Colony Size and Issues

[Delock]

Re: Colony Size and Issues

It's all good man....we love you!

[geoff_tropheus]

Re: Colony Size and Issues

yes its all good man..we love you..

[J-WS6]

Re: Colony Size and Issues

[geoff_tropheus]

Re: Colony Size and Issues

:goodman:

[myjohnson]

Re: Colony Size and Issues

After reading this interesting post, I just increased my turnover ratio to 12x.  We will see how the fish respond in a few weeks.  I hope they color up and start being "happier" even thought Ive only had them less than a week.  I also believe that with all this internet "hype" and "theories", its best to talk to those who have had not only good experiences, but bad ones as well.  I know that my tank is not an ideal size but there really is nothing I can do about it.  I simply do not have the space to put a 6 footer.  Im trying to do the best I can with my 75.

Don't worry about the tank size. Everyone wants a bigger tank but not everyone can have one (I'm in the same shoes as you). Maybe it's just more internet hype.  Some people think that a 75g is ideal.  Check out trophs.com's poll on tank size and 80% of the posts say that a 75g works best for them.

And 20 trophs is the minimum I would keep in a 75g.  You don't need less fish you need more! I would target 25. Luis had 38 fish in a 90g and they was doing fine for him.

[geoff_tropheus]

Re: Colony Size and Issues

20 fish in a 75 gallon is what most people, when they reach the point of getting their first colony, is what they go with.

Definately tried and true, the staple housing for a colony.

[bethesdaboy]

Re: Colony Size and Issues

I have a pair of Kalambo, they just bred again.
Who wants fry?

[geoff_tropheus]

Re: Colony Size and Issues

When I first started I kept a pair of Duboisi, and 6 Red Saddles in a 55 gallon.  I also kept a Trio of Electric Yellows in there.

It worked out fine, and I produced enough babies for sale, that generated the money needed to get another 55 and 6-Dubois, and 12 Lupotas.

[myjohnson]

Re: Colony Size and Issues

Also to add to this......I have pushed the limits of what I have read in the past to be great inducers of instant death and problems with the fragile specimens we keep called Tropheus and none so far have shown to be true.

Cool now you are a man, with a....

Everyone swears that 100% water changes or anything remotely close would surely cause an instant death throughout the tank via bacteria bloom or shock of beneficial bacteria.......debunked!  Keep filtration at a level where it is great and not "enough to get by" and this would not be a problem. I have been doing 2x a week 100% water changes and sometimes more cause I get pissed that every single troph in there has to poop when they are laying on their sides so I refill a bit and then drain again.

Who ever said this?

Everyone says that NLS pellets is too much for the Tropheus to handle and will cause blockage which leads to bloat........debunked! I have gone through a 5lb bucket of NLS, 2x 1lb bags of Dainichi in about 3 months and all I have is slightly chubby trophs that are super energetic and pumping fry like they have never before! I have my lights on for a constant 8hrs a day and they are fed 6x a day.....two of those times by me and the other 4 through  a pair of Eheim feeders.

NLS is EDIT and you have fat fish, that said plez contact Delock

You always hear that Tropheus are fry killers..........debunked! My tropheus only know of one type of stripping....what happens when I come home drunk! I have had great success with letting my trophs spit in the tank and only net when it comes time to get rid of them. Then again I think this has a lot to do with the larger number in the colony.

OK, this one I will be serious on, they are, the reds and Brichards are mad killers, come by a tank i will throw a zebra fish for fun

Having Too much flow......I heard this from a few people saying that it was overkill and it probably isn't beneficial.....well seeing as though my fish have had ZERO problems with health I think I will call this a success. I have 60x circulation rate through my tank at any given time and this seems to have sparked a new personality within my colony.... their overall "attitude" when it comes to feeding amd me approaching the tank has greatly changed to the point where they are like pirhanas! These guys are like flying through the waves in the tank for the food and at times I have seen the glass lids come up some!

I would say this overkil land you have been very lucky, you will lose fish, no way around it, just from ur description someone will jump out and be on the floor. i find fish the overflows quite often.

Don't know if you been to EK's house or not but he is not joking he actually does these things....Regarding the water changes, it's all over the forums that people normally change about 30%-40% weekly. I do agree with you on the fry killing issue, I kept both reds and brichardis and they both kill fry. The 60X circulation is a little over kill but I think he has it set on a timer so it's not on all the time.

p.s. but what do I know....I'm just a noob.

[76dragon]

Re: Colony Size and Issues

I am also on the bandwagon that once your Tropheus are  acclimated, it doesn't matter what you feed them, they will eat and be happy fish. for the past month or so, I have been feeding the T's a mixture of Koi pellets, arrowana  pellets, Danichi, NLS. They don't know the difference. As much as I put in there, it is gone in a few minutes.

At the beginning, I would be very careful of what I put in there, but now, I just measure 2 capfulls of pellets and dump it in there. I do about 25-30 percent water change twice a week. I vacuum every time also, it just takes so long to empty all that water. Then I put the hose in and turn the water on until it fills up.

This is the extent to my water changes and feedings. I clean the filter about 1 every other month. It is nasssty.