Gymno Balzani info needed

[BuffaloPolypteridae]

I had read online before buying one some time ago that some balzani need the cool off periods, and some who were collected from warmer locales do not. Bought one, as it was the only eartheater i could find and the LFS told me it was one that wouldnt need the cool off period. So far mine has grown from 1.5 inch to 4.5 inch in a few months, developing a slight hump too. Seems to be doing fine so far

Point is, is there such a thing as a balzani not needing a cool off period? Or should i cool down one of my tanks and keep it solo in there for the winter?

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[duanes]

Though the southern Brazilian variant may not need a cool down, southern Brazil is not tropical like the Amazon, and temps in the low 70s may be more apropos. Mine are the Uruguayan variant and I keep them in an unheated tank. When I first got them, they were maybe an inch at most, today the large males are about 4" the females 1/3 smaller. They prefer to live in groups with more females than males. I have 2 males, and 4 females.


When I first tried balzani about 10 years ago, I wasn't aware of their temp preference and kept them at tropical temps, and they seemed prone to fungal infections and inter species aggression, now keeping them unheated, they are much healthier.

My group of 6 are in a 60 gal with a half dozen small Uruguayan corys.

 

[abarilot]

+1 to what Duane said. All you really need to do is just unplug the heater and they'll be fine. My G. balzanii were fine down to temps in the mid 50s in the winter.

 

[David R]

So far mine has grown from 1.5 inch to 4.5 inch in a few months, developing a slight hump too. Seems to be doing fine so far

Warm water will do that, increased metabolism etc. I kept a spare male I had in a warm water set up and he seemed to do ok for some time, then turned up his toes one day for no obvious reason, only about two years old.

 

[BuffaloPolypteridae]

Hmm i may need to start a coldwater tank for em then, i only have one right now used to have 2 but i traded one for a leopard ctenopoma, they did fight quite a bit but i figured it was territorial. The gymno and my orino pbass fight over food but I think thats it.

Yeah your gymnos look much nicer then mine, ill get a pic up when i get home dont have any good recent ones. Is that spangling an urugrayin characteristic? Havent seen it on any other balzani

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