Gymnogeophagus

[Kizno1]

To cut a long story short ive got a 150G but the only place i have room for it is in the garage and even after insulating the tank im struggling to keep it a 25c through the winter even with 900w of heaters. So ive been looking for something that would work at about 25c in the summer and closer to 15c through the winter or maybe a little warmer if needed. I was recommended Gymnogeophagus but im not sure which types will be best and if all can survive in such a wide temp range. The filtration will be a sump probably 40-50G with a pump doing around 6000lph, sand substrate, slate and wood for decore.
Any ideas what Gymnogeophagus would work? or if not any other fish that could work?

Oddballs express have F1 Gymnogeophagus yerbilit at 2" for £8.50 which seems like a good price, could these work? How many could i have? I was thinking 8-10 to start with then thinning them out over time if needed.

Cheers
K

 

[edburress]

Any Gymnogeophagus could easily handle 15-25ºC. Australoheros are another good temperate cichlid. Crenicichla minuano would also be a good choice, and are good tankmates with Gymnogeophagus. 150g is plenty of room for 10 Gymnos.

Ed

 

[duanes]

I keep mine outside in Milwaukee from May through early October. Water temps range from 80sF in mid day down to high 40sF at night. They spawned many times last summer.

And as Ed already stated Australoheros work well too.
My Red Ceibals easily withstood those large temp swings, and spawned.

 

[duanes]

By the way 8 yerbalitos would work well, mine seem to like being in a group.
This is the dominant male yerbalito

And with one of his harem.

 

[dogofwar]

You could do a large group in a 150g...or a couple of types (a mouthbrooder and a substrate spawning Gymnogeo) and some milder chanchitos...or minuano pikes...and some Buenos Aires or other cool-hardy tetras and/or some goodeids.

If you goth with all Yerbalitos, I wouldn't hesitate to put 3M/12F maybe more in a 150g...

 

[Kizno1]

Any Gymnogeophagus could easily handle 15-25ºC. Australoheros are another good temperate cichlid. Crenicichla minuano would also be a good choice, and are good tankmates with Gymnogeophagus. 150g is plenty of room for 10 Gymnos.

Ed

Cheers, Ive been talking to someone who says his are fine down even as low as 10C so they should be the perfect fish for the tank.

I keep mine outside in Milwaukee from May through early October. Water temps range from 80sF in mid day down to high 40sF at night. They spawned many times last summer.

And as Ed already stated Australoheros work well too.
My Red Ceibals easily withstood those large temp swings, and spawned.

Cheers, Stunning fish. Ill have a look in to tank mate once i have them but for now just want to considerate on getting the Gymnogeophagus

By the way 8 yerbalitos would work well, mine seem to like being in a group.
This is the dominant male yerbalito

And with one of his harem.

Stunning colours, How many do you have? What sex ratio would work best?

You could do a large group in a 150g...or a couple of types (a mouthbrooder and a substrate spawning Gymnogeo) and some milder chanchitos...or minuano pikes...and some Buenos Aires or other cool-hardy tetras and/or some goodeids.

If you goth with all Yerbalitos, I wouldn't hesitate to put 3M/12F maybe more in a 150g...

Thanks, If i had the money i would go for it but to get 10 with postage will come to around £100 which is about as much as i could spend on the right now but hopefully they will breed and ill keep a few fry to up the size of the group.

 

[duanes]

Dog of War is on the money. I have 2 males, 4 females and a few fry in a 100 gal with some Oreochromis tanganiciae and 6 Paretroplus maculatus. This is their summer so the constant warmth works. As soon as May rolls around, out to the back yard they go. Spring here, is a bit like winter there.

 

[Kizno1]

Dog of War is on the money. I have 2 males, 4 females and a few fry in a 100 gal with some Oreochromis tanganiciae and 6 Paretroplus maculatus. This is their summer so the constant warmth works. As soon as May rolls around, out to the back yard they go. Spring here, is a bit like winter there.

Cheers, How easy have you found them to breed and care for fry?

 

[Kizno1]

I still need to make a lid for the tank and sort out a sump but i might just cover the tank and use my fluval 405 to filter it until i set it up properly that way i can get them sooned and the 405 should do the job for 10 2" fish no problem. Or i could keep them in a 30G for a while until its set up that way i could slowly drop the temp.

 

[duanes]

They easily breed in tanks or outside, and do so at quite a small size. Warmth seems to trigger spawning. I have had a half dozen 1.5 " juvies in a 20 gal tank without a heater since fall season set in and they are fine. They don't seem to be jumpers, keeping close to the substrate most of the time. And although they are not aggressive, they handle themselves well with much larger fish of different color and body shape. I do not keep them with others of the gymnogenys group.