Gymnogeophagus balzanii Keepers?

[japes]

Hey guys,

Picked up a couple of very small juvenile Gymnogeophagus balzanii for my 5' community to be mixed in with some SA Dwarves, Tetra, Corydoras, etc. I've long know that Gymnogeophagus prefer to have 3-4 months of the year spent in slightly cooler than usual water.

Just curious to know what other keepers experience is with using this method as given the tanks other residents I'd rather not run the cooler temperatures, even though most SA Cichlids will do fine with temperatures around the 23-24c mark for a few months a year also.

Other than this temperature issue the tank has ideal parameters for them, with the pH stable at 6.4 and a nice hardness level of 4dgH.

Obligatory photograph.

Cheers,
japes.

 

[warfrik]

I don't do cooling periods on my balzanis and they are doing fine for almost 2 yrs.

 

[Tongue33]

I don't cool mine either.. If I get serious about breeding them... I may start that.. but Right now I have enough breeding projects to check off first

 

[Tongue33]

Hey././.. Show us pics of all of them

 

[japes]

Hey././.. Show us pics of all of them

Me? I've only got the two little juvies and they both look identical. Any shots of yours?

 

[Tongue33]

Female







Male

 

[japes]

Very nice, still looks like they've got some growing to do as well.

I remember seeing a W/C Balzanii for sale on Rapps' site, the head on that thing was enormous. They're quite rare over here though not very sort after so they can be had relatively cheaply. I picked mine up from an LFS for $20 each which isn't too bad as most Cichlids are around the $10-15 mark.

I'm currently keeping mine with Tetra, hoping that their mouths will be too small even when full grown to devour them.

Edit:

 

[Tongue33]

The male when i got him

And ya they have ab out 2 inches in lenght and an inch + in height to go

 

[Felipe Cantera]

Hey guys,

Picked up a couple of very small juvenile Gymnogeophagus balzanii for my 5' community to be mixed in with some SA Dwarves, Tetra, Corydoras, etc. I've long know that Gymnogeophagus prefer to have 3-4 months of the year spent in slightly cooler than usual water.

Just curious to know what other keepers experience is with using this method as given the tanks other residents I'd rather not run the cooler temperatures, even though most SA Cichlids will do fine with temperatures around the 23-24c mark for a few months a year also.

Other than this temperature issue the tank has ideal parameters for them, with the pH stable at 6.4 and a nice hardness level of 4dgH.

Obligatory photograph.

Cheers,
japes.

Hi,
Water temp; depends of where they come from....Paraguay....Argentina or Uruguay?
In the north part of Uruguay, there I collect the balzanii, the water temp right now (winter) is between +15c and +18c.
I have G.balzanii with tetras + Cichlasoma dimerus + Crenicichla minuano and Gymnogeophagus australis....and that works Ok!
If you wanna see pictures of wild caught adults;
www.aqvaterra.com
(go to "cichlids")

 

[freeskier]

congrats on the balzanis. i don't think that is too bad of a price. i saw some at the store around here for $20 each. can't wait for more pictures!