dmarie04
Fishaholic
I won an auction on AB for some Hemichromis lifalili. I am usually strictly a betta person, however these fish caught my eye and I just had to have them! I'd been looking around at different fish to put into my 65 gallon tank when I came across these beauties. I did some research before I bid just so I could learn a bit about them. Now that I actually won them I decided to do some more research on these guys and I am finding that all the different sites contradict each other on certain points of care for these fish. So here are my questions...
1. Some sites say the female is more red than the male, some say it's the male that is brighter than the female....which is right?
2. Some sites say that these fish will adapt to pretty much any water conditions. Other sites that I've read say that the water HAS to be soft with neutral ph. So will they adapt or not?
3. I have a common plec in the tank right now...will he be ok with the jewels?
4. I have a sand substrate. A couple sites that I read said that these jewels have to have gravel substrate...others said sand was ok...which is right?
5. I have a few live plants. Will the jewels dig them up?
6. I read that these fish need powerful filtration, but I also read that they don't like a lot of water movement. How do I filter without a lot of movement? Currently the tank is filtered with an Emperor 280 AND a Top Fin 60.
7. The auction I won is for 8 little guys just under an inch. (it was actually for 6 but 2 free ones are coming along, too) I realize that the 65 gallon won't be large enough for all of these guys once they get bigger. How many of them will I be able to keep in there, and how many will need to be put in another tank? I've read that 30 gallons should be ok for a pair...so does this mean I would only be able to keep 2 pairs in my tank?
I'm not interested in breeding right away...but I do have a couple questions about it, just in case I go down that road later...
I read that raising the water temp will entice them to breed, but I also read that doing a 1/3 water change and adding in cold water (to simulate a rainy season) will get them to breed. So which is it? Higher temp, or cold water change?
After I get a pair to pair up is it ok to still have the other fish in the tank as long as there is plenty of hiding spots? Or does the one pair get the whole 65 gallons to themselve and everyone else moves out?!
Ok, I think that's all the questions I have...I'll probably think of more once I actually get the fish in the mail. BTW here is the auction I won, http
/www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/clo...lidsw1192320164
Aren't they gorgeous?!
1. Some sites say the female is more red than the male, some say it's the male that is brighter than the female....which is right?
2. Some sites say that these fish will adapt to pretty much any water conditions. Other sites that I've read say that the water HAS to be soft with neutral ph. So will they adapt or not?
3. I have a common plec in the tank right now...will he be ok with the jewels?
4. I have a sand substrate. A couple sites that I read said that these jewels have to have gravel substrate...others said sand was ok...which is right?
5. I have a few live plants. Will the jewels dig them up?
6. I read that these fish need powerful filtration, but I also read that they don't like a lot of water movement. How do I filter without a lot of movement? Currently the tank is filtered with an Emperor 280 AND a Top Fin 60.
7. The auction I won is for 8 little guys just under an inch. (it was actually for 6 but 2 free ones are coming along, too) I realize that the 65 gallon won't be large enough for all of these guys once they get bigger. How many of them will I be able to keep in there, and how many will need to be put in another tank? I've read that 30 gallons should be ok for a pair...so does this mean I would only be able to keep 2 pairs in my tank?
I'm not interested in breeding right away...but I do have a couple questions about it, just in case I go down that road later...
I read that raising the water temp will entice them to breed, but I also read that doing a 1/3 water change and adding in cold water (to simulate a rainy season) will get them to breed. So which is it? Higher temp, or cold water change?
After I get a pair to pair up is it ok to still have the other fish in the tank as long as there is plenty of hiding spots? Or does the one pair get the whole 65 gallons to themselve and everyone else moves out?!
Ok, I think that's all the questions I have...I'll probably think of more once I actually get the fish in the mail. BTW here is the auction I won, http
/www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/clo...lidsw1192320164 Aren't they gorgeous?!
