trophs and java moss

[wormboy]

I have a dream.... well, an idea at least, but I have a couple of qs, mostly relating to the use of java moss in a troph tank and a few others as well to check out first. I think I'll post the first moss Q on plantgeek as well but I'd appreciate opinions of troph keepers for their perspective.

1) Will java moss grow well at the pH needed for the maintenance of trophs?

2) Will the trophs themselves cut through the moss like a hot knife through butter?

3) If they do eat it, will it hurt their delicate tummys ?

in this thread the suggestion is made that I may be able to keep some cyps with trophs, which would add some great colour contrast and tank level interest (blue /yellow top water cyps with mid water lithophilic moliros). Therefore:

4) If I have cyps in there and they spawn, do I run a serious risk of bloat if the trophs eat some babies?

5) At the mo' my moliros are fed OSI spirulina flake exclusively. If I change to something like NLS with a higher protien content as a staple, will the prospect of bloat from dining on stray baby cyps be reduced? Also, same Q if I add in a little frozen brine (say 3 times a week)?

BTW I may change T variant to something a little more unusual so as to widen the selection for other T keepers but I havn't decided if, or if so, what yet.

Other info on related topics would be appreciated as well so feel free to diverge slightly if you feel the need.

-Mat-

[MoliroMan]

Mat...u sound like u are either really addicted to tropheus or u are getting sick of them?

I have never kept java moss in my tropheus tank because i was told they don't grow well at high pH. Tropheus will eat it with gusto but i think it is good for them and should not cause bloat.

I know people who keep cyps with their trophs with no problems. I do myself and they do make good dither fish. But i think cyps do need a few feeds of brine shrimp to condition them into breeding so u may not see as much cyps breeding if kept with tropheus..

I guess if u feed them both NLS then they will be more likely to breed. But some have found that the cyps don't like NLS. I found mine do eat it. Anyway if they don't breed then there is less risk of the trophs eating fry and getting bloat. I guess if u notice a mouthful u should quickly remove the mother and strip the fry. U have to remember that tropheus mother or dominant males do eat tropheus fry and do not get bloat so it shouldn't be a problem.

i use to feed brine shrimp daily and noticed a bit too much bloat to be a coincidence. I reduce the feedings to once a week and i found there was less bloat. But now i am feeding NLS i have not fed them anymore brine shrimp. The choice is yours.

What variant are u after? I hope u are not getting rid of your moliros! Any variants u are thinking of getting?

Dave

[wormboy]

Addicted, not sick of.

I just though the blue Cyps would contrast the red moliros well. Also I wanted something with a different body shape and swimming habit. I thought I'd put in a few Erets in as well but knew i wouldnt have a problem with their diet.

I ask about the moss beacause I had an idea in my head for a tank design that was a little different to normal. Maybe I'll just stick in a whole pile of A. nana instead.

What variant are u after? I hope u are not getting rid of your moliros! Any variants u are thinking of getting

still very much in the planning stage. We'll see how things pan out.