Crypto / Archocentrus Community Stocking

[Jason_S]

When you say more different do you mean more Cryptos sp. or more different non conspecifics?

I was thinking possibly C. nanoluteus but from what I have ready they are not very hardy and can be picky eaters.

There is also the issue of availability, Cutteri and Sajica are going to be hard enough to track down, I am hoping Rapps will have both when I am ready to stock the 135, but that will probably not be until the spring.

Thanks for your input

go to aquabid and look for auctions by Cavamart. He is currently breeding sajica, HRP's (which I would put in instead of the convicts), nanoluteus and chetumalensis (which I would put in instead of the cutteri) among others.

The chetumalensis look very similar to cutteri but also have a very nice red color on the abdominal area. I recently received chetumalensis and sajica from him. I would have gotten nanoluteus too but they had just recently spawned and were too young to sell/ship but they should be ready by springtime.

 

[cavamart]

Sounds like some of my tanks. I have multiple species Crypto breeding pairs together. The trick, like Matt said, is lots of mini breeding territories, caves, pots, whatever. If you dont want to let the aggression get out of hand, syphon fry when they start to wiggle and feed off or pull the structure the eggs are on before hand. When your ready, between JD and myself, you should be able to find what your looking for. I also would stay away from Centrarchus, my male is pretty rough.

 

[cavamart]

Thanks for the plug Jason and JD. I've pulled my Aquabid auctions for the Winter, but PM me here if you need anything.

James

 

[elting44]

Thanks, I am really excited to get this tank up now.

I actually prefer Convicts to HRP, I think it is because I have always owned and liked cons. They are as common as any fish but I just find them interesting.

Cavamart, JD and Jason thanks for your input.

 

[elting44]

Do C. chetumalensis have the same breeding dress that C. cutteri do? I like the dramatic change in pattern when cutteri spawn.

 

[jgentry]

Do C. chetumalensis have the same breeding dress that C. cutteri do? I like the dramatic change in pattern when cutteri spawn.

They do change a lot, but in a different way then the cutteri.

 

[geeza]

Hey MFK,

My 135 gal is (slowly) getting closer to being set up, and I was wondering what you think of my stocking idea.

I want to do a community of some of the different species that were formally in the Archocentrus genus.

Cryptoheros sajica (T-bar / Sajica Cichlid)
Cryptoheros cutteri (Blue eyed / Cutter's Cichlid)
A. nigrofasciata (Convict Cichlid)
H. multispinosa (Rainbow Cichlid)

My plan is two have one male and one female of each.

Is 135 g enough real estate for this to happen without aggression issues? My main concern would be the convicts, but I hear sajica pairs can also be pretty aggro.

I plan on getting about 4 of each sp. @ 1 1/2" - 2" and then keeping the pairs that develop as they mature. Ending with a final stock of around 8 fish.

I will also be adding green swordtails (as close as I can get to wild type / natural) to us as dithers, I was thinking 6 of them.

Am I crazy? Do you think this will work?

I plan on using sand mixed with medium sixed gravel as a substrate, lots of large river rocks to create "caves" and driftwood branches coming in from the top to create the effect of a river root system, with small twigs and small stones littered around the bottom. See this tank for an example

I will be using a 30 gallon Wet/Dry Sump, a Fluval 404 and a Fluval 305 for filtration. Both Fluvals will be primarily mechanical filtration.

i had a pair of sajica, the tank was crowded any way thay dug three holes clearing everythink to glass then had a successful lay and raised about 100 babies which out of the ones i keeped are about 3-4 cms .
great fish