Mixing Sandsifters?

[JimmyTheFish]

Hello,

I have a 6'x2'x2' Tang community tank going at the moment. It has extensive rock work along the back coming about 1/3 of the way towards the front and extends probably 4 - 4.5 feet along the length of the tank tappering towards the opposite corner. It has quite a bit of open space as I have 12 cyps in the tank and thus quite a bit of open sand which I use for substrate. I have 6 (1m, 5f) Ectodus decampsii which, I have in a 4ft tank which I will be adding soon. My question is, can I also add 6 Callochromis pleurospilus down the track. There are some 3 cm fry available near me atm and I can set them up in a grow out for a few months and then add them later on. I have read the species profile and the short article on their biology and I realise they can be quite boisterous so I was wondering if this will this work? Any comments or personal experiences keeping either decampsii or pleurospilus would be greatly appreciated.

Regards

James.

[EC]

Any comments or personal experiences keeping either decampsii or pleurospilus would be greatly appreciated.

Pleurospilus are much more aggressive but they can live together if the sandy zone is large because Ectodus are very robust (not other callochromis species that are too aggressive). Pleurospilus nest are very small and used only during spawning time so ectodus can use it and enlarge to build his own nest. Pleurospilus can eat eggs during Ectodus spawning and surely eat all the fry. Pleurospilus are my favourite tanga for shape and colours but I think for Ectodus is better some Xenotilapia species. A biparental like flavipinnis is dominant on Ectodus but don't harrass like callos.

Ciao Enrico

[Thomas Andersen]

Like Enrico I think Callochromis pleurospilus will be too much for Ectodus descampsii in the long term; especially the females may get a hard time finding peace from the C. pleurospilus males.

All the best, Thomas

[JimmyTheFish]

Thanks for your helps Thomas and Enrico. I figured that would be the case, but just wanted to check to be sure.

Cheers

James.

[JimmyTheFish]

Hi Thomas and Enrico,

Just to pick your brains a little further, would E. melogenys and E. decampsii be suitable cohabitants in my tank?

Cheers

James

[EC]

Hi Thomas and Enrico,

Just to pick your brains a little further, would E. melogenys and E. decampsii be suitable cohabitants in my tank?

Cheers

James

I've never had this combination....., I don't know. Either build nests and occupie the same zone. Melanogenys are quite stressable but Ectodus are not so aggressive and when they fight there's only a little contact between males without injures or deaths. In melanogenys there's not contact between males but they stop on the boarder of the nest. Perhaps is better ochrogenys or a biparental like flavipinnis that are less stressable than melanogenys.

Ciao Enrico

[Thomas Andersen]

I agree with Enrico - I have not tried this combination either, but both dig nests and occupy the exact same area, and I'm quite certain that the Ectodus would be way too dominant.

What species of sand-dwellers are available in your area? That might help us finding some suitable tankmates for your Ectodus

All the best, Thomas

[JimmyTheFish]

Hi Thomas

There are a few species available in my area
Callochromis macrops (ndole bay)
Callochromis pleurospilus
Enantiopus melanogenys
Xenotilapia spilopterus

I'm trying to see if I can find any Xenotilapia flavipinnis kekese, but that could be wishful thinking. Thats about all that has come up in the last year or so. Not too much available in Australia these days and when rare stuff comes available they are super expensive. I don't want to get rid of my Ectodus cause they are awesome fish and there are only 3 breeding groups that I know of in all of Western Australia and I have one. I'm breeding them so there will be more available. I would just like another sandsifter thats going to utilise the other part of the tank they aren't using, but I don't want to get anything thats gonna create problems. I'll just leave well enough alone before that.

Thanks for your input.

James.

[Thomas Andersen]

No need to get rid of your Ectodus, these are interesting and stunning fishes

Xenotilapia spiloptera would be good tankmates for your Ectodus (actually I hoped these were available in your area when I asked ). They will properly stick to the rocky part of your tank, while the Ectodus will occupy the open sand. X. spiloptera is a bi-parental mouthbrooder which doesn't build nests, but will stake out a small territory near some rocks to spawn, so they will not collide with the Ectodus during spawning

You will have two interesting reproduction strategies represented in your tank: maternal mouthbrooding with beautiful displaying and nestbuilding males, and bi-parental mouthbrooding with a fascinating prolonged period of broodcare - that's not bad at all!

All the best, Thomas

[JimmyTheFish]

G'day Thomas,

Good news, I was finally able to get a hold of 6 Xenotilapia flavipinnis 'Nyanza Lac' and they should be arriving next week. I've been doing my home work and trying to research the reproductive biology and there doesn't seem to be that much info pertaining to breeding them. I assume that the articles about breeding some of the the other biparental mouthbrooding Xenos such as spilopterus would be close enough to follow as a guide? Also, I am having a great time with my Ectodus decampsii. They are producing a lot of young. I have 60-70 fry from 4 mouthfuls and have 2 more mouthfuls as of this week. Thanks for all your help and fantastic advice/info.

Regards

James.

[Thomas Andersen]

Hallo James,

nice fishes you are purchasing. X. flavipinnis from Nyanza Lac is one of my personal favourites. I have kept them on several occasions, and I always seems to come back to them.

I’m actually preparing an article on X. flavipinnis, I hope I can have it ready before Christmas. Until then you can use the article on X. spiloptera http://www.cichlidae.info/article.php?id=21 - if you haven’t read it all ready

Congrats on your Ectodus fry – its amazing how they look like their parents, here is one on 1.5 cm’s



All the best, Thomas

[JimmyTheFish]

Hi Thomas,

I'll be keeping an eye out for your article on X. flavipinnis, if its anything like the others you have written I should have all the info I'll ever need. I did enjoy your article on the E. decampsii.

My Nyanza Lac's came the other day. They are only about 4-5 cm, but are already showing some fantastic colouration. To say the least, I am very pleased with them and can't wait to get them in my display tank once I have finshed a 4 week quarantine period. I may have a new favorite fish!

That's a great shot of the E. decampsii fry. It looks exactly like the 70 odd I am raising at the moment. Boy, once you get them going they don't stop. I have another 4 mouthfuls which are about 1/2 through their brooding duration. Not sure what I'm going to do with all of them. A lot of people miss the beauty of them. I reckon they easily rival the Cyathopharynx group as the male is colourful all the time and is much more diligent at keeping his pit nest than they are from previous experience.

Thanks again for all your great advice. This forum is a fantastic resource.

Cheers

James.