Wintering Balzani? With what tank mates?

[KarensFish]

I'm having a bit of a "going down the rabbit hole" moment. I'm being overwhelmed. I have 2 small Balzani. I don't know what variant they are, where they are from or what sex they are. I assumed all Balzani were supposed to be wintered. Now, I'm seeing that it depends on the variant. How can I figure out the variant on my own? Should I plan to winter them regardless?

Additionally, I'm planning on keeping the two fish in a 75-gallon bowfront tank. Finding suitable fish that can withstand winter temps is problematic. I see people say Severums are good tank mates. Yet, I know they are tropical. I see other geo's in my area like Redhead Tapajo and can find Hecklii but I think those are also tropical.

How would you stock a 75-gallon bowfront with two Balzani that will probably be wintered? Are there any other fish in the 3 to 5" range that are okay to winter in cooler temps?

Can I just add more unsexed Balzani with some Buenos Aires dither fish? If so, how many Balzani? Thanks for reading and helping out.

 

[duanes]

Wintering can just mean dropping the water temps a few degrees, from for example, if your normal temp is 75¨F, a drop tp 68´F , may be all it takes
And you are right, sererums, and northern S Americans such as Geos like Tapajos are not good tank mates.
In a tank as small as a 75, instead of other cichlids, dither fish such as Buenos Aires tetras, Bloodfin tetras or southern S American corys such as
Corydorus paleatus, or aenaeus would be my choice., because the are from the same habitat, and experience the same temp variation.

Since balzani are not predatory piscavors somewhat smaller species would not be problematic
For these southern S American cichlids, I don´t use heaters at all, and allow room temps to vary with the seasons.

There are plenty of other cichlids that also inhabit similar more temperate zones, but a 75 gal is quite limited as far as room for cichlid territory goes.

left a 6 ft community tank with southern S Smerican pike (saxitilus, middle Gymnogeophagus yerbaitio, right, Australoheros red ceibal
and below that community tanks winter temp.

 

[duanes]

If you are not concerned with being geographically correct (a southern S American biotote)
There are a number of high altitude Mexican live bears that also fit into a cooler tank.
Xenotoca eiseni above, and one of the goodieds with Gymnogeophagus Paso Pache below.(sorry can´t remeber the goodeid species)

 

[KarensFish]

Wintering can just mean dropping the water temps a few degrees, from for example, if your normal temp is 75¨F, a drop tp 68´F , may be all it takes
And you are right, sererums, and northern S Americans such as Geos like Tapajos are not good tank mates.
In a tank as small as a 75, instead of other cichlids, dither fish such as Buenos Aires tetras, Bloodfin tetras or southern S American corys such as
Corydorus paleatus, or aenaeus would be my choice., because the are from the same habitat, and experience the same temp variation.
View attachment 1569827
Since balzani are not predatory piscavors somewhat smaller species would not be problematic
For these southern S American cichlids, I don´t use heaters at all, and allow room temps to vary with the seasons.
View attachment 1569828
There are plenty of other cichlids that also inhabit similar more temperate zones, but a 75 gal is quite limited as far as room for cichlid territory goes.
View attachment 1569831View attachment 1569829View attachment 1569830
left a 6 ft community tank with southern S Smerican pike (saxitilus, middle Gymnogeophagus yerbaitio, right, Australoheros red ceibal
and below that community tanks winter temp.
View attachment 1569832

View attachment 1569826

Thank you for the wintering tip of just dropping the temp a few degrees. I thought I had to go down to the 60-64° range. This should help a bit. So, I think I'm gonna try to stick to a school of some small fish. I just really wanted something of a more notable size since I hear Balzani are shy. Maybe I'll be lucky with some showy Balzani and be content with a school of smalls. (I'm used to having larger fish in my 125.) Plus, this is all a process. Thanks again.

 

[duanes]

A shoal of geographically correct Buenos Aires tetras would be perfect species to take away shyness, and because it is from the same climate zone, and part of S America, be a perfect way to make them comfortable, as opposed to some larger fish that could intimidate them.
I kept them in a group of their own kind with 2 or 3 females for every male

 

[KarensFish]

Thanks again.

Should I look into getting more Balzani? Or, would it be too crowded in a 72 bowfront? The original shop still has some. I just wouldn't know the male to female ratio as they're small still. (Though I think they may have gotten some that are little larger. Yet, there's still no gender guarantee.) At the shop, they guessed the top fish to be male. The pics are when I first got them.

 

[duanes]

At the sise those are, it would behard to determine gender .....but
to me the 1st pic looks male, and the 2nd female


Above are females, the gentle slope of their fore heads appears female.

Below, a young male, even at a young age, the steeper forehead profile is apparent

At maturity males are pretty obvious

Another female below

In my experience, they are a social species, so 3 may work in your tank.
I doubt whether I'd get more cichlids than that, in a 72 ggal though.
Dithers like Buenos Aires tetras would work, because they are non-territorial with cichlids.

 

[KarensFish]

At the sise those are, it would behard to determine gender .....but
to me the 1st pic looks male, and the 2nd female
View attachment 1569863View attachment 1569862

Above are females, the gentle slope of their fore heads appears female.

Below, a young male, even at a young age, the steeper forehead profile is apparent
View attachment 1569864
At maturity males are pretty obvious
View attachment 1569865
Another female below
View attachment 1569866
In my experience, they are a social species, so 3 may work in your tank.
I doubt whether I'd get more cichlids than that, in a 72 ggal though.
Dithers like Buenos Aires tetras would work, because they are non-territorial with cichlids.

Thanks. They are currently housed with Diamond Tetras without any issues. I know my store had the Buenos Aires Tetra, as well. Thanks for all your help. It's appreciated.