Gymnogeophagus balzanii in tropical temps?

[unkle_billy]

this is one of mine. he has never seen anything much lower than 70 his whole life. I have 8 balzaniis but haven't had them long enough to know. You should consider getting more if you can. he will want some females if hes a he. basically pull the heater from your tank and keep only fish that are agreeable to this in that tank. if that doesn't work you are not meant to keep these fish.

 

[David R]

My male balzanii seemed fine but lasted less than 2 years at ~80F, I wouldn't recommend it...

 

[unkle_billy]

when your balzanii died was there any warning what so ever?

 

[dreamandscheme]

unfortunately this is the first gymno i've seen in a lfs and prob over payed but he's so cool looking. how long is needed for a wintering period?

 

[darippa]

The warning sign usually for a Balzanii is them going off their food, sunkin belly, stringy feces and you know the rest.

 

[abarilot]

I'd let them winter for at least 3 months, but you probably could get away with less. The easiest way to winter them is just to have an unheated tank and let the water cool and warm up naturally.

 

[David R]

when your balzanii died was there any warning what so ever?

stopped eating, started looking shy and inactive, dead about 36 hours later.

 

[duanes]

Many of the cichlids of southern South America have evolved with seasonal temps which give them a sort of rest period, and water sometimes ices over in winter. This is an important part of their life cycle, without it stress can be caused but it prepares them for spawning just as spring does for our native fish in the US.
My Australoheros spawned when the temp in the tank climbed to 65'F.

I wouldn't expect my haitiensus to survive much less spawn unless temps were in the 80s. Cichlids from different parts of the world require different conditions beyond just hardness or softness.