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View Full Version : Tropheus As Accent Fish?

Greenhacker
09-05-2009, 10:14 AM
Ok I am probably going to get roasted on this one, but has any ever kept Trophs as just an accent fish in a community tank. Yes I know just about everyone says they should be in a species tank, but what if you were not interested in breeding them and didn't want their aggressive group behavior to take over the whole tank. Trust me if I had the room I would, but I am limited to one big tank and I don't want it to just have one species, so it's community or not at all. :sigh:

This is what I'm thinking; a standard 90 Gallon with lots of rock work and a small patch of sand.

1 Male Red Moliro
3 or 4 Female Red Moliro
12 Cyps Micro
12 Neolamp Similis
6 Juli Gombe

Try to be constructive in your criticism :lalala: LOL
joe_jaskot
09-05-2009, 11:15 AM
I have mixed moliros with peacocks and livebearers in the past with few problems. However, I think you are pushing the envelope too far with the cyprichromis. They are a bit too delicate to be mixed with an active fish like a tropheus. Better off mixing the cyprichromis with frontosa. LOL!
Greenhacker
09-05-2009, 11:37 AM
Frustrating the cyps are Cyprichromis microlepidotus Kilila (http://www.reservestockcichlids.com/images/P/Cyp%20mkilil2.jpg) and are to be the main focus of the tank. I would do the Trophs as the main focus, but then it would probably end up having to be a species tank. :jail:
zebra7
09-05-2009, 07:35 PM
Greenhacker, I would give one on the jumbo Cyp's a try if you are set on Cyp's, you may get lucky. Micro Killia is a expensive gamble, I'd rather be safe than sorry.
Greenhacker
09-05-2009, 08:29 PM
Very true, I wouldn't even be doing them if we weren't going to RSC.
fischfan13
09-05-2009, 08:31 PM
Very true, I wouldn't even be doing them if we weren't going to RSC.


We're going to RSC???:jaw:

Funny, but the idea of a trio or quad of Tropheus would work out better in a Mbuna tank than a Tang tank.
ValleyAquatics
09-06-2009, 03:25 AM
It sounds like it will be a beautiful setup.

My concern is also the Cyps as Anthony said, but also with the amount of Tropues you will have. The 1 male will be chasing the females and stressing them out.

Let us know if it works out. Please take some pictures also.
Afreakin
09-06-2009, 08:38 AM
I had Cyps with Mpulungu Trophs and the cyps just never reached their full potential. In fact the male died because he could never get enough food and was rather drab in color.

Like Anthony said they are big $ to try it with.

If you do try and decide to sell the Killila, I'll take them LOL :becky:
Greenhacker
09-06-2009, 09:52 AM
I had Cyps with Mpulungu Trophs and the cyps just never reached their full potential. In fact the male died because he could never get enough food and was rather drab in color.

Like Anthony said they are big $ to try it with.

If you do try and decide to sell the Killila, I'll take them LOL :becky:

Afreakin how many Trophs to Cyps did you have? I was hoping that by having smaller numbers they wouldn't be so crazy.

I was thinking that the one male would have several females to chase, but I could see how another male would give him something else to take his energy out on. I hadn't thought of it that way...

I guess that unless someone has tried this set up it may not be worth the risk. If I only got 4 or 5 Trophs then I wouldn't even be able to move them to another tank, the male would still just over power the females, so I would have to get the min 10-15 that most people suggest and then it would either have to be a Cyps or Trophs.

Well I still have a week or so to figure things out.
Afreakin
09-06-2009, 10:58 AM
I had more Trophs (12) to cyps (4)

Trophs feed aggressively which I think is a big part 0f the problem. Cyps are great feeders but they aren't as ferocious. The activity level is very different as well. All IMO.
Greenhacker
09-06-2009, 11:17 AM
No prob, that is great to know though. I will probably wait until I get up there and talk with the RSC guy and see the Cyps for myself. For the price I am hoping the parents look like his photos.
zebra7
09-06-2009, 12:57 PM
Just a head's up GreenHacker, some Killia male's aren't yellow breasted, some are solid like my picture below. Still a beautiful fish, but some people have contacted me in the past were not aware of a second color scheme. Good luck with them, they are a beautiful fish,
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v654/zebra7/IMG_1431.jpg
Greenhacker
09-06-2009, 07:49 PM
I actually have heard and seen other images like yours. Did you get yours from RSC? If so do any of them have the yellow? If not would you do them again?
zebra7
09-06-2009, 10:07 PM
I have a yellow breasted male as well Hacker, and he is from Doug's stock. I also have another group of F1's from another breeder, totally un-related. I will say out of 8 male's ( between the two breeder's ) I have only one yellow breasted male. Maybe it's just my bad luck, but I'm looking to hear from other's who also purchased fry to hear what their male's look like. Still a beautiful fish, and Yes I'd still keep them. I like anything that's uncommon, :) Keep me posted
Flareside
09-07-2009, 07:23 PM
Hack-
I think you have a long year ahead of you (at least) before you see the tiny guppy size cyps you are buying, turn into the jumbo cyps in that photo. Doug's got some awesome cyps, but your patience will be tested.

