Cryptoheros tankmates

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Mythic Figment

Feeder Fish
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Jul 27, 2012
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Florida
So I am thinking about getting a 150+ gallon, 6-8' long tank and putting a couple breeding pairs of Cryptoheros in there. I have some panamensis and some cutteri that I am working on getting a couple breeding pairs of and am thinking about getting a Honduran red point pair as well, but that isn't set in stone yet.

Now I am fairly new to CA cichlids, having only kept peaceful SA earth eaters, severums and acaras up until now. I am also a stranger to aggression. My SAs get a little aggressive (mostly when breeding), but nothing on the scale that Cryptoheros display during breeding.

Anyways, I am looking for a couple solitary fish species that might make good tankmates for the breeding pairs. Something that will be able to hold its own against a breeding pair of Cryptos, but not seek out fights with them. I realize a certain level of personality will likely be required in regards to aggression in the species I am seeking.

Some fish I have in mind are salvini, silver/white saum, or jack dempseys. And of course I am open to suggestions. But I don't want anything that could potentially cross breed with any of the Cryptos.

I am on foreign soil with this topic, so please feel free to share any helpful information you can think of! Thanks!


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Good question. I am interested to hear what others say..

I'm going through something similar in my 135gal CA community. A pair of C. cutteri spawned recently and claimed literally half the 6ft tank. In with them are 5x other C. cutteri, 2x C. sajica, 1x V. argentea, 1x P. synspilus and 1x H. pearsei. The three big guys aren't exactly "that big" yet with the pearsei being the largest at around 5-6in.

I think the key for you will be scaping your tank in a way to create lots of "mini territories" for the pairs to claim. Line of sight breaks will definitely help as well. As for other possible singletons, I think large moderately aggressive fish would be a good place to start. Something that won't go out looking for trouble, yet can hold it's own. The large size will make the Crypto's think twice (maybe). I'd consider species like H. pearsei and bocourti, P. synspilus, and V. heterospila.
 
cjdesmit said:
Good question. I am interested to hear what others say..

I'm going through something similar in my 135gal CA community. A pair of C. cutteri spawned recently and claimed literally half the 6ft tank. In with them are 5x other C. cutteri, 2x C. sajica, 1x V. argentea, 1x P. synspilus and 1x H. pearsei. The three big guys aren't exactly "that big" yet with the pearsei being the largest at around 5-6in.

I think the key for you will be scaping your tank in a way to create lots of "mini territories" for the pairs to claim. Line of sight breaks will definitely help as well. As for other possible singletons, I think large moderately aggressive fish would be a good place to start. Something that won't go out looking for trouble, yet can hold it's own. The large size will make the Crypto's think twice (maybe). I'd consider species like H. pearsei and bocourti, P. synspilus, and V. heterospila.
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I would definitely have some aquascaping work ahead of me. Luckily this isn't a project I will be doing in the next few weeks, so that leaves me time to build up a supply of driftwood. :)

Thanks for the tankmate suggestions. I will look into them.


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As far as I'm aware, all Centrals can hybridize with one another. There's not a lot you can do, short of keeping a same-sex tank or culling eggs/fry as you see them.
 
ryansmith83 said:
As far as I'm aware, all Centrals can hybridize with one another. There's not a lot you can do, short of keeping a same-sex tank or culling eggs/fry as you see them.
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Well that definitely makes things a little simpler. Cryptoheros form pretty strong pair bonds though, correct? If I allow the pairs I want to pair in another tank before adding them to the big tank, that would keep them from bonding with other fish, right? If I have to skip the CA bachelors, I can stick with hardy, aggressive SAs like saums. Maybe a gentle giant like a chocolate cichlid or something like that. At least I wouldn't have to worry about hybrids.


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If it is your intent to have the panamense and cutteri breed for example, on opposite ends of the aquarium, and to actually be able to keep fry from each of the spawns, I would think it is best to have no other cichlids except the 2 pair.
A breeding pair would basically command half of a 150 gal tank.
I have had spawns from both species, and each can be very protective parents, to the demise of other cichlid tankmates.



If you feel you must have other tankmates I would think a school of some type of surface dwelling Central American live bearer that the parents could focus on, but not be an eminent threat to the fry would work.
As stated above, creative aqua-scaping provided so that each pair would aspire to have half the tank may provide a "demilitarized zone" for the males to display across, yet not engage in mortal combat in, thus saving the females from male abuse.
Of course live bearers respect no such territorial boundaries, also keeping the pairs occupied.
 
duanes said:
If it is your intent to have the panamense and cutteri breed for example, on opposite ends of the aquarium, and to actually be able to keep fry from each of the spawns, I would think it is best to have no other cichlids except the 2 pair.
A breeding pair would basically command half of a 150 gal tank.
I have had spawns from both species, and each can be very protective parents, to the demise of other cichlid tankmates.



If you feel you must have other tankmates I would think a school of some type of surface dwelling Central American live bearer that the parents could focus on, but not be an eminent threat to the fry would work.
As stated above, creative aqua-scaping provided so that each pair would aspire to have half the tank may provide a "demilitarized zone" for the males to display across, yet not engage in mortal combat in, thus saving the females from male abuse.
Of course live bearers respect no such territorial boundaries, also keeping the pairs occupied.
Click to expand...

I will admit I was hoping for some cichlid tankmate options, but what you're saying make sense. I will probably just keep them in their 40 breeders as pair rather than waste a 6' tank on 4 small-medium cichlids.

You mentioned males being aggressive with females. Is there a way I can reduce or eliminate that in a 40 breeder?


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If you don't mind mixing SA & CA, I had severums work well with spawning HRPs. The sevs never looked at the fry & they were much bulkier than the HRPs, which made it tough for them to get pushed around. This was in a 75gal.
 
decoy50 said:
If you don't mind mixing SA & CA, I had severums work well with spawning HRPs. The sevs never looked at the fry & they were much bulkier than the HRPs, which made it tough for them to get pushed around. This was in a 75gal.
Click to expand...

I don't mind mixing. I have some notatus severum growing out that could work with them.


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