Acarichthys Heckelii?

[ryansmith83]

I recently bought a farm bred one to keep as a single adult in my 150 community. He's with a rotkeil sev, electric blue acaras, small orange head geos, a pair of Krobia guianensis, a pair of Heros severus, a Pelvicachromis sacrimontis, and a pair of Cryptoheros panamensis (I know, it's a totally bizarre mix of fish). So far he's oblivious to his tankmates and very outgoing. He's always wagging his tail at the lid, waiting for me to drop in some food.

Considering his nippy tankmates he's surprisingly managed to grow his dorsal trailers. He's a beautiful fish. Pictures don't really do them justice, IMO. The iridescent spotting on the body and fins is awesome in person.

 

[Paul S]

I have five 4" Heckelii and I started with 6! They are in a 5 foot "grow out" tank. I am trying for a breeding pair. They were fine for the first week until I did a 50% water change and a male decided he was the boss and beat up 3 others over the following week. I removed the 3 damaged fish. This male is very territorial and I believe he wants to breed. The following week I did another 50% water change and hour later the same male killed another fish. That left the male and 1 female in the 5 foot tank. The other 3 Heckelii are in another tank with some other fish and are fine. I have had these fish for only a month.

Some might be fine, but so far they have more aggressive than Red Devils of the same size.....

 

[Paul S]

IMO and experience over the last few weeks, treat Heckelii like every other cichlid.

 

[petspoiler]

I have five 4" Heckelii and I started with 6! They are in a 5 foot "grow out" tank. I am trying for a breeding pair. They were fine for the first week until I did a 50% water change and a male decided he was the boss and beat up 3 others over the following week. I removed the 3 damaged fish. This male is very territorial and I believe he wants to breed. The following week I did another 50% water change and hour later the same male killed another fish. That left the male and 1 female in the 5 foot tank. The other 3 Heckelii are in another tank with some other fish and are fine. I have had these fish for only a month.

Some might be fine, but so far they have more aggressive than Red Devils of the same size.....

I think you just have a very territorial individual.
Heckelii do not mature sexually at young ages.
Also from what I've read, the females initiate all breeding/courting. They dig long tunnel-like holes in the ground themselves (think "underwater gophers"), then come out and choose the male, inviting him to spawn inside there, where eggs are laid. then the entrance area is guarded.
I suspect that aquarium mating mortalities are partially due to not being able to work off all the energy which nature imparts to females, for doing extensive tunnel excavation.
Providing large size tunnel shaped places may seem like decent spawn habitat, but probably not from a biological standpoint.

:-]

 

[Paul S]

I think you just have a very territorial individual.
Heckelii do not mature sexually at young ages.
Also from what I've read, the females initiate all breeding/courting. They dig long tunnel-like holes in the ground themselves (think "underwater gophers"), then come out and choose the male, inviting him to spawn inside there, where eggs are laid. then the entrance area is guarded.
I suspect that aquarium mating mortalities are partially due to not being able to work off all the energy which nature imparts to females, for doing extensive tunnel excavation.
Providing large size tunnel shaped places may seem like decent spawn habitat, but probably not from a biological standpoint.

:-]

I hope you are right. Over the last few days that male seems to have calmed down a little and is a little less aggressive. He is "almost" getting alone with female he is with - he is chasing her but does not appear to want to kill her now.
The other 3 Heckelii in the other are doing fine. There is a little territorial chasing but no damage to fins. Soon I will be moving these 3 in to a 160G (6foot) community tank.

 

[notho2000]

It's kind of interesting but I've noticed that for many of the cichlids that I've raised, if kept together as a group from a small size, they seem to ultimately be more compatible (i.e.less likely to beat the c**p out of one another). Starting with larger fish IME can lead to these sorts of unpredictable aggressive outbursts. I'm not saying it always works this way, but it is long term observation of raising and maintaining cichlids on which I'm basing it . I realize that for you, "it is what it is" (hate that phrase!) and you will have to try different strategies. Hope things settle down with the pair and good luck .

 

[Paul S]

It's kind of interesting but I've noticed that for many of the cichlids that I've raised, if kept together as a group from a small size, they seem to ultimately be more compatible (i.e.less likely to beat the c**p out of one another). Starting with larger fish IME can lead to these sorts of unpredictable aggressive outbursts. I'm not saying it always works this way, but it is long term observation of raising and maintaining cichlids on which I'm basing it . I realize that for you, "it is what it is" (hate that phrase!) and you will have to try different strategies. Hope things settle down with the pair and good luck .

I would normally agree. The 6 Heckelii I bought are all from the same brood and supplier. I think I was just unlucky that one male is overly aggressive. Hopefully this male and the female he has hasn't beaten up or killed will pair ...... only time will tell.

I may also get a compatible pair out of the other 3 I have. Fingers crossed.

 

[ElectricBlueSeanBurch]

I have 7 threadfins in my 225. Other fish are 2 severums, 2 fancy Plecos, 6 BA Tetras, 12ish Blackskirt Tetras, a huge flagtail and a few cories. So far I have 0 aggression issues, just some flaring here and there. From what I see I have 4-5 males and 2-3 females, so it is a male heavy group.

 

[erlika]

I have one female Heckelii. The prev owner said she's to territorial..to naughty. but once she landed on my tank...surrounded by (almost) all geophagus males..she behaves nicely. So calm..

 

[dogofwar]

Couldn't agree more: raising fish together from a small size and allowing them to choose their mates tends to work out much better than dropping two adults together.

Also, breeding fish at young ages vs. trying to spawn aged lunkers has been far superior.

Matt

It's kind of interesting but I've noticed that for many of the cichlids that I've raised, if kept together as a group from a small size, they seem to ultimately be more compatible (i.e.less likely to beat the c**p out of one another). Starting with larger fish IME can lead to these sorts of unpredictable aggressive outbursts. I'm not saying it always works this way, but it is long term observation of raising and maintaining cichlids on which I'm basing it . I realize that for you, "it is what it is" (hate that phrase!) and you will have to try different strategies. Hope things settle down with the pair and good luck .