Colourful Biotope Correct Tankmates For Leopard Bush Fish

[lloyd]

Hi i really love leopard bushfish and am planning a 4ft display tank in my living room with them. Im not sure what tankmates to add as i want them to be african riverine fish and i would ideally like some of them to match central american cichlids for colour as i my wife always moans that my tanks arent colourful enough.

I like the idea of having a shoaling fish like yellow congo tetras and then maybe a pair of small cichlids and some butterfly fish.

I cant really find any cichlid that fit the bill apart from some kribs but was wondering if there was any other cichlids anybody could think of.

Ive done a lot of reading and some people dont suggest keeping cichlids with them as they can become quite subdued so if any body has any experiances with them i would apprieciate some advice.

Thanks in advance

 

[thereverendturtle]

Try this page http/www.congofishes.net/Site/Taxa.html

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

In a 4-foot you could choose 1, 3 or 4 Leopard Bushfish without problems, up until November I had four ~10cm ones quite happy in my Rio240. I plan to move them back in there soon from my 5x2x2, as they are far more outgoing when their tankmates are calm, my speedy Barilius are not ideal tankmates but since the big spring clean in the 5-footer at the weekend the bushfish are loving the maze of bogwood tunnels (having finally done a proper scape with it rather than just let the wood settle naturally when it finally sank).


African Butterfly Fish: Perfect tankmate, you could easily do 3 or even 4, if you can break up the water surface with some floating plants.

Tetras: Yellow Tails are lovely (I used to have 12), but they are quite fiesty with each other, regularly mass jousting as they mature. I lost most of my group through jousting injuries, initially I thought my Barilius might be attacking them but I discovered otherwise. Congo Tetras are more chilled out and have lovely colours, often not seen in full glory the shops. I'd go with nine, three males and six females, which ought to get the males' display colours going, competing with each other and showing off to the girls!

Cichlids: I've combined mine with my Lionheads at times, but when breeding these cichlids are nasty, just like Kribs. My four Bushfish were so terrified of the parents last November that they would leave 1cm youngsters hop right past their mouth! I've never kept them, but A. thomasoni (African Butterfly Cichlids) are supposed to be quite chilled for cichlids, just like Keyholes, not sure if they are better in pairs or hareems (I suspect the former). Lovely colours too. Might be worth contacting "PeterClarke666" (or something similar) about the personaility of his breeding West African cichlids.

Other options: A big group (10+) of Synodontis nigriventris; African Knifefish; Silver Distichodus (possibly); Pyjama Synodontis (social catfish, but they do well in strong current, which then limits calm areas on the water surface for ABF... Hence I only have one now, did have two before my Lionheads turned psycho).

There's proably loads of other options but my brain is all mushy now, too many pancakes

 

[MBOU]

Nanochromis transvestitis
http/www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&q=pelvicachromis+transvestites&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1059&bih=607&wrapid=tlif132985831467310&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=IwdET-6hAcao8AOW4bGCCA#um=1&hl=en&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=NwdET6HeGImC8gP309GsCA&ved=0CDwQvwUoAQ&q=nanochromis+transvestitus&spell=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=cc776754a4ac551f&biw=1059&bih=607

Nichols Mothbrooder
http/fish-aqua.com/index.php?newsid=222

 

[lloyd]

Thanks for the replys. I really like the look of nichols mouth brooder, they are really stunning, im just a bit concerned about how the bushfish would take it if the cichlids breed. maybe in a four foot tank if i lay it out properly they would be ok?

I think i prefer congo tetras as apposed to yellow ones tbh.

i will definatly look into syno's but to be hoest i would prefer to keep larger type of about 5-6 inches maybe, and probably just one or two depending on the species but im not as clued up on them as i would like so i will have to look more into them if anyone has any suggestions.

thanks again for the replys