My New Kribs

[tkdjr1186]

Hey all, just wanted to update on my new acquisitions. After much debating back and forth I decided to go with a Kribensis pair in my 20 gallon (soon to be 29 when petco does the $1 per gallon sale). I've got these guys in there with a school of rosy barbs and mollys (tank raised freshwater not brackish) as dither fish. Below are pics of my new friends!

 

[gregswimm]

Nice fish! Although the female looks very odd with that bump above her eyes and the bump before her tail. I would swap her for another one if you can, it could be any number of things wrong with her. You gave them good tank mates as far as I can tell, with the exception of maybe the mollys as they like a bit of salt in the water which the kirbs wont tolerate. In my experience with breeding mine for nearly 4 years, I can tell you that love wood in the tank and live plants. I found that I get the best color and more spawns out of mine when kept in a tank with dark colored wood, it also helps if the wood has natural krib-sized holes in it. I added some mopani wood to my tank which has caused my visual tannins to rise which they love. Some people don't like the tea-tint tannins give to the water, but the fish sure do; especially river dwellers like kribs. I can tell you that I could not for the life of me get my kribs to spawn until I made 3 changes to my tank; Planted it heavily, made cevaes/caves out of several pieces of wood (I started with 1 cave, now I have 7+ all made out of arranging pieces of wood), and did bi-weekly 50% water changes with R/O water (the water comes out of my tap at 8.2 ph so it's either the sudden lowering of nitrates or the sudden lowering of PH/dissolved solids). Oh ya, I also started keeping mine in a 20G L before I moved them up to a 29g

Great choice on the new cichlids, you are going to love them

 

[tkdjr1186]

Nice fish! Although the female looks very odd with that bump above her eyes and the bump before her tail. I would swap her for another one if you can, it could be any number of things wrong with her. You gave them good tank mates as far as I can tell, with the exception of maybe the mollys as they like a bit of salt in the water which the kirbs wont tolerate. In my experience with breeding mine for nearly 4 years, I can tell you that love wood in the tank and live plants. I found that I get the best color and more spawns out of mine when kept in a tank with dark colored wood, it also helps if the wood has natural krib-sized holes in it. I added some mopani wood to my tank which has caused my visual tannins to rise which they love. Some people don't like the tea-tint tannins give to the water, but the fish sure do; especially river dwellers like kribs. I can tell you that I could not for the life of me get my kribs to spawn until I made 3 changes to my tank; Planted it heavily, made cevaes/caves out of several pieces of wood (I started with 1 cave, now I have 7+ all made out of arranging pieces of wood), and did bi-weekly 50% water changes with R/O water (the water comes out of my tap at 8.2 ph so it's either the sudden lowering of nitrates or the sudden lowering of PH/dissolved solids). Oh ya, I also started keeping mine in a 20G L before I moved them up to a 29g

Great choice on the new cichlids, you are going to love them

Yeah I'm going to rehome the mollies, I know better but I tried to appease the fiancé. As far as the female she seems to be doing just fine for right now, I'll keep an eye on her, rather her be in my tank than the crowded LFS.

I'm not too concerned about them breeding as I filled this tank as I am tired of raising fry. If it happens I'll do it but breeding isn't my goal.

 

[tkdjr1186]

Nice fish! Although the female looks very odd with that bump above her eyes and the bump before her tail. I would swap her for another one if you can, it could be any number of things wrong with her. You gave them good tank mates as far as I can tell, with the exception of maybe the mollys as they like a bit of salt in the water which the kirbs wont tolerate. In my experience with breeding mine for nearly 4 years, I can tell you that love wood in the tank and live plants. I found that I get the best color and more spawns out of mine when kept in a tank with dark colored wood, it also helps if the wood has natural krib-sized holes in it. I added some mopani wood to my tank which has caused my visual tannins to rise which they love. Some people don't like the tea-tint tannins give to the water, but the fish sure do; especially river dwellers like kribs. I can tell you that I could not for the life of me get my kribs to spawn until I made 3 changes to my tank; Planted it heavily, made cevaes/caves out of several pieces of wood (I started with 1 cave, now I have 7+ all made out of arranging pieces of wood), and did bi-weekly 50% water changes with R/O water (the water comes out of my tap at 8.2 ph so it's either the sudden lowering of nitrates or the sudden lowering of PH/dissolved solids). Oh ya, I also started keeping mine in a 20G L before I moved them up to a 29g

Great choice on the new cichlids, you are going to love them

Yeah I'm going to rehome the mollies, I know better but I tried to appease the fiancé. As far as the female she seems to be doing just fine for right now, I'll keep an eye on her, rather her be in my tank than the crowded LFS.

I'm not too concerned about them breeding as I filled this tank as I am tired of raising fry. If it happens I'll do it but breeding isn't my goal.