Nimbochromis venustus in a 55g?

A

Acer

Candiru
MFK Member
Dec 12, 2007
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Canada
Hello,

I may be getting a new tank, and will have a 55g opening up...

I fell in love with an N. venustus at my LFS a few months ago... man this thing has so much attitude and aggression, I love it!

I know they get big... this one is maybe 8" long and 3 years old. It is for sale, but "everyone loves it, but no one will buy it".

Is a 55g too small for this guy? I mean the whole tank just for him... barebottom, great filtration, whatever.

Thanks!
 
K

krzr3000

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 9, 2006
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Should be fine, might do better with a sandy bottom though. At 3 years old i don't think it will get too much bigger if at all.
 
A

Acer

Candiru
MFK Member
Dec 12, 2007
241
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Nice, that is good to hear!

I know a bigger tank would be better, but if a 55g is good to keep a healthy specimen, I will get this guy!

I'm think pool filter sand bottom, a few big rocks, maybe a chunk of driftwood.

I've only had goldfish and small tropicals, feeding this guy will be fun :D
 
N

navygirl76

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 6, 2007
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i have a full grown male venustus (he is my favorite fish!) in a 90 gallon tank all by himself. once he matured, he could no longer tolerate ANY of his tankmates (ok, he ate one) and even the pleco pissed him off lol.. while he was sick one time i had him in a 50 gallon tank for a few months, and that really made him mad! he was swimming fanatically back and forth, shaking his head, just mad as all hell at me lol..

your venustus will get big-mine is over 8 inches right now and he will probably grow a little more--i dont know if a 55 gallon will really be big enough because venustus by nature like open waters (they are really strong swimmers) and just a little rockwork so he can have a safe spot. you may need to upgrade him to a 75 gallon eventually.

just dont put any tankmates that he can cram in his mouth in the tank with him. by nature they are ambush predators and prey on and eat small fish--so youd just be setting him up to kill other fish..

they are great fish, and my favorite-i had to do alot of research on them to understand why he acted the way he did with other fish.. now mine is as happy as a peach by himself in the 90gallon
 
A

Acer

Candiru
MFK Member
Dec 12, 2007
241
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Canada
The venustus I have my eye on used to be part of a big cichlid tank at a restaurant... he is currently alone because he tries to/will kill any tankmates.

I will definitely keep him alone... I think he has enough personality and aesthetics to make a nice single-fish tank look great. The thing is, there would be no upgrade in the future most likely, so I'm hoping a 55g would be fine for at least a few years.

So a powerhead and strong filtration would be good on the tank? They definitely look like powerful swimmers that would love to bust thermometers :D

I wouldn't feed him live fish, especially not feeders... I'm a goldfish guy all the way! Plus, I don't think I'd want to see him rip apart another fish, not my thing. Pellets and frozen food is the direction I'd go...
 
K

krzr3000

Feeder Fish
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May 9, 2006
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How big/when did yours start becomming so aggro? Mine is around 5 inches, starting to turn blue...and he is still a wimp.
 
K

kay-bee

Gambusia
MFK Member
May 21, 2006
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African cichild aggression is 'relative' to that of its tankmates.

A male venustus in a peacock/'hap' set up may easily establish itself as the dominant and even a 'bully'. A male venustus reared with some metriaclima and/or melanochromis species may be on the constant-receiving end of aggression.

Then there are other variables such as established presence (or 'home team advantage', if you will). Place the solitary venustus in question into a tank ruled by full grown zebra's and it will get harassed and might end up at the bottom of the tank's pecking order if it's not killed. Place some of those same zebras in the venustus' solitary tank and the venustus will likely be the one doing the harassement (at least initially).

Lots of other factors to consider when determining how aggressive a cichlid may or will be.
 
mike dunagan

mike dunagan

Feeder Fish
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Nov 11, 2006
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yes, but in the same setup you can place a fish of the same species and get different results... May put the venustus in a setup and he dies... put another male in and get totally different results as well...
 
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