Tropheops tankmates

[BluEyes]

Got my Tropheops into a different tank - 20 high, lots of rocks, heavier substrate. He seems happier with lots of places to swim around. Still digs though. Oh well... *shrug*

Well, right now it's just the one Pseudotropheus Tropheops (or whatever he is, since they seem to keep changing things!), and a croaking spiny catfish.

So, what would make good tankmates?

I've read not to keep more than one Pseudotropheus male in the same tank? So, if I got a Pseudo. female (no egg spots on the anal fin, right?) would she have to be of the same species/color, or would any Pseudo. species female get along?

My g/f is really fond of Yellow Labs. Good tankmate? What about a Yellow Julie?

Melanochromis Johanni also look attractive, but I hear they're agressive? How much?

Any suggestions?

[Harry Tolen]

Wish I could help you, but this species is not my particular area of expertise. Nice to see that your tanks survived the move of a year or so ago (how long was it, exactly?).

[scholar]

20G is too small for africaaners. 50G is absolute minimum. A six footer would be fine. For sure no femalesin 20G. :)

[Molino]

I don't know whether or not other fish species would be ok, but I would advise against getting any other Tropheus. From what I have read it's best to keep Tropheus in small colonies of 10-12 or more and for that you need a large tank. If you can't accomodate that I would suggest just one, like you have now.

[Verse914]

Originally posted by Molino
I don't know whether or not other fish species would be ok, but I would advise against getting any other Tropheus. From what I have read it's best to keep Tropheus in small colonies of 10-12 or more and for that you need a large tank. If you can't accomodate that I would suggest just one, like you have now. I dont know if hes talking about Tropheus or tropheops :confused:

[BluEyes]

Originally posted by Verse914
I dont know if hes talking about Tropheus or tropheops :confused:

I'm not entirely sure either...
Here's my last thread: http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=15152
I'm pretty sure the species name is Tropheops. The genus seems to be either Pseudotropheus, or Tropheops, depending on whose classification you go by... All the references I see online put them as P. Tropheops though...

When I get home, I'll post a pic. Right now, I gotta get to class...

[BluEyes]

Here's a pic of the guy. He's about 3", not counting the tail.

Harry: Yeah, my tank (only had one at the time) made it through the move fine. Left the fish behind with other aquarists, but 99% of my plants made it okay as well. It was actually three years ago now, long enough to go through many variations in all my tanks! Someday I'll get my website updated...

[Molino]

Oops sorry for the confusion I thought you were refering to a Tropheus :confused: Anyone have an answer for him on the Tropheops?

[BluEyes]

oops, I guess I did mess up on the title...

[Glenstorm]

So are you saying that you should keep all Psuedotropheus's in colonies of 10-12 or just the tropheus species? I am confused about which is which in this thread. . .
:confused: :confused:


Originally posted by Molino
I don't know whether or not other fish species would be ok, but I would advise against getting any other Tropheus. From what I have read it's best to keep Tropheus in small colonies of 10-12 or more and for that you need a large tank. If you can't accomodate that I would suggest just one, like you have now.

[Molino]

Glenstorm: The fish he is looking for information on is Pseudotropheus tropheops. I mistakingly provided some information on Tropheus which, while still from Africa are from a different lake.

Here is a link with some limited info on Pseudotropheus tropheops (http://aquadex.info/fish/Pseudotropheus_tropheops.cfm) and here are some pictures (http://images.google.com/images?q=Pseudotropheus%20tropheops). Hope that helps a little.

[Verse914]

Hey blueyes. Do you have any more pics of him? For some reason he looks like a Iodotropheus Sprengerae to me...

[scholar]

I agree. He does not look like tropheup at all. Though he easily could be Iodotropheus Sprengerae!

All comments are still valid for both fish. The IP is much milder fish.

[BluEyes]

Here's another

[BluEyes]

and a third, but not quite as good...

Geez, I can't even find this Iodotropheus in the first three Baensch atlases, no wonder...

[Verse914]

to me, he looks like the I. Sprengerae also called "Rusty cichlid". Heres a pic that shows a male and female
http://malawimayhem.com/profile_show.php?id=196

[BluEyes]

Dang, matches the female pic almost right on. Except, my fish has egg spots on the anal fin. Isn't that clear sign of meing male? Or is the male coloration in the photo his breeding colors?

[Verse914]

egg spots doesnt all always tell the sex of a cichlid, especially on mbuna where both the males and females may have them. But Im pretty sure thats what your fish is(I. sprengerae).

[BluEyes]

Yeah, that phots made me pretty sure, too! Looks almost exactly like the ones I've taken

So these guys are more peaceful than your average Mbuna? Would that mean sticking to more peaceful tankmates, or just add more rocks?
Although, I did pick this guy (gal?) for personality, he was keeping all the other fish in the tank at the LFS shooed away from the top. Whenever anyone would come up, he'd chase them away from his spot up top near the glass. That, and when I touched my fingertip to the water, he came over and bit me... :rolleyes:
They will be eventually be getting a bigger tank (after I find a job!). Probably something custom built 36" long, but lower and more room front/back than commercial tanks and in the range of 35g or so...

[goldfries]

the title is confusing. Tropheus is from Lake Tanganyika.

the one referred to in this thread, based on the pictures, are Tropheups.

they do have similar shape. :D

[Harry Tolen]

I should have (and now in fact have) corrected the typo in the thread title. Sorry, don't know why it didn't occur to me sooner.

[demon_surfer]

lol i was confused i thought you had just spelt tropheus wrong. was going to say that is a mbuna but someone beat me too it. you have a nice looking fish there! :)