Kribensis Potential Set Up, Opinions Please?

[mattbond]

im thinking of getting a new tank around my mums, ive had kribs before and they started breeding and killing stuff (or making fish blind)

i still like them and i was thinking:

A 125 litre tank with big internal or small external filtration

breeding pair of kribs

shoal of 6-9 odessa barbs (i figure they'd be too quick for kribs?)

and im not sure what to do for clean up crew? they killed two cories last time and a kuhli so im a bit wary about what to add?

 

[africanjake]

yeah the barbs should be too quick for the kribs so it should not be a problem,
as for clean up crew the corries should normally be fine if they are given plenty of spaces to hide and are kept in a group of around 5,
possibly a small synodontis, upside down catfish could be the go.

 

[hensonc4098]

TBH, if you have a breeding pair of kribs, you don't really need a CUC. I don't know how far your babies got the last time, but after they hatch, they stay in the cave for a few days, feeding off of the egg sacks. Then they come out with their parents and go round in a shoal with the parents guarding them eating tiny bits of food off of the bottom. My fry keep the tank spotless Also, the odessa barbs should be ok, but you never know with kribs. They will chase anything that they see when they have young - sometimes even each other the daft things until they realise they're supposed to be friends I've never kept odessa barbs so I don't know how they'd fair.
Hope that helps anyway

Claire

 

[mattbond]

i was thinking maybe some talking catfish? because apparently they're ok in a community set up, only reach 6 inches, and they look a bit tougher than other cleaners? bristlenose?

 

[hensonc4098]

I don't really know much about talking catfish but I know that pim-pictus which look very similar are major fry eaters and even with very protective parents they would be able to pick them off when they got chance. Don't quote me though with talking catfish though because as I said I don't know for sure

 

[kribensis12]

Yeah, don't go with corries. Kribs in my experience( and in yours obviously) dont like corries. About the only thing you can SAFELY keep in there are Bristlenoses. You don't really need one though. The fry should take care of things. If not, kribs and mollies get along great( especially green sailfins, they have a temper. and they like algae).

 

[mattbond]

what should i do plant-wise? and would a large internal filter be ok for breeding kribs?

i was thinking maybe an eheim aquaball?

 

[hensonc4098]

Plant-wise with Kribs is pretty simple - whatever you like in your tank Although I find my Cabomba is a real favourite with my fry for it catching lots of little particles of food for them to eat. They won't dig up plants or chew them though like some cichlids will.
Internal filters are fine The fry when they come out stick to the bottom for a few days and when they start free-swimming more, they are strong enough to resist medium strengthed intakes. If you're worried about them getting sucked in though you can put a piece of fish net or something over the intake. I have a fluval 1+ in my tank and I have seen the fry deliberately swimming into the filter to feed off of stuff in the sponge and then swimming back out in intake again.
HTH
Claire

 

[mattbond]

have you bred these before by eny chance? lol

you havent got any you'd like to sell have you? lol

 

[hensonc4098]

Yes I have bred them before Could you tell?!

I have about 75 fry at the moment but they won't be ready for about a month or so.

Would be happy to sell you some if you would still be interested

Edit: Just while I think, in a month or so I may sell you my male adult Krib as my female died so I won't be breeding Kribs any more I know it is a bit more awkward to get a single female but it would be better than getting a pair from the same place as they would almost surely be brother and sister = inbreeding He is a proven dad but how that helps I'm not too sure lol

You would probably be able to get a single female from someones batch of fry and they would almost certainly pair up but it's up to you

 

[kribensis12]

Sounds good so far! Plants will not be destroyed by kribs. Just about anytihng you like will work. Caves are a MUST though. Internal filter should be fine.

 

[Christi_22]

I have a shoal of 9 Odessa's and they can be very fast when they need to be. Only thing is I have never kept Kribs, and so dont know how fast they are. or how good they would be at protecting the Fry. The Odessas spend most of their time chasing each other around in and out of the plants, they do shoal all together sometimes (which is quite stunning). They are also quite voracious eaters, and usually first to the food. They are not aggressive to other fish but are very partial to fry (no fry never survive in my tank, even with lots of plants). but I am talking about Cory/Guppy fry. I think they might manage to pick off at least some of the Krib Fry even with mum and Dad on the look out. especially if you had a fairly decent sized shoal of Odessas.

My tank is a very peaceful community tank though, so I could be completely wrong, maybe the kribs would keep them at bay

Hope this helps

 

[mattbond]

weve just got some wild kribs in at work so i can reserve a nice female from there, its gona be at least a few months before i can set it up anyways

wuld a synodontis be ok?

 

[hensonc4098]

He might have a go at your babies but I'm not sure