If you plan to have all these fish in one tank..... I think it would be a safer bet to grow the cyps out in a different set up for now
Tito
09-08-2009, 08:06 AM
I have the perfect solution for ya.

One Troph. Yup - that's a safe accent troph for the tank.
Greenhacker
09-08-2009, 08:30 AM
I have the perfect solution for ya.

One Troph. Yup - that's a safe accent troph for the tank.

I actually wounld't mind just one if it would color up, but are you just being sarcastic. LOL

Hack-
I think you have a long year ahead of you (at least) before you see the tiny guppy size cyps you are buying, turn into the jumbo cyps in that photo. Doug's got some awesome cyps, but your patience will be tested.

If you plan to have all these fish in one tank..... I think it would be a safer bet to grow the cyps out in a different set up for now

I think that's part of the fun of Tangs, they all seem to grow very slow. I've been growing out some Similis for almost a year now and they just broke an inch. I've been wondering if I should just grow them out in a different tank until they get to a more reasonable size. Especially now that I got a hold of a 110 instead of the 90. Do you feel that length or height is more important. I have a 50 breed, 20 tall & 25's (same foot print) and a 27 Hex.

Thanks for all the great input!
Heyguy74
09-08-2009, 09:52 AM
Length is more important than height. Actually length and width we worry more about.

One tropheus should be fine. It should color up fine.
Greenhacker
09-08-2009, 01:01 PM
Nice, I had originally planed on the 50 breeder for them. That means I have a 110 that is completely open for at least 6 month or a year??? I always thought Altum Angles would be perfect in a 110, but I have never been much of a fan of angles.
Tito
09-08-2009, 09:59 PM
As stated - one troph will color up and be fine. But understand that Trophs of any variant don't have much color. Their colors are pale in comparison to malawi fish.

No - I was not being sarcastic at all. Just put one troph as an accent.
fischfan13
09-08-2009, 10:09 PM
Hmmm, I think that this Troph has some nice color...
http://tanganyika-cichlids.com/Tropheus/Tropheus_Sp_Red_Lupota_03_AD.jpg
Greenhacker
09-09-2009, 09:38 AM
Not that your partial or anything LOL.

I've always hear that you need a 6 foot tank for feather fins, but RSC states a min tank size at 55 gallons and I will be double that. Has anyone kept Ophthalmotilapia ventralis Zongwe (http://www.reservestockcichlids.com/product.php?productid=223&cat=6&page=1)or similar in a 4 foot tank. It seems that a lot of people keep Cyps with these guys and needless to say they are pretty incredible.
Greenhacker
09-10-2009, 11:50 PM
http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/8686/110gallong.jpg (http://img35.imageshack.us/i/110gallong.jpg/)

Picked up the tank last night and got a friend help me put it up on my stand. :1muah: Gota love it!
fischfan13
09-10-2009, 11:53 PM
Wow, that is an impressive globe...nice pickup.

BTW, did you know you have an empty tank next to that globe...whatta shame.
Greenhacker
09-11-2009, 12:46 AM
The globe is the wifes, but I will let her know that someone was actually able to notice it next to the empty tank. She's been complaining about priorities lately; I have no idea why...

I am thinking of doing a 3D foam background, but am a bit overwhelmed by the size of the possible undertaking.
fischfan13
09-11-2009, 12:51 AM
Why would the globe need a background?

Instead, have you thought about the possibility of making a background for the tank?
http://forums.eastcoastcichlids.org/showthread.php?t=444
Greenhacker
09-11-2009, 12:57 AM
That's exactly what I was thinking, have you seen these guys?

http://www.tmc-ltd.co.uk/aquarium/natureform-backgrounds.asp

I don't think I have the skills to pull that off, but that's what I'm aiming for.

What kind of Trophs do you post in that image?
fischfan13
09-11-2009, 07:01 AM
Red Throat Lupota.
Tito
09-11-2009, 08:33 AM
Hmmm, I think that this Troph has some nice color...
http://tanganyika-cichlids.com/Tropheus/Tropheus_Sp_Red_Lupota_03_AD.jpg

LOL Ok Bill.

Not sure about the foam background. Better do a lot of research as well ask around and see what others have to say who have tried it.
Greenhacker
09-11-2009, 09:37 AM
I hear you on that, I've been reading everything I can find online about making them. I don't personally like the round rock look, but one continuous rock wall looks pretty sweet. With this weather it's not like there is anything else to do.:sigh:
Tito
09-11-2009, 03:37 PM
Problem with most Foam Backgrounds is that they take up a lot of swimming space from your fish.
Greenhacker
09-11-2009, 08:27 PM
I am going to start a new thread in the DIY section for the background to see if anyone has tried it and what they think. I figure that if I make it wider at top and thinner at the bottom it won't have as much of an effect on space, but it does seem to rob the tank of a lot of much need room in some cases.