Experience with nics?

[Camphilophus]

been thinking about getting some ever since I learned I could get them for $2.50 @ 2". I've never kept any, and I don't know anybody who's ever kept any. I've read the basic info about them online but I was mainly wondering how big yours have personally gotten, what size tank you keep them in, how hardy are they, what you've kept them with, their aggression, are they shy, staple foods, how long does it take them to grow to adult size and breeding size, and whether or not they're easily bred / what it takes to spawn them. I planned on getting 4-6 and growing them out in a 30gallon, keeping my first pair and getting rid of the rest. I'd then move the pair to a 55gallon for life. If you've got a picture of a nic you currently own or have owned post it up!

[hypselecara]

I tell you what I know from the experience collected by a friend of mine:
they are not perky feeding at all, need veggies although; they're more aggressive when juvie, and this decreases with age.

they have to reach 10-11 inches in tank.

[Camphilophus]

from what I've read they're reminding me of a bigger version of my honduran red points.. I can't imagine one getting 10-11", I'd imagine a male would top out at 9" and a female around 7".

[Camphilophus]

Also from my readings.. They have different color variants and the wild ones show much nicer colors. I think If I am going to do them I will research where the nicer ones are coming from and get a couple of wildcaughts from that area so I get the best looking nics.

[DarthV]

I had raised a batch from 1/2" to 4-5" and hadn't had a real pair form, but it was about to happen when I had to get rid of them. I was part of a fish rescue and I needed their tank for a fully mature adult pair (the owner had died and he had 20-30 aquariums running...all the fish needed new homes). Spawning them will need the right type of cover, as the female lays non adhesive eggs.

Not sure what size a female on its own will top out at, but I'm guessing 6" is probably pushing it. Males CAN get past the 10" mark, the male I housed temporarily was pushing 11". I had transported it in a cooler with a 12"+ jag and it wasn't much shorter. When I saw it's shape in the murky aquarium, I had thought it was a vieja genus fish because of its size. Never thought that a nic could get that large.

http://executor.hil.unb.ca/craig/images/fish/nicaraguense/nicaraguense007.jpg

[Camphilophus]

nice.. Have any pictures of your female?

[DarthV]

She hid all the time. I only had the pair for about a month until they were auctioned off.

[Camphilophus]

What did you get for them and how long did it take them to grow to that size?

[DarthV]

Is this where I'm allowed to make fun of you for not reading what I said? heheh I wasn't the original owner and I would guess that they were 7+ years old. The auction was held on behalf of the owner's widow and I have no idea how much they fetched. Some friends and I were about to do a group order from Rapps, so I wanted the tank cleared and didn't stay for the bidding. The male died 4-6 months later, but I'm not sure on the whole story of why. Not sure on the life expectancy of that species, but it's possible he was well over 7. Pretty sure he's one of the largest I've ever seen in photographs.

[Camphilophus]

Is this where I'm allowed to make fun of you for not reading what I said? heheh I wasn't the original owner and I would guess that they were 7+ years old. The auction was held on behalf of the owner's widow and I have no idea how much they fetched. Some friends and I were about to do a group order from Rapps, so I wanted the tank cleared and didn't stay for the bidding. The male died 4-6 months later, but I'm not sure on the whole story of why. Not sure on the life expectancy of that species, but it's possible he was well over 7. Pretty sure he's one of the largest I've ever seen in photographs.

I meant how long did it take you to grow yours out. You said you raised some from "1/2" to 4-5"."

[DarthV]

I think I got that batch in Sept-Oct 2004 and got rid of the last of them in March 2006. They were decently colorful, but since I hadn't had a true pair form, I was going to free up their tank for something else.

[Camphilophus]

anybody else?

[rmcder]

I had a female for awhile. Grew to about 6", very nice color(s). Dug a LOT! Pretty nasty with my other fish (she was the dominant fish in the tank); that seems to be unusual, based on what others have written in the past.