New Tank New Fish Woohoo

[Boxermom]

LFS people will generally tell you whatever they can to get you to buy more fish.

 

[pica_nuttalli]

but! if you can get a significantly larger tank in the next 3 months (hopefully something 18" in width for the sake of the BGK), then that 32g should be a great size tank for the calvus.

this is info from http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/a_calvus.php :

Alto. calvus is a predator, and specializes in snatching young cichlids and invertebrates from between rock crevices and rock piles. Their laterally compressed body not only helps them in avoiding detection, but permits them to go into narrow crevices, turning their bodies at odd angles if needed. Small fishes, such as juveniles and shell-dwellers, should not be kept in the same tank with this fish as the calvus may dine on them.

In the aquarium, they can be given any type of live or frozen food (except beef heart or any other food containing mammalian products). Live food is always greedily consumed. Flake food is accepted, but is usually insufficient alone to bring a female into breeding condition.

Calvus make a great addition to most any Tanganyikan community setup, barring a setup with shell dwellers. They can also be kept with many of the fishes from Lakes Malawi and Victoria, provided the latter also require a high protein diet. Mbuna are not ideal tankmates for this reason.

They make a great addition to many setups because they tend to mind their own business, but can certainly hold their own. The thick scales of "Altolamps" give them an efficient protection against attacks by fry-guarding cichlids. I have read that when attacked, they will bend their bodies so as to expose their scales to an enemy, which will easily fray the lips of an enemy when bitten.

Calvus looks particularly menacing, but is rather mild. They are not territorial and not aggressive towards other cichlids of similar size. In fact, this male will often poke his head into part of the holey rock in my tank, pretending that no one can see him because he can't see them! When introducing an "Altolamp" to your aquarium, don't be alarmed if it hides for several weeks before it becomes comfortable with its surroundings. Just be patient and ensure good water quality. Don't overfeed in your anxiety that it eat; this will only degrade water conditions and cause other cichlids in the tank to become more susceptible to Bloat.

more info (edit: http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/altolamprologus.php ):

I prefer to try to keep my water as close to the lake as possible. I do water partials of about 25% weekly and tanks full of fry I may even do 25% twice weekly. Altolamps. do not like big water changes , sudden fluctuations in PH or temperature but they do like very clean water. I like to keep a PH of around 8.8, temperature at around 76 degrees, and Carbonite hardness (KH) around 220 ppm. They are not tolerent to excesive levels of nitrate, therefor their tank should be kept free of wastes by good filtration and "vacuming" the gravel during partials. It is very easy to shock them so be patient when doing something to the water.

and now i suggest that you do some Google searching to figure out how you can keep your pricey new fishies alive. i also suggest that the next time there's a $30 fish you want, do this sort of research before buying it. if you're strapped for cash, splurge on equipment, not fish! fish die.

 

[mamafish68]

why hasnt he posted this in the AFRICAN CICHLID area yet?

 

[QuotheRaven]

I know that however if a cichlid is below 5' is not terratorial it should be ok in a ten gallon with the right conditions....By the way the Alto Calvus appears to be going to die soon anyways

And I didn't know the name of the fish and couldn't find anything about the Alto Calvus and can only get out to my LFS once a month and they only had about 4 of them.

The reason I didn't post this in African Cichlids yet is because I was attempting to make this more the tank and fish not cichlid chat.

I do do research when I know what the fish is however I wanted this fish and with limited stock of it I bought one. I will move it to the 32 gallon tank when I get a new one if it is not dead by then which I hope it is still alive "duh". I know all about the Black Ghost and it will be moved....sheesh

 

[sylvia]

Did you bother cycling that 10 gallon before adding the calvus?

 

[vancouver]

People are giving you info you need to know, and all you can do is make excuses and say ''duh''... not a great attitude.

 

[scubadoo]

OK so it wasn't the brightest thing to do, but this type of thread is all that's BAD about forums like this.
Just where do people get off slinging all this aggression around.

Most people come to sites like this for good advice and to have a forum to discuss their hobby. They do not need to come here to cop an earful from some egotistic members who feel they should "thrash" someone. Criticism and advice good - non-constructive and jingoistic responses bad.

Everybody makes mistakes FFS - admittedly some worse than others.

Its not the advice I object to, its the tone in which it's offered!

 

[Cheffi]

Trouble is that sometimes people like this just don't 'listen' to the advice given, they make excuse after excuse as to why they did what they did and why they aren't going to take the advice. Mamafish is extreeeemely knowledgable and sometimes these posters just need to be 'shocked' into understanding that what they are doing wrong is serious and to stop messing around and get serious. I think mama does this awfully well and I can totally see where she is coming from. If this guy really wants some advice hopefully he'll now sit back and reflect on whats been said and take the good advice given to him....but I doubt is somehow.

 

[QuotheRaven]

That is my issue The advice given to me was aggressive and on websites it states Alto Calvus are not aggressive. I would move the alto calvus to the 32 gallon but it does not seem the best with my other fish.
You state I have an attitude problem with sheesh and duh, perhaps have a look your post "It's obvious you NEVER research your hobby or you would have known ALTOLAMPROLOGUS CALVUS are territorial and MUST have larger then TEN GALLONS OF A CESS POOL... do us and fish a favor and look into PET ROCKS as a hobby and stop MURDERING FISH!!!" I hope the fish is alive comment and added duh to the end to show that it was pretty obvious I would rather it alive. My Black Ghost Knife fish is very small grows slowly and fits perfectly in my current tank. I am purchasing a suitable tank when I get the proper funds to do so. Obviously I apologise for not posting in the African Cichlids forum but that is a minor mistake. Now mamafish you comment on my attitude while you then continue to abuse my tank, the way I keep fish and tell me to buy pet rocks instead of going, You made a mistake and suggesting ways to fix it however it appears you more want to abuse me than help me so I will just abandon this post as The advice I recieve isn't exactly done in a cordial fashion.

And to add Cheffi I read the responses and take the advice and use it however perhaps if someone tells me I am murdering fish and give it all up isn't exactly the best advice for someone trying to right his wrongs is it?

 

[scubadoo]

Mamafish is extreeeemely knowledgable and sometimes these posters just need to be 'shocked' into understanding that what they are doing wrong is serious and to stop messing around and get serious.

HHHMMMmmm PERHAPS

I have read many of mamafish's posts and do know how knowledgable she is about fish - who knows someday I might even know a quarter of what she does.

It may just be me feeling mellow this morning, but I do find the tone a bit full on for a monday morning!

time for a couple of double espresso's - might have changed my mind by lunchtime

 

[QuotheRaven]

Cheffi I do see the more harsh you are the more it gets to your head but saying you should stop getting fish altogether isn't exactly the best advice. I get complaints about my 32 gallon which I am not adding anymore fish to. my Black Ghost Knife is quite small and will be moved to a larger tank in 2-3 months (I would not have bought one if they grew fast as I researched..yes RESEARCHED that they grow slowly.)Now this post started out asking for advice on the tank and fish and ends with me being told I murder fish and have no business keeping them and should keep pet rocks.

Thanks

 

[QuotheRaven]

My Plan
do not buy anymore fish until I get my larger tank, Move the Calvus into the 32 gallon once I get the new tank. The new tank will be purchased as soon as I can, however due to size restrictions I have to pay more money for a stand because I do not have proper stable surfaces for it without a stand so it will tank a good 2 months to get the money. Now does that seem plausable if I do proper maintanence on both the tanks.

 

[timmystood]

Do you have anywhere to put the fish (like a friend's tank) until you get to proper size tank?

 

[Cheffi]

My Plan
do not buy anymore fish until I get my larger tank, Move the Calvus into the 32 gallon once I get the new tank. The new tank will be purchased as soon as I can, however due to size restrictions I have to pay more money for a stand because I do not have proper stable surfaces for it without a stand so it will tank a good 2 months to get the money. Now does that seem plausable if I do proper maintanence on both the tanks.

I don't know anything about these fish but it seems to me you are listening to the advice and trying to sort your problems out sensibly. I am sure you will get a better response now that you are going to do the best for your fish. Good luck and please don't be afraid to ask for any help as there are plenty of people on here who will be more than happy to help you. Good luck. Oh and don't mind mamafish, she is one of the most knowledgable people on here but she takes some getting used too