Keyholes

[Callum]

Thinking of buying some keyholes but I read on a website that large ones can't be kept with small tetras as they may eat them. Is this true? I've searched the forums and found not much about them. The keyholes will be kept with a shoal of smallish cardinal tetras.

Also when I go to purchase them, what do I ask for? a male and a female? or a breeding pair? etc...

 

[Colin_T]

keyholes are fine with tetras. They only get to about 3-4inches and are no more agressive than bolivian rams or flag cichlids (Aequidens curviceps).
If you can find a breeding pr and can afford them they will be fine. Otherwise just buy a couple of young. Males have longer more pointed fins and we used to look at the black spot on the back. Can't remember which one has one spot or two spots but one sex has one spot and the other has the two spots joined together. It used to be pretty acurate years ago.
If they are young fish then buy 6-10 of them and let them grow up together. When they pr off you can keep a pr and sell the rest.

 

[Callum]

How much would a breeding pair of keyholes cost? I have up to £20 to spend for the pair, I don't fancy having a shoal of them as I like to keep my tank understocked.

 

[Davo86]

Depends on the size but at work we sell them for about £3.50 each (i think?)

 

[Callum]

Update: I got the keyholes today seemed quite active in the stores tank, brought them home and they just seem to hide and the male stays still for up to 15 minutes!. I knew they could be timid, but is it normal for them to be extremely reclusive and still?

 

[Colin_T]

a lot of fish will be shy and reclusive for the first few days, especially if there is a difference between the water they came from and the water they went into.
give them a day or two to settle in and see how they look then.

 

[stang1]

Keyhole Cichlids are incredibly shy so make sure you provide plenty of plants and hiding places.
As Colin said, give them a couple of days to settle in and they should be fine. Make sure that the current in your tank isn't too powerful as they prefer minimal flow. We've just put a spray bar on our filter and they are a lot more active. Also, they prefer a temperature of about 22-25C.

 

[brett174]

I bought a pair of keyholes yesterday, and they dont seem shy at all. Within an hour they were quite happily swimming around the tank. They are being chased a bit by my boliviam ram, but hopefully that wont last.

 

[Callum]

Wow, mine are still hiding in the plants except when feeding time comes lol. Unfortunately If im within 1.5 metres of the tank they'l shoot back in the plants

 

[Colin_T]

is your water quality ok?
poor water quality will cause the fish to be timid or stressed. Also if the tank doesn't have a backing or many ornaments, plants, etc they could be stressed by that.

 

[Callum]

Water quality is excellent, the tank doesn't have a background but has lots of fake plants and hiding spots.

Update: Today the keyholes are becoming more active

 

[Colin_T]

put a backing on the tank and it will make all the fish feel more comfortable.

 

[Callum]

I would add the background but I only have the lights on 3 hours a day, (fake plants), and the background makes it hard to see the fish. The tank is placed about 5-7cm from the wall so the wall is sort of the background.