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I posted this in another forum, and I thought it would be good to put it here as well. If anyone else has anything to add please post here as well.
Thanks to all who contribute....
Geoff
Why are Tropheus Hard to Keep??
I guess mostly it would depend on what kind of cichlid experience you have been keeping as to whether Tropheus would be hard or not.
I think most people think Tropheus are hard is because not a lot of people keep them, and it can be difficult to find good and proper information on them. There are lots of myths out there that have been busted for years, but many still propagate them, and others just have come to accept them as truths.
Tropheus are not so difficult to keep if you get into a routine of the following and stick to it.
1. Water Quality - Water has to be as fresh, clean, and oxygenated as possible.
A. You achieve this with the best filtration you can afford, lots of water movement, and weekly 30%-50% or bi-weekly 50-70% water changes. You have got to stay dedicated to the water changes. The water needs to be a pH of 7.5 or better, hard water GH = 10-12dh, KH = 12-20dH, Ammonia and Nitrite = 0, and Nitrates as absolutely as low as possible prefer less than 20ppm and not to exceed 60ppm
B. Filtration Turnover - 7-10X of tank volume is using canisters, and HOB filters. 4-5X overflow/pumping rate if using a Wet Dry Filtration. Wet Dry Filtration is the most preferred
C. High Oxygen Content - Lots of surface agitation, be sure to have any canister or pump returns aimed at the surface to have as much as possible surface agitation. You can also add power heads to do the same.
2. Proper Tank Size
A. 4ft Tank - Start with a 55 gallon use 12-14 fish, and then add 1 fish per 6 gallons above that. So, if you have a 90 gallon aquarium, if you follow everything in step 1, you can keep about 20-22 adult fish with no problem.
B. 6ft Tank - Follow everything in Step 1, and keep up to 20 fish per 60 gallons max. So, a 125 gallon fish tank can keep 40 fish with no problem.
I think the best setups are a 125 gallon with about 30-35 fish, and a 75 gallon with 18-20 fish.
3. Proper Diet
Once of the biggest debates out there but this is what I have learned and recommend
A. Get the same food the vendor selling you the fish has them eating. This way you know for certain that the fish you are getting are not eating your food because they don’t like it or not accustomed to eating ti.
B. Once the fish are comfortable and eating for 2-weeks, then slowly over the next 2-weeks acclimate them to eating the food you want to feed them by blending it in. This food needs to be a High Quality Flake Food with high spirulina content, and or a highly digestible pellet food.
There are lots of good flake foods out there, too many to list. I have been using Aquarian Tropical Flake Food for over 8 years and the fish love it.
For pellet foods, I have tried lots of them, but you will find most people will recommend New Life Spectrum Cichlid Formula - 1mm pellet size. Other pellet foods that lots of people use with lots of success are Hikari Cichlid Excel - Mini Pellet Size, Dainichi Veggie Deluxe, and Dainichi Veggie FX - baby pellet size. These are the only 4 pellet foods I would recommend to use. I use New Life Spectrum for the past 2 years with lots of success.
4. Acquire the Best Stock Possible
Ask people with experience and read reviews of retailers. Go and see the breeding stock in person whenever possible, and demand pictures every time you buy. If they wont send a pic, then there is more likely some shady stuff going on and I'd recommend to stay away.
5. Keep Stress minimized
Do this by getting the best shipping method (direct flights, overnight delivery etc..) Proper acclimation when they arrive, proper tank decoration, and purchasing the correct group size for which species of them you are keeping.
6. Never stop asking questions about them, and never stop learning about them.
Share your questions in forums, and share your experiences good and bad to help everyone.
The fish deserve the best care we can give them, they did not ask to be in our homes, we did.
Best of Luck!
Geoff
Thanks to all who contribute....
Geoff
Why are Tropheus Hard to Keep??
I guess mostly it would depend on what kind of cichlid experience you have been keeping as to whether Tropheus would be hard or not.
I think most people think Tropheus are hard is because not a lot of people keep them, and it can be difficult to find good and proper information on them. There are lots of myths out there that have been busted for years, but many still propagate them, and others just have come to accept them as truths.
Tropheus are not so difficult to keep if you get into a routine of the following and stick to it.
1. Water Quality - Water has to be as fresh, clean, and oxygenated as possible.
A. You achieve this with the best filtration you can afford, lots of water movement, and weekly 30%-50% or bi-weekly 50-70% water changes. You have got to stay dedicated to the water changes. The water needs to be a pH of 7.5 or better, hard water GH = 10-12dh, KH = 12-20dH, Ammonia and Nitrite = 0, and Nitrates as absolutely as low as possible prefer less than 20ppm and not to exceed 60ppm
B. Filtration Turnover - 7-10X of tank volume is using canisters, and HOB filters. 4-5X overflow/pumping rate if using a Wet Dry Filtration. Wet Dry Filtration is the most preferred
C. High Oxygen Content - Lots of surface agitation, be sure to have any canister or pump returns aimed at the surface to have as much as possible surface agitation. You can also add power heads to do the same.
2. Proper Tank Size
A. 4ft Tank - Start with a 55 gallon use 12-14 fish, and then add 1 fish per 6 gallons above that. So, if you have a 90 gallon aquarium, if you follow everything in step 1, you can keep about 20-22 adult fish with no problem.
B. 6ft Tank - Follow everything in Step 1, and keep up to 20 fish per 60 gallons max. So, a 125 gallon fish tank can keep 40 fish with no problem.
I think the best setups are a 125 gallon with about 30-35 fish, and a 75 gallon with 18-20 fish.
3. Proper Diet
Once of the biggest debates out there but this is what I have learned and recommend
A. Get the same food the vendor selling you the fish has them eating. This way you know for certain that the fish you are getting are not eating your food because they don’t like it or not accustomed to eating ti.
B. Once the fish are comfortable and eating for 2-weeks, then slowly over the next 2-weeks acclimate them to eating the food you want to feed them by blending it in. This food needs to be a High Quality Flake Food with high spirulina content, and or a highly digestible pellet food.
There are lots of good flake foods out there, too many to list. I have been using Aquarian Tropical Flake Food for over 8 years and the fish love it.
For pellet foods, I have tried lots of them, but you will find most people will recommend New Life Spectrum Cichlid Formula - 1mm pellet size. Other pellet foods that lots of people use with lots of success are Hikari Cichlid Excel - Mini Pellet Size, Dainichi Veggie Deluxe, and Dainichi Veggie FX - baby pellet size. These are the only 4 pellet foods I would recommend to use. I use New Life Spectrum for the past 2 years with lots of success.
4. Acquire the Best Stock Possible
Ask people with experience and read reviews of retailers. Go and see the breeding stock in person whenever possible, and demand pictures every time you buy. If they wont send a pic, then there is more likely some shady stuff going on and I'd recommend to stay away.
5. Keep Stress minimized
Do this by getting the best shipping method (direct flights, overnight delivery etc..) Proper acclimation when they arrive, proper tank decoration, and purchasing the correct group size for which species of them you are keeping.
6. Never stop asking questions about them, and never stop learning about them.
Share your questions in forums, and share your experiences good and bad to help everyone.
The fish deserve the best care we can give them, they did not ask to be in our homes, we did.
Best of Luck!
Geoff
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