What can I keep with Kribensis ????????

[Jim in Michiana]

I would like to start up a 55g tank with Kribensis........ Do you keep them in a group? or in pairs ? or a single pair ? What other fish would make suitable tankmates ? I kinda want to do the rock/slate cave look...... Do you put plants in the tank with cichlids ???? I have experience with SW and tropicals (community tank), but not with cichlids. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, Jim

 

[Pittbull]

A breeding pair of Kribs will take over one side of your 55gal when they are guarding fry you may be able to get away with two pair in a 55gal one pair for each side as long as you provide plenty of rocky, cave retreats..

Plants will look good in a Krib tank so i would do some plants maybe anubias nana some swords and some vals..

As for other fish i would incorporate a colony of top water to mid water fishes like preacox rainbow fish or zebra danios they pretty much stay out the way of the Kribs but do remember when the Kribs breed anything bottom dweller will take a beating from a pair of Kribs..

Fry care will be excellent til the parents begin to breed again so you would have to do a removal of fry or juvies when that time arises if not they will be killed by their parents..

 

[DSR]

I have a mated pair of kribs in a 29. In the tank with them I have four corys one gourami, 6 platys and three zebras. They typically do well together. however, during spawning all hell breaks loose and the kribs really push every other fish to to the side of the tank.

I would be afraid of having to pair in a 55... I could see territorial issues even with a tank that size. Just because you want them to be on opposite sides of the tank does not mean that they both wont want that one perfect cave right in the middle, lol.

 

[ppetropulo]

I've been wanting some too. I have 4 cockatoo cichlids in a 75 gallon right now, and was really hoping they might be ok with them... considering its about 5 feet long, its seems like they would have enough turf.