Kribensis Cichilds

[bikerfish]

Hi All
I have just bought 2 kribensis , just fell in love with them Saw them went home done my research and could not get back quick enough to buy them , now settled in tank lovely and have made the coconut shell there home
Just wanted to say hi as not been on this part of site before
cathy

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

What size tank (diemesnions please eg. 100x30x30cm)?

What tankmates (species and numbers)?

Kribs are lovely coloured fish, but it is amazing how many people buy them and then seemed shocked when they are put into small tanks with less than robust tankmates... They are killers when (note, not "if") they breed, if tankmates cannot get away from teh bouncing brood of fry and the psychotic/protective parents!

 

[crazyforcordoras]

Are they in Alkaline, high P.H water? Thats what they need, they are african cichlids.



On another note, congrats on the new fish!

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Are they in Alkaline, high P.H water? Thats what they need, they are african cichlids.



On another note, congrats on the new fish!

Kribs originate from softish neutral pH West African waters, not any of the hard alkaline Rift Valley lakes (Malawi; Tanganyika; Victoria etc.). They are very adaptable fish, but the ratio of male and females is heavily skewed by the pH of the water they are in, alkaline water results in many more males.

 

[james_fish]

Nice little Cichlid, beautiful colours. Kept them myself in the past.

James.

 

[bikerfish]

Hi All
My tank is 180litres but it is long 39 inches depth 15 inches height 16 inches , it is a good size . I have substrate.
I have coconut shell in corner at back for them
Tank mates are
2 platys
6 guppys
5 blackwidows
12 corys
1 brn
6 kuluis

Now I am going to be told tankmates are no good for these fish

On this site I was advised keyhole cichild were an option but after looking into the Kribensis they are more peacefull. I checked them out on internet plus double checked in shop and all looked good

I put there cave at the back in corner so out of way , if they get territorial ( crap at spelling )
Not sure what my ph is as never tested

Hope this helps
Cathy

Hi Me again forgot to mention I have 1 male and 1 female
cathy

 

[SamLovesCorys]

Keyholes are way more peaceful than kribs actually, but you still shouldn't have a problem I don't think, the tank is big enough to give them space for a territory.

 

[bikerfish]

Hi when I looked into these 2 types of fish the keyholes were marked as semi aggressive and the kribensis were marked as peacefull , so who has the right information as you go to one place and they say something totally different to the last place
Who can you trust as I do not get my main info from the lfs as they are just trying to get my money and have learnt from that .
Sorry if it feels like I am having ago , but I am not, as it feels like I can do no right for doing wrong and could quiet easily at mo get rid of tank as thought it was going to be a peacefull hobby but it is the total opposite. I started keeping fish 2 years ago so fairly new still and a lot to learn but ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
cathy

 

[bikerfish]

Hi I know the tank is not big enough to stop the territory problem but there cave is out of the way in the back and in the corner and will help the problem rather than having it in the middle of the tank , This tank is over 3foot long , so not a small tank in length

cathy

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Keyholes are at the placid end of the cichlid spectrum, far more so than Kribs would be in a breeding situation. Combining the two in a tank could cause agro, which the Keyholes would lose every time, your best bet is to structure the tank with two diagonally opposed cave sites with no other possible things that could be made into a cave. Lots of furniture/plants to act as a dividing line and line of sight barrier. Something else worth mentioning is the body language differences that exist between African and (South) American fish, so the Keyholes could b making a submissive gesture that is read by the Kribs as aggressive.

As for tankmates, instantly the worries are the Corydoras and Kuhli Loaches, to less of an extent the Black Widows. Kribs are known to peck the eyes of poor innocent corydoras, while a Kuhli has no armour to protect itself (besides those tiny spikes normally hidden out of view below their eyes). Your best fish are the Platties, they are fast moving whhen they want to be and quite robust upper water dwellers that will also make decent ditherfish.

I'm happy to see Kribs put in a decent sized community tank for a change.

 

[bikerfish]

Hi I dont have keyholes , only the kribs which now I am regretting buying as I love my corries , why is it so hard to get the correct info on fish before you buy ?
cathy

 

[SchottayB]

Are they in Alkaline, high P.H water? Thats what they need, they are african cichlids.



On another note, congrats on the new fish!

Seriously?

 

[james_fish]

Like I said I've kept Kribs & I currently keep Keyhole's and can say that KH's are way more peaceful than Kribs

James.

 

[bikerfish]

Hi would it work when they have the eggs waiting to hatch , then to move there cave into a fry tank and put another coconut in its place , would that work ? and just keep repeating ?
Hopefully I have this right , they only turn into physcos ( crap speller ) when they have there eggs and worse after they have hatched , ( now they sound similar to chickens) ,
Would this plan keep my other fish safe as had most for a couple of years, except me cories
cathy If not then back to lfs for them

 

[Dazzler666]

I would suggest not as differences between tanks will be fatal for eggs and possibly result in them eating the eggs due to the change. The kribs will in my recent experiences only 'chase' your fish away and wont just 'attack' them. My pair are spawning and are chasing the fish when they get near their cave but upto now they havent attacked my other fish, including my mollie which is harrassing the hell out of them!!! Although my male krib seriously dislikes my albino plec!! .
I would just leave them and if possible just let nature take its course!!