Tropheus in a 4x18x20?

[Scarecrow]

Just wanted to find out if a colony of tropheus would work in a 4x18x20 tank? If so, what number should i go? Could i keep a red empress and placidochromis phenocillus tanzania with them?

Where can i find out the different colour variants? And finally, whats the most colourful tropheus available in aus?

[mcsx]

for me id say no, minimum in my opinion is 4x2x2, but thats still small and then id rather 5x2x2 as a minimum, they like large groups to keep aggression down, i wouldn't keep other fish with them generally they do best by themselves.

http://www.macenauer.cz/cs/download/tropheus.JPG

here's a map of locations and colours, most of which are available in Australia, either wild caught or tank bred.

Most colourful depends on personal tastes, most people would probably say, lufubu, kasaklawe, ilangi etc.

If you are serious about keeping them make sure you do your homework as they are a bit more sensitive than your average fish.

Cheers Mark~

[killiguy]

Im with mcsx.Aggression is the main issue so the bigger the population the more the aggro is shared around and the bigger the tank the more hiding species can be provided.

Tropeus are pretty manic fish and I think they are best kept alone.Poor old Haps would be very uncomfortable

Ive seen colonies that seem OK in standard 4 fters but with trophues aggression escalates with age and the killing starts

[rowie]

Thats plenty of room i used to keep a breeding colony of 49 moliro in a 4x2x2 and they bred nonstop

Probably not ideal but they wont mind aslong as you have enough to spread out the aggression

Generally as a guide i wont keep less that 7 tropheus in a colony as there just to aggressive

7+ is a good number but the more the better

I know some people on here wont agree with this but ive breed alot of different tropheus and never went bigger than 4x2x2 for them

Now that i think about it me and mick have our breeding bemba in a 3x2x2 and there happy as a pig in s#?! So i don't see why your tank wont be fine with a few tropheus

Cheers rowie

[damoq]

Thats plenty of room i used to keep a breeding colony of 49 moliro in a 4x2x2 and they bred nonstop

Probably not ideal but they wont mind aslong as you have enough to spread out the aggression

Generally as a guide i wont keep less that 7 tropheus in a colony as there just to aggressive

7+ is a good number but the more the better

I know some people on here wont agree with this but ive breed alot of different tropheus and never went bigger than 4x2x2 for them

Now that i think about it me and mick have our breeding bemba in a 3x2x2 and there happy as a pig in s#?! So i don't see why your tank wont be fine with a few tropheus

Cheers rowie

The problem with tropheus is that it may work or it may not and you wont know til its probably too late, i currently have 7 colonies of them at the moment and my smallest tank is 6x20x2 and i personally think its still too small! yes people get away with it on occasion but its not really a risk worth taking in my opinion, especially if you want a varient like ilangi or lufubu etc which are still quite expensive per fish, and then if the fish start to stress you have the very real risk of bloat which happens to 99% of tropheus keepers. There is a lot of info on the tropheus fanatics forum which you might want to check out before you get into them. On the flip side they are great fish to keep when it all goes well!!!

Hope this helps,

Damo

[Scarecrow]

Hmm, i might just stick with mbuna. Unfortunately dont have the room, or more correctly a willing wife to fit a 6x2x2 in my house.

[cooder]

So a tropheus colony could squeeze into a 4x2x2?? I am half planning a larger tank for next/end of this year, and wanted to have a 6x2x2 featherfin/sand sifter with cyps and maybe a pair of julies/altolamps (really wanna try fasciatus) for the rocks in the corner, BUT it may not be possible. a 6x2x2 setup all up weighs a tonne or more, plus the sump. on a wooden floor off the ground im not so sure..... so i might have to go smaller so my next option was tropheus.

[dogboy]

bigger is better , go with Damos advise and check tropheus fanatics forum.

having watched a colony go from a 5 foot to a 7 foot then to an 8 foot i can say they were much happier and bred better every time they moved to a bigger tank. people do get away with small colonies in small tanks but i wouldnt go less than 20 fish and 5 foot .

having said that Duboisi may work with a smaller colony in a smaller tank, they are more forgiving than other T's

[bwah]

if you want happy tropheus that show good colours, breed and dont bully themselves to death steer clear of anything less than a 4x2x2

its just not worth it otherwise..

[MarcDoyle]

I have 20 Moliro in a 4by2by2 with 3ft sump. Lots of rockwork, breed constantly, great colour, no deaths since i have had them. Wouldnt add anything else to the tank through, tried a few cyps but they got stressed out and had to be moved.

[GundamCichlid]

IMHO, the bigger the better.

By saying that, I have a colony of 10 lufubu in 3x18x18, the plan was they will be in the 3x18x18 for a few months until I got the biigger tank but it turned out they have been growing up and breeding now in the 3x18x18 for the last 24 months.

I think if you grow them up and make a few rock and never change the tank arrangement should be fine and must always keep your routine water changes to maintain good quality of water

but if space not a problem, try to get 5x18x18. I have a colony of 30 chipimbi in this size tank with no drama.

Check out more info in the tropheusfanatics and good luck with the set up

and beware of the addiction as they have very interesting attitude and behaviour :wub

[cooder]

Thanks for the advice, lol i didnt even have to start this thread....

Bigger is better, gotcha, so might not be able to get tropheus for a while. If i cant go a 6x2x2 i will go a 4x2x2 or maybe a 5x2x2 for sand sifters, as featherfins enjoy large spaces aswell.

Oh and i want red bemba tropheus and they are supposed to be one of the most aggressive of the Ts right?

[bowdy]

I would say Bemba are in the same league aggression wise as dudoisi on the bottom end of the aggression scale very placid in tropheus terms.