adult menarambo with clown loaches.......

[gregga]

Anyone keep - or vehemently oppose - keeping a school of clown loached with p. menarambo?
I currently have 7 adult menarambo in a 125. no other tankmates. Breeding the menarambo is the goal. Thoughts?

[sidguppy]

I don't see any problems

the Madagascar species are quite relaxed to other fishes.....I've kept several catfish species with them and they completely ignore those

only when they spawn they will defend their eggs wich is pretty normal by cichlid standards.
but in my experience Paretroplus have a small territory and also they are quite dumb.

a central american cichlid wouldn't have any trouble keeping a catfish from the eggs, but I have seen paretroplus just watching how a synodontis gobbled up all the eggs.....

you could also add a shoal of Bedotia madagascariensis (formerly known as B geayi)....they make a great add and the Paretropls are nice to shoaling species.

[gregga]

That's what I was hoping for...clown loaches go in tonight.....

These menarambo all are in the 6" range and have spawned twice for me, but I've yet to get free swimming fry....I also have five 3" juveniles growing out separately. Would you keep them separate or add them to the school?
I'll also try post pics this evening.

gregg

[Dan Woodland]

Adding the clown loaches may continue your "fry-less" streak if they are successful breeding. just a thought....

[sidguppy]

that is definitely true

but given the amount of intelligence by Damba's in captivity I think even a single otocinclus might be a too big challenge when it comes to avoid egg predation.......

it might be caused by the fact that they all are reared artificially.
fish reared artificially lack breeding care.

so if breeders continue to pull eggs to raise the fry; there simply will not be any dama around with maternal care

luckily, even artifial raised fish often learn the trick in the end, butr it takes a LOT of patience, cause they will likely waste a lot of spawns.

and a big speciestank.....