiny 1cm some 18 months 2 years ago and now I am starting to do it again. While slow, it is very rewarding if you are keeping fish for the long haul. I picked up some 3cm peppermint kittens around 9 months ago and they are not anywhere near breeding @ around 7cm.

Both are long term fish breeding prospects of mine and from my talking to experienced breeders both are hard to get breeding. But I think that once they start are you get your methods correct your survival rates will be very high for both.

I have spoken to a lot of people re calvus and it is slow process with those guys taking anywhere from 18 months to 2 years breeding size (depending on diet). Peppermints I have heard can take a lot longer and they may never breed. Calvus need live food like BBS and space to grow. Peppermints need space and grow a lot faster as fry. And with both water quality is essential unless they are tough

I breed bn so I can pay for my calvus and peppermint obsessions. I have not breed either but I will not stop trying it is part of the fun.

cheers

rosco

[wormboy]

I reckon that both the calvus and peps are pretty even in terms of time taken to maturity, breeding difficulty, water quality demands, survival rates, tanks demands, feeding effort etc.

I'd probably use 2 criteria for deciding.

1. Wich one takes your fancy, i.e. which one are you going to enjoy looking at the most? This is important given that both of these fish are going to be long term projects unless you spend the money and buy adults. Even then it will take some time to grow out bubs. Calvus are probably more showy 'cause the PBNs are pretty scatty (pun intended ) and you will not see them a whole lot.

2. Which ones are you going to be able to sell the easiest when you actually get them to breed? This changes depending on your local area depending on who is breeding what around you, for me its PBNs (hence my choice).

I hope this give you a bit more direction

If you want my opinion, I say go calvus. Only because you have posted this thread on a cichld forum in the cichlid area, not a catfish forum or even in the catfish area of a cichld forum.

-Mat-

[prince]

both are hard to choose, i have a 4x2x2 tank and i just want to keep them by themselves, how many calvus or PBN can i fit?

what is a good ratio between males and females for calvus and PBN?

what is the price diffeence?

do need buffer to breed calvus?

[wormboy]

A 4x2x2 would be wasted on just PBNs in my opinion. Its a good size for a display of Calvus. I cant give you anymore info on the details never having bred them before myself. Sorry

[Richard]

Hey Prince;

If you're in it for the money game then you're in it for the wrong reasons, but hey who am i to say what you should and shouldn't do .

IMO if you're looking to breed either of these "professionally" invest in a pair or trio of them atleast, save your 4x2x2 for a display tank as these fish will easily breed in 3fters or 2fters given the right food, water quality and parametres. Don't rush anything, take things as slow as possible and you'll see that miracles happen when most unexpected.

cheers; Richard

[Guest parallel]

hi Prince,

Definitly Calvus, tonight my Calvus are acting very funny. All of the females dropped their tube and fighting over the male and the male is very anxious to get jiggy with them all. LOL He is going in and out of his cave but so far nothing happen. Well fingers crossed maybe tomorrow there is at least one female hiding inside the cave.

I never seen them all swim so close to each other. The dominant female usually warn them off but tonight the smallest female seem very eager to spawn with the male. Unfortunately my two female will by relocating to a new home this weekend. Hopefully they are leaving a nice present for me before they go.

Cheers

Parallel

[oakes]

both are hard to choose, i have a 4x2x2 tank and i just want to keep them by themselves, how many calvus or PBN can i fit?

what is a good ratio between males and females for calvus and PBN?

what is the price diffeence?

do need buffer to breed calvus?

←

I have 5 calvus (2m, 3f) in a 3x2x2.

I have found that this ratio is working well. The females breed with the dominant male. The males scuffle but no real damage is done, and their growth rate seems to have increased as they both try to either maintain or attain dominance. I don’t think there would be any benefit in having a larger colony. In fact in most cases a single pair or trio will provide more than enough fry. So perhaps a 4x2x2 is a bit overboard as has been suggested. Still, will make a nice display. A large group of mature calvus is an impressive sight.

Yes you will need to buffer the water to avoid ph crashes. I maintain a ph of 8.0 – 8.2 by adding Rift Lake salts. I also add carbonate hardness generator at each water change, but I have only rain water available which makes this necessary.

I pay about $45 @ 2.5 – 3cm. Don’t know about the cats, I just have the ordinary ones.

Glenn