Hi folks, I'm new on here so please forgive any ignorance. Previously I've kept discus and I'm looking to make a change. I'm looking at Hypselecara Temporalis. Do I have any surprises in store for me in keeping these fish, or are their requirements pretty standard? I've got a lightly planted 150 gallon tank setup with a 40 gallon refugium/sump and continuous drip system (roughly 150 gallons per day). I typically do an additional 50 gallon water change 2-3 times a week. Temperature is kept at around 82 degrees F. I feed beefheart, frozen bloodworms, frozen brine shrimp, and some pellets. The occasional red wiggler also finds it's way into the tank.
Chocolate Cichlid Basics
- Thread starter Natimus
- Start date
Your setup sounds great, mine loved everything from peas to shrimp, and they grow quickly. The only problem that I ever had was that after my severum passed away, my chocolate seemed lonely with just some sd's. awesome fish though you won't regret getting them
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If you are doing well with Discus, the water has to be neutral or on the soft side, the water quality has to be near pristine, and the temperture has to be on the warmer lower 80s. Chocolate is not as sensitive to water chemistry or water quality as Discus, and doesn't require very warm water. Overall, chocolate are much easier to keep than Discus as long as the water is not too hard.
I am not sure how hard your water is. I tend to think that Montana and Arizona have ery hard water from deep wells so it is suitable to keep hard water cichlids like African and CA, not Amazon basin SAs.
I am not sure how hard your water is. I tend to think that Montana and Arizona have ery hard water from deep wells so it is suitable to keep hard water cichlids like African and CA, not Amazon basin SAs.
Sorry to make an off-topic note, but id never heard of Chocolate Cichlids before reading this. Google pics are beautiful though. Just read someone's characterization of them as "basically a less voracious Oscar" lol.
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welcome to the forums.i just recently started with a group of 5 chocolates,you will like them.they are easy-going,but will defend themselves.colors change with mood.your set-up sounds perfect for them.maybe add some more driftwood.but i think the plants might end up as food,or at least dug up by fish.here is pics of my 90
True. Juvenile chocolate do look like oscar with their body shape, color and posture. Their widespread distrubtion in the Amazon river basin and water reqirements also mirrow oscar. But they don't grow as big, don't eat like a pig, and more timid than oscar. Old chocolate develops a big, steep forehead. Old oscar retains the juvenile small head and big eyes. It's hard to find any old oscar not affected by HITH desease. I don't know if chocolote is suceptible to HITH as I don't own one long enough to know.
You are telling me that hard water is the problem, and that's why you went straight to RO water.
Always wanted one. I've heard they stake out a small chunk of territory and watch the surface, waiting for lunch. They can get big.
What are you getting at? There's a big difference between the treated water in my tank and the water that comes from the tap.
