Ram-Ashwin@cs.yale.edu (Ashwin Ram) (05/05/88)
[I'm posting this on behalf of someone who doesn't have write access to this newsgroup. -- AR.] Date: Wed, 4 May 88 17:11 MDT From: MILES%USU.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU Summary: Request for advice on small Tanganyikan cichlids, preferably Julidochromis. I have a question or two about small Tanganyikan cichlids. The local pet stores just say 'Huh?' and the books don't seem to have the information that I need. If you could point me to someone who has raised these fish I would be very gratefull. I have tried to post to alt.aquaria. Our local net.god tells me that we have a one way usenet feed and he doesn't intent to change it any time soon. If you feel it is appropriate to post this to alt.aquaria, please do so. Environment: The tap water here comes from mountain springs. It is percolated thru layers of limestone. It is quite hard, slightly alkaline, and very well buffered. I am dealing with 2 tanks. One is an old Odell 100 gal (6'x 2'x 2') the other is 50 gal (4'x13"wide x 18" high.) Both have undergravel (UG) filters topped by 2" of foam topped by 3" of gravel topped by 5"-8" of large rocks. The UG filters are driven by power heads. Both have healthy growths of algae. Background: I have raised fish for 20 years (strange... I don't feel that old.) I love community tanks. Up till 6 years ago I was trying some of everything. My tanks were a great lesson in 'survival of the fittest.' My local retailer LOVED me. Six years ago, the 100 gal tank had 1 Jack Dempsey, 1 TOUGH convict cichlid, and a handfull of really MEAN (but pretty) Pseudotropheus Something_or_others. I realized that there was no chance these fish would live anything like a normal life cycle. They might breed, but it wasn't a stable situation. I was having to input massive amounts of attention (and money) to keep the tanks going. So, I decided to try to make a stable, interesting, self contained tank. I seeded my 100 gal tank with a small pleo, some coolie loaches, 6 Lamprologus brichardi's (lyretails), and 6 Julidochromis (marleri, I think.) Currently: Mixed results. The tank and the filtration system works well. All I have to do is change 10% water every 3 or 4 weeks and feed the fish. The lyretail population is stable at about 15 adults, 10 more juveniles and countless fry. The julies are a bit of a disapointment. One breeding pair appeared. A big one (4") and a smaller one (3"). Every 2-3 months, one or two fry appear and grow up to 2.5" to 3". But, tho there are always 8 to 10 of these young julies, they never pair off and breed. Sometimes, two of them seem to be interested, but the big julie always rushes in and breaks it up. Questions: I believe that I haven't had as much luck with the julies because there isn't enough room in my 100 gal tank for more than one julie territory. Are there other julies that have smaller territories? The ideal fish would be one where a pair claimed a territory about 1' square. These ideal fish would also have to be vigorous enough to claim territory away from breeding Lyretails. They would also have to like hard water. Is there a smaller julie that fits this description? My TFH books mention J ornatus, but my more reputable (and older) books don't. Does this species fit my bill? Are there other dwarf cichlids that might do better? Also, I would like to set up my 50 gal tank to be like my 100 gal tank. Obviously, lyretails would probably be too big to do this in 50 gal. Does anybody have any suggestions on SMALL (1" or less when mature) cichlids that might work? Thanks for your attention. If you have any ideas, please let me know at one of the addresses below or post to alt.aquaria. Our internet address is kind of flakey. The local name server seems to come and go... Miles Johnson Internet: MILES@USU.USU.EDU "Filter first for substance. Filter Bitnet: MILES@USU second for significance. These filters Phone: (801) 750-2415 protect against advertising." Turtle Mail: Miles Johnson -Zetetic Commentaries Utah State Univ. UMC 4410 Logan, UTAH 84322 (From David's Sling by Marc Stiegler)
dalka@ihlpg.ATT.COM (Ken Dalka) (05/09/88)
> disapointment. One breeding pair appeared. A big one (4") and > a smaller one (3"). Every 2-3 months, one or two fry appear and > grow up to 2.5" to 3". But, tho there are always 8 to 10 of > these young julies, they never pair off and breed. Sometimes, > two of them seem to be interested, but the big julie always > rushes in and breaks it up. > > Questions: I believe that I haven't had as much luck with the julies because > there isn't enough room in my 100 gal tank for more than one > julie territory. Are there other julies that have smaller > territories? The ideal fish would be one where a pair claimed > a territory about 1' square. These ideal fish would also have > to be vigorous enough to claim territory away from breeding > Lyretails. They would also have to like hard water. Is there I have had a breeding pair of Juliechromis Maleri for about the last year and half. Originally They were in a 55 gallon community tank. When I noticed that I had a group of youngsters in with them I was shocked. How could they breed with all these other fish around? So I put a tank partition in to keep all the other fish out. A few week later, after I raised the babies to a point where I could ive them away, I moved them to a 10 gallon tank. They lived there and spawned many times over a period of a few months. Eventually, it became hard to give the babies away because all my friends now had them and they weren't selling well in the pet shops I had given them to so I moved them to a 38 gallon tank along with a few other fish. Then they began breeding in there so I moved them back into the original 55 gallon. The fish in the 55 had gotten bigger and there was much more "tank pressure" from the larger fish competing for territory. But alas, my Julies are spawning again.....Does anybody know of an off switch for these fish? I am amazed that a pair of 3 1/2 inch fish can hold off 4 6 inch pseudotrophus and a handful of smaller fish. Worse yet, the opposite side of the tank has a breeding pair of Lamprologus Brichardi! At least the brichardi aren't as good at protecting their young as the Julies are. -- Ken Dalka (Bell Labs) ihnp4!ihlpg!dalka IE 2F-518 (312) 416-7437