Birthday ideas
- Thread starter big54bob
- Start date
In my experience a 10 gallon tank is ultimately too small for a pair of kribs.
I tried it, thinking it would work, but in the end (after about a year) there just wasn't enough room for the little marital spats they tend to have. I tried it twice actually. First time my female killed my male.
The second time the pair split their batch of fry down the middle and kept to themselves on opposite ends of the tank. Then I came home one day to find the entire batch on daddy's side and the female floating in an upper corner of the tank. He'd left her barely alive and she died shortly after.
After that I learned that there was much more peace between the pair when their tank was bigger. More space for one to take a break from the other if needed. In larger tanks (at least 40gals) I could keep them virtually problem free with other cichlids or fish that occupy the bottom strata. They would spawn frequently and not too aggressively, more concerned with working together than bickering with eachother.
A 20 gallon tank is the minimum tank size I typically recommend for a pair of kribs but I suppose a 15 gal with the same footprint as a standard 20 might do. In tanks this small I wouldn't suggest cories as tankmates. They occupy the same strata and the kribs will fiercely defend it especially while spawning. Top dwelling fish would make better tankmates as they would stay more out-of-the-way.
In larger tanks you can keep them with cories, as there is more room for both the kribs and cories. I mixed both nicely in a 36" 30 gallon tank. There was chasing but no nipping. The kribs were content so long as the cories kept their distance and were satisfied with chasing them no further than the boundaries of their immediate territory. When they have fry the territory changes. They always take up the same amount of space but it moves around so that the parents rummage through the substrate while the fry follow them around picking up the food the parents kick up. In any case, with tankmates, there is little chance many or any of the fry will make it unless you intervine, if raising fry is your goal. If not you can enjoy the ease of breeding kribs, watching their tentative parental behavior and be satisfied knowing the other fish get a small but frequent supply of live snacks. lol
I tried it, thinking it would work, but in the end (after about a year) there just wasn't enough room for the little marital spats they tend to have. I tried it twice actually. First time my female killed my male.
The second time the pair split their batch of fry down the middle and kept to themselves on opposite ends of the tank. Then I came home one day to find the entire batch on daddy's side and the female floating in an upper corner of the tank. He'd left her barely alive and she died shortly after.
After that I learned that there was much more peace between the pair when their tank was bigger. More space for one to take a break from the other if needed. In larger tanks (at least 40gals) I could keep them virtually problem free with other cichlids or fish that occupy the bottom strata. They would spawn frequently and not too aggressively, more concerned with working together than bickering with eachother.
A 20 gallon tank is the minimum tank size I typically recommend for a pair of kribs but I suppose a 15 gal with the same footprint as a standard 20 might do. In tanks this small I wouldn't suggest cories as tankmates. They occupy the same strata and the kribs will fiercely defend it especially while spawning. Top dwelling fish would make better tankmates as they would stay more out-of-the-way.
In larger tanks you can keep them with cories, as there is more room for both the kribs and cories. I mixed both nicely in a 36" 30 gallon tank. There was chasing but no nipping. The kribs were content so long as the cories kept their distance and were satisfied with chasing them no further than the boundaries of their immediate territory. When they have fry the territory changes. They always take up the same amount of space but it moves around so that the parents rummage through the substrate while the fry follow them around picking up the food the parents kick up. In any case, with tankmates, there is little chance many or any of the fry will make it unless you intervine, if raising fry is your goal. If not you can enjoy the ease of breeding kribs, watching their tentative parental behavior and be satisfied knowing the other fish get a small but frequent supply of live snacks. lol
If your on top of things you may be able to keep and breed German Blue Rams. They are colorful and active. I have heard it been done, and read on this site from past threads, with success. I will run a search of things you may consider if breeding them in this size. But I do know that plenty of hiding space is required for all fish due to they are cichlids.
I would be worried about the Cories just for the fact that they may get killed during the cichlids breeding.
I would be worried about the Cories just for the fact that they may get killed during the cichlids breeding.
You might give Apisto. trifasciata a try. They stay pretty small and aren't too aggressive.
I'd be worried about keeping up with the water quality though.
Albino cories are typically either C. aeneus or C. paleatus. Both can get 3" SL and thick. And even though they would prefer higher numbers I wouldn't recommend more in a tank that size.
I'd be worried about keeping up with the water quality though.
Albino cories are typically either C. aeneus or C. paleatus. Both can get 3" SL and thick. And even though they would prefer higher numbers I wouldn't recommend more in a tank that size.
From what I been reading is that Apisto males like to have a harem. A ratio of 2:1 or 3:1 is best. At least a 20g for a 2:1 breeding group. A pair can be kept and bred in a 10g but they will have more fights and the female will be harrassed a whole lot more. Now you should have 1 hiding space per female but more is always better. Plants, terra cotta pots, rock caves are all things you should consider when setting up this aquarium. When you set up this tank be sure to include as much of what I had just mentioned as possible. Have open swimming room though. Soft water is required for breeding.
