ExCichlasoma Beani

[Rachel.Cody]

So I'm really thinking about selling my motoro grow out and buying a group of beani. Looking to get some solid info from members who have kept or researched them. The tank is a 75g and they would have it to themselves. Currently the tank is setup with sand and a center driftwood piece but I could set it up with many rocks for hiding and what not. One of my LFS owners contacted me about them. He said he has at least 8 ATM and they're around 2". I really want to get a pair out of them because these are the only ones I've seen around and it would be nice to breed them. I was thinking of getting 4 and letting them growout until I can sex or until two pair off (as long as I have at least 1M and 1F.) Now I've heard they can stress out and get bloat very easily so I want to avoid that if possible. If I have to divide the tank into fourths i will lol. Current filtration is a wet/dry rated for 150g and a Rena Canister rated for 75g. I also have a 29g growout that I could stick some in too if need be. I also have an empty 150g in my moms garage for a potential pair in the future if need be, but it cant be used until we move out next summer. What am I looking at growth rate wise with quality food and clean water? Also looking for a good staple food. I currently feed my jag, red devil and grammode growouts hikari gold, krill, nls and bloodworms. I also have bio gold that my large solo male RD gets but theyre fairly large pellets. Sorry for all the questions I just want to learn all I can from the experienced members on here. I am also considering a Lyonsi or Festae pair for the tank if I should avoid beani. Thanks!

 

[duanes]

I started with 8 in a 150 gal, at about 2". A pair formed a few months later, male 4", female still around 2.5", and they spawned. They also bumped off most of the others around that time. Line of sight, breaks seem to be very important in keeping them from killing each other.
I had had an adult trio a year before that died of a bacterial infection during a summer heat wave when temps hit mid 80s'F.
So I kept the new group at low temps, around 68'-72'F. And those are the temps they spawned in, and thrived for the couple next years I kept them.

Never had a problem with bloat at those temps.
My feeding regime was a low protein, high spirulina pellet, 2 days on, 1 off (no food).
female in spawning dress

male

female with fry

another shot of the male

 

[the animal guy]

I don't agree with getting a group from the same family and let them pair out. I dont think it affects the fish too much but I don't like that way.Especially if it continues like that with their offsprings and on and on in the same 1 bloodline hahaaha

If you look closely you can see I have White, gold, green-blue, and deep blue Beanis.

I got rid of the 2 blue ones couple days ago..

My gold one is the most beautiful

 

[PYRU]

Sound advice. I will add that you need to keep stress almost non existent until they get much bigger.

I started with 8 in a 150 gal, at about 2". A pair formed a few months later, male 4", female still around 2.5", and they spawned. They also bumped off most of the others around that time. Line of sight, breaks seem to be very important in keeping them from killing each other.
I had had an adult trio a year before that died of a bacterial infection during a summer heat wave when temps hit mid 80s'F.
So I kept the new group at low temps, around 68'-72'F. And those are the temps they spawned in, and thrived for the couple next years I kept them.

Never had a problem with bloat at those temps.
My feeding regime was a low protein, high spirulina pellet, 2 days on, 1 off (no food).
female in spawning dress

male

female with fry

another shot of the male

 

[duanes]

Nice shots Pryru.
One of the reasons I believe cooler temps are needed for beani, is they are the most northerly found cichlid on the Pacific coast of Mexico, and although day time temps can be quite high, night temps can drop significantly.
Here is Panama, being much closer to the equator, you might think water temps would be quite high all the time, and surface temps are, by around 3 in the afternoon. But nights can drop into the low 70'sF, and even high 60's during the rainy season, and water coming down from the mountains stays rather cool, so water temps are not always as high as one might think.

 

[justarn]

I want a beani soooo bad... great pics.

 

[DBLN8]

Love your Beani! the gold and blues are stunning.

 

[NorCaliCichlids]

They are awesome cichlids but a pain in the ass at any size with bloat. I've lost a 10" male to it. I have 2 'white' Beani right now and they are just a beautiful cichlid just not very hardy

 

[the animal guy]

They are awesome cichlids but a pain in the ass at any size with bloat. I've lost a 10" male to it. I have 2 'white' Beani right now and they are just a beautiful cichlid just not very hardy

post pictures.
Mine are hardy and strong as hell.

 

[doviione]

Nice!