Tropheus

[Cichlid_KB]

Im really keen to get some Tropheus moorii Bulu PT "Cherry Spots" and one other species(different tanks). Are the cherry spots hard to come by? rough price for juveniles? and adults?

What should i feed? Mainly vege stuff? spiruline etc?

Should i have bloat medicine on hand?

What else should i do differently to my other malawi and tang tanks?

Other special requirements?

Wat water parameters have worked for ppl?

Water flow? Can setup waterfall or internal power filters

Any advice appreciated, may as well do it properly, save money in the long run.

KB

[Magnus]

Hi KB,

glad you are taking the plunge into Tropheus.The big plus for you already is that you are asking questions first and you are asking the right questions.Yes you should have "bloat" medicine on hand,i doubt there is a Tropheus keeper around that doesn't have some ready for use.How many fish are you planning to get?How big are the tanks you have in mind for your 2 colonies of Tropheus?When you give us this info we will be able to answer your other questions on filtration etc...

cheers

[Mazimbwe]

I am sure if you do a search on Tropheus you will get heaps of posts to look at.

I would also recomend contacting other forum members, who's tags will be in those posts, who can line you up with good stock and good advice, first hand.

You will find there are lots of different recommendations about T's...and there are many different things that work for different people.

I think the fundamentals of good Tropheus colony husbandry are;

1. have a treatment regime and medication ready...medication should be purchased B4 getting the fish...Clout has never let me down and I have never lost a Tropheus to Bloat.

2. Numbers, the more the merrier is the Tropheus way. The advice I have been given is, 15 is a safe minimum number. Lot of people have more/less with no prob's...good luck to them.

3. Water changes, I do 50% water-changes weekly in my 2 Tropheus colonys and have the tanks turning over 8(+)-times/Hr...remember circulation and filtration are not the same thing...with a Canister, hang-on & internal filter running on each tank.

4. Food, for me it is Sera Flora & nothing but Sera Flora for Tropheus...but others say different...good luck to them. Always watch the T's when they are feeding look for vigour and desperation that should be evident when you even go near the food container.

5. Routine, I feed at the same time, I do water-changes on the same day at about the same time...others will tell you different and good luck to them.

You have to take all the information that you can get/find and do what you think is right.

Do not conpare them to other Africans coz they are not the same.

HTH

[Cichlid_KB]

have the option of 4x18x19's or 6 x18x19's

Clout the best? Any other ppl use that?

How much a bottle? How many litres treat.

50% weekly ay? Wat do u add to the water u put back in?

Ill go do that search now.

KB

P.s I love ur "good luck to them" line

[Cichlid_KB]

Ok ive read all of them i could find, doesnt seem to be alot about them other than food, these are what i found

*OSI spirulina Flake

*HBH Vege Flakes

*HBH 8 Veggie FLakes

*HBH Marine Green 40

*Sera FLora Vege FLake

*HBH Veggie Wafers occasionally

*Microwaved Zucchini, cucumber be ok?

*Frozen or live brine shrimp in very small amount weekly

I am so keen to get some of these guys, i may even put them in a 6x2x2 or i do have the option of the 8x2x2. My main concern with such a large tank is if they get bloat the medicine will cost me an arm and a leg? If i feed only veges and occasional brine shrimp is it likely ill still get some cases of bloat?

Sorry for the barage of questions, but i guess thats wat a forum is for

Thats all i got atm.

[YeW]

Hi CichlidKB -

Do you have experience with other cichlids? Tropheus are msot definately not IMHO are good cichlid for new players .

[Josh]

cichlid kb

You will be lucky to find clout on this side of the country. It is around but hard to find. Dont just have it there, but get info on what dosage rates to use.

read this site

I do 30% water changes weekly. I dont feed at any special time. I always do water changes on same day( Sunday, cause i am only home one day a week).

Get good fish. Dont be tempted to get cheap fish. I would recommend you buy from a breeder. most will be more then happy to give advice.

I feed mine HBH 8 vege flake and vege wafers. Some ppl dont like the wafers but I have had no problems with mine eating them.

IMHO I think my fish prefer the longer tank. I have 24 in a six foot tank and it gives them a bit of space, and get as many as you can afford (with-in reason). I wouldnt get any less then 15.

The cause of bloat is not really known. what I mean is there's different thought's on what causes it. From what I have read, it seem to me that stress is the major factor. but poor diet/water conditions will do it aswell, but these two things would lead to stress.

You have to take all the information that you can get/find and do what you think is right.

thats so true. Theres so much info out there. read it all and then try to sort it out. If you havent kept fish before i wouldnt jump into tropheus straight up. they are fairly demanding, but are very rewarding when you get it right.

Josh

[Matthew]

G'day KB

These guys are wonderful little creatures, so active and I mean so active they never seem to rest.

The way we feed them is with OSI spirulina and HBH Vege wafers. Sometimes they get zucchini as well. Nothing else. Bore them to death with the food.

40% - 50% water changes once a week.

Medication. I don't have any but we have been lucky I suppose?

LOTS of rocks fill the rear of the tank if possible.

Filtration, heaps, as much as you can realistically put on the tank. I reckon upto 6000 lph on a trickle filter would be tolerable (6x2x2) and they would be happy with it as well.

I would try to get 15 as well, but get them either from a breeder or get F1's imported. Only purchase good fish, you will not be sorry. Time is on your side until you get them into your tank.

NB. the only other fish I have in with the tropheus is some gibbies and bristlies. I know it seems a little odd but it seems to work for us.

[Cichlid_KB]

Yer plenty of exp with other cichlids, im taking the step up, just getting everyones opinions + readings and finding what will work best for me.

KB

[TropheusQueen]

Hey hey,

Matthew has already responded with what we do, but just wanted to add that I researched extensively and spoke to Tropheus keepers prior to keeping these wonders.

I am still amazed at the success I've had but I listened well and followed exactly what I was told to do with them. Bloat? I wouldn't know what that was with tropheus (or other fish for that matter) as I haven't wavered from their regimented boring routine of flake and wafer and exceptional water conditions.

Some great advice being given here in these posts but go further afield and broaden your knowledge and with a dose of luck I am certain you will have success .

Cheers

Aline

[Mazimbwe]

P.s I love ur "good luck to them" line

No line KB...differenet things work for different people and each Tank is it's own "Animal".

What ever works for them and their fish is all good in my books...just like what I do works for me but might not be right for you. As LS says, his style is different and seems to work too.

[Cichlid_KB]

Wat about the cherry cheeks? available? prices?

KB

[phillip]

i am pretty sure there is a breeder in nsw can't remember the name sorry.

But if u find the prices a bit high i wouldn't go into them as of yet. I'd recommend starting off with easily available and cheaper tropheus species like the tropheus duboisi's once u have success with them you can hop into the others. goodluck

[parrdog]

G'day KB,

There are lots of different routines out there that work, this is what I do.

Tank: 5ft long, 20 inches wide, 24 inches high.

Fish: 25 T. moorii Mpulungu.

Plants: Val, Wisteria and Anubias (fertilised with Seachem Flourish).

Rocks: Two rockpiles of Limestone.

Substrate: Limesand.

Lights: 4 x 48 inch gro-lux tubes (8 hours a day)

Filters: 2 x Eheim 2217s (1000l/h) and 1 Via Aqua 750 (1200l/h).

Powerhead: 2000l/h.

Heaters: 2 x 300W (in winter).

Food: OSI spirulina flake twice a day and HBH vege wafers as well on the weekend.

Water changes: 50% weekly. I use a drum to store water to use for changes. The drum is aerated, heated and added with 5 teaspoons of Seachem lake salts and 18 teaspoons of Seachem Tang buffer to get it to the right parameters. The drum is 220 litres.

pH: 8.5

kH: 16

Temp: 27 degrees.

They are awesome fish and I love mine. They are easily the coolest fish I have owned. When choosing the type you want it is my opinion to pick the type you like best and go for it. If you do the work (which isn't as much as people think anyway) these fish will be fine. They are tougher than they are given credit for. Having said that it pays to have some Metronidazole on hand for the dreaded Bloat if it occurs. There is tonnes of reading on the net, as stated before do the reading and ask people with experience heaps of questions. Do your homework and you should be sweet.

Good luck and keep us posted with your progress,

Jamie